Battery leads advice

[dblenk]

Now then

seems the Americans swopped the leads black to the starter red to earth ???

the clamps look cracking and forced closed

they work but for £20 i see a nice set on ebay

what strands ? what mm2 and what rating in amps for a TR6

i can check my 5 units as they are in a box somewhere

As electrics are my favourite subject (NOT) hop someone can advise

cheers

David

[Don H.]

10 minutes ago, dblenk said:

Now then

seems the Americans swopped the leads black to the starter red to earth ???…

What are you referring to?  Red is standard for battery positive here. 

[RogerH]

Hi Dave 

RED is usually + (plus) 12v.  As Don says in the USA and UK.

however sometimes owners use a black cable going down to the starter motor  from the solenoid.

Earth -ve_ is usually black.

The clamps  have a receptacle for the cable.  Get a cable that fills this cable.  Bigger the better.

 

Roger

[dblenk]

hi

i always thought positive was RED and went to the starter the negative Black on the UK passenger side went to the body and gearbox

they seem to be swopped black to the starter red to the body

the clamps look over clamped as they are different sizes on the poles ??

so just looking to replacing as the clamps will crack eventually

i trust that explains what i have in the sense of "Americans" i mean the previous owner in the states ???? or someone !!!!

david

Edited December 27, 2023 by dblenk

[RobH]

Sounds like someone has 'been at' yours and has fitted the wrong cables and swapped the clamps side-to-side on the battery.

Cable with 40mm sq conductors will do best. That is rated at 300A which is more than plenty (!) but as Roger says big is best to minimise volts drop. You would probably be fine with 25mm sq rated at 170A but why compromise if you can go bigger? 

The area is the only important thing, the number of strands just depends on whether you want the cable to be flexible or semi-rigid. Lots of thin strands is more flexible than a few thicker ones. 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by RobH

[dblenk]

See below info from the ebay site

david

 

 

Brocott UK - Specialist Copper Cables

Manufactured from Tri-Rated Cable. We supply a range of high quality auto cables

 

Please select your options from the drop down menu.

 

Tech Data:

CABLE   - Tri-Rated fire retardant cable manufactured to BS6231 specification and heat resisting PVC rated up to 105dC.

CRIMPS - Seamless copper crimping lugs that we crimp under high pressure to ensure a very tight fit.

Clamps  - G Type high quality clamps with taper size 16 to 17mm loose / 15 to 16mm.

Shrinks - Colour coded heat resistant heat shrink sleeving to protect cable ends.

 

Same day manufacturing and shipping

Every order is cut & made to order so is non returnable

 

 

SKU         Strands      Conductor (mm2)        Nom. Current      Max. Outer O.D

TRC16         208/0.30                16                                 110 amps                    8.86
TRC25         322/0.30                25                                 170 amps                    9.76
TRC35         448/0.30                35                                 240 amps                    12.13
TRC50         630/0.30                50                                 345 amps                    13.91
TRC70         888/0.30                70                                 485 amps                    15.8

PLEASE NOTE: CABLE SIZES ARE MEASURED AS A CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF THE COPPER CONDUCTOR (mm2) AND NOT OUTSIDE DIAMETER

Buy with confidence with a 100% money back guarantee

[RobH]

I'd go for the 35mm sq  ones from that list David. 

[dblenk]

super will check it out

thanks

David

[John L]

If you are looking at jumper leads to start another car, I bought a long time ago, a set of welding machine copper wires, super flexible and put some decent clamps on the ends, super long and don't loose any current, compared to some of the new Aluminium short ones you get these days!

John

[dblenk]

Dug out my cables from my 5 (well i think they are as i dont have any others )

the one to the starter is BLACK the earth well looks like an earth

so am i correct in buying a RED cable for the positive to starter dont say a colour in the Moss book

at least i have the lengths

Edited December 30, 2023 by dblenk

[RobH]

Red is positive by convention and that is what is used now, though who knows for sure what Triumph did ?   (Of course the cable colour is completely immaterial to the function of the cables -  it only helps for circuit identification.) 

The photos in Bill Piggot's  book suggest the old cables you show may be original - black or maybe greyish from the battery to the starter (even though that is the positive feed) and braid for the earth with a light coloured plastic sleeve over the battery end of it.  How 'original' do you want it to look? 

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by RobH

[PodOne]

The cables in the photos are exactly the same as I removed from my 1969 PI since replaced with red +ve and a new braided -ve.

[dblenk]

Hi ok the cables are my TR5 ones

the cables on my 6 look suspect at the clamps i.e cracking so thought of replacing therefore was just going to buy units to make it look correct

as you say its only colour

thanks everyone

David

[Mike C]

My early CP has a black positive cable. I covered the battery end of it  with red shrink sleeve when I last replaced the battery terminal.

[dblenk]

Thanks all was just checking but will buy a red and a black for the 6

at least i know my TR5 stuff is correct

cheers

David