Battery Question

[dolfan1710]

So I took my boat out Sunday and it ran great after an ignition tune up. In fact it ran so well I think that tune up was long overdue. Anyway, my negative battery cable keeps coming loose between trailering and the bumps on the lake. I have them connected to the bolts on the battery with wing nuts and have even hit the wing nuts with pliers and sure enough after my first stop on the lake the motor wouldn’t crank..I actually think this has been a long time problem. What the best way to secure the cables so I can prevent this from happening.

 

[Bt Doctur]

if its only the neg one find out why, bad post, uneven post, battery terminal wrong type, too thin, etc
Drill a small hole in the ends of the wing nuts and safety with mono

 

[Grub54891]

Remove the wing nuts, throw them as far as you can throw them, look away just after tossing them so you can't see where they land. That will discourage you from looking for them. Get some stainless nylock nuts and install them. Problem solved!

 

[dolfan1710]

Thanks too both. The terminal is crooked, long story but it has to do with the wing nut coming loose and the boats ignition being left on (not by me). I think I’m lucky I didn’t have a fire. I’m going to get a new battery to eliminate the crooked terminal (plastic casing is burnt too) and try some pyloc nuts.

 

[Bondo]

(plastic casing is burnt too)

Ayuh,..... That's caused by corroded terminals,.......

Corrosion = Resistance = Heat,.....

 

[Scott Danforth]

wing nuts have no place in an electrical connection - ever, no mater what....ever.

as Grub stated, throw them as far as you can, preferably while standing over the Marianas trench.

then take some 220 grit sand paper and make the battery terminal and the end of the cable shiny enough your mother would eat off of it (that is brighter than her good silverware)

then after you tighten the connection, seal it with marine electrical varnish.