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Old 11-27-2007, 02:54 PM   #406 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,530

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 62.14 mpg (US)
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08-29-2007, 08:46 Pm

Futzed around some with the DIY cable lug idea I had, which was this:
  1. get some copper tubing with a slightly larger diameter than the 4/0 cabling.
  2. cut about a 5 cm length of tubing
  3. hammer one end flat, creating a "blank" cable lug
  4. in a vice, heat the open end with a torch, and fill it half way with solder
  5. insert cut end of cable into molten solder
  6. after cooling, drill hole in the flat end (for the battery connection - the floodies have threaded terminals)
  7. tin the flat end with solder for oxidation protection
... and voila, cable connection on the cheap.

Unfortunately it didn't work out that way. The main problem being the fine stranded cable seemed to prefer to wick up the solder very efficiently, rather than leaving enough in the tubing "receptacle". I tried it a few times and dissected the results with a cutoff wheel - wasn't really happy with the way the inside of the connector looked. Not enough solder filling the gap between the cable and the tubing.

I may try again (lots of variables to play with - preheating the cable or not, how much flux to use or not, how much solder to melt into the open end before adding the cable, etc.).

Otherwise, I'll call up the forklift place and find out how much their lugs are, and how much to get them to crimp them on for us.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



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www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
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