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February 7, 2013
This week I received the Gigavac contactors that I ordered. Pretty fast for something shipped from the US to Canada.
Before ordering lugs for the battery cables, I verified that the surplus cable I have is really 2/0 or #00. The local automotive store wanted to make sure, since the minimum order is 25 lugs
#00 cable - I have about 30 feet of surplus cable - is rated for 185A continuous. But that's a bit less than the 4/0 or #0000 (my original, if somewhat paranoid, cable size) that is rated for 235A continuous. The #00 cable, besides the fact that I have some surplus cable, is also a better choice for use in the car. I'm told that 2 runs of #00 is easier to bend than 1 run of #0000. I guess I'll find out.
There are separate part numbers for 1/4, 5/16, 3/8 holes in the lugs for #00 cable. They are also different widths so that there is enough contact area between the lug and the terminal post on the battery.
And then there are two different 'grades' of lugs - light duty or 'battery' lugs and heavy duty lugs used for 'continuous' duty. The fork truck cables that I have seen use the 'continuous' duty. The 3 cables that I have (salvaged from a VFD cabinet) that have lugs crimped on are also 'continuous' duty rated.
For comparison purposes, #00 light duty cable lugs are about $2.50 each and are stocked locally by one supplier. The heavy duty lugs are twice as much, at just under $5.00 per lug. Premade battery cables are $22 - $35 for 6 - 12 inch long cables with two ends, heat shrink on each end, etc.
No one local stocks any battery cables of #00 size (3 cables total from 5 suppliers). #4 cable is the largest commonly stocked.
And I went through the instructions for building HVJB and LVJB. There was a bit of an update but nothing worth attaching.
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