Lugs on #4 battery wire?

smkettner wrote:
Get the heavy wall and have them make up the cable for you.

I will second that.

NOTE: #4 wire is fairly common....Starter cable is often #4,, you might be able to get 'em pre-fab at your Auto-Zone.

But the heavier wall and thicker lug will have lower resistance..and even a tiny fraction of an ohm can be significant in solar systems.

The lugs on my Vector wiring kit for the 2000w (4000w surge) Vector inverter are marked "200A" right on the ring terminal lugs. The wires they are on are each 3 ft of #4. It takes two pos and two neg wires for the inverter to battery.

So I guess they are covering for a possible 400a surge with two 200s on pos and two 200s on neg. (you also are supposed to fuse the positives by the battery.

So--I am thinking lugs must have amp ratings and that is what you should be asking for, depending on what the wires are expected to carry.

mena661 wrote:
Wow! Can you get out of that?

No. It took one big dumb guy with a shovel and $US 30, his daily pay. That one was really big and dumb :), guys that know how to use a screwdriver or level are worth $60/day.

CR - next time I'll take a photo when I'll get stuck also without excuse of a hurricane. Have managed to do this a few times in a quicksand, luckily truck only, without trailer.

Almot wrote:
OK, I'll have them install me heavy wall lugs.

landyacht318 wrote:

The Dielectric grease in the lug, while a good idea, is overkill, unless perhaps you plan on boondocking with your wheels buried on the beach and waves slapping your rv at high tide and have your wiring submerged.

Axles were buried alright. The actual beach is 300 ft away, but the entire area was like a beach. The photo was made after the rain stopped.


Mud after the hurricane went almost up to the doorstep and filled the under-belly. So I moved AGM batts from the front perch - where they were sitting few inches below the frame, to the front storage where they are sitting above the frame. At least, they are out of direct rain and marine spray now. Rain is rare, but when it rains it pours.

Little OEM electrical box with trailer wiring under the front frame came close to being buried in mud too - see those dunes around the tongue. I think I'll replace this box with a waterproof plastic box. Doesn't bother me much, since the loads are off when I'm not there, only controller is running.

We can feel your pain:



Here is the whole story. I didn't have the excuse of a hurricane!

Stuck in the mud in Mexico.

Wow! Can you get out of that?

OK, I'll have them install me heavy wall lugs.

landyacht318 wrote:

The Dielectric grease in the lug, while a good idea, is overkill, unless perhaps you plan on boondocking with your wheels buried on the beach and waves slapping your rv at high tide and have your wiring submerged.

Axles were buried alright. The actual beach is 300 ft away, but the entire area was like a beach. The photo was made after the rain stopped.


Mud after the hurricane went almost up to the doorstep and filled the under-belly. So I moved AGM batts from the front perch - where they were sitting few inches below the frame, to the front storage where they are sitting above the frame. At least, they are out of direct rain and marine spray now. Rain is rare, but when it rains it pours.

Little OEM electrical box with trailer wiring under the front frame came close to being buried in mud too - see those dunes around the tongue. I think I'll replace this box with a waterproof plastic box. Doesn't bother me much, since the loads are off when I'm not there, only controller is running.

Heavy wall lugs have a most specific purpose. They resist breaking where the flat tang with the hole meets the tubular part where the wire is crimped inside. Engine starter motors and alternators would definitely be likely candidates. Connected to a battery stud would place more strain (gravity) than connected to a buss that sees no vibration or severe cable flex. I also prefer heavy lugs where gorilla equipment operators commonly mess with lugs or anything near them. Heavy thickness lugs occupy more stud threads.

Almot wrote:
SMK - preassembled cable by Genuinedealz will be the cheapest way and will look nice too. But as you remember from earlier discussion, most people here recommend to put a dielectric grease inside the lug, and I doubt that the shop will put any.

So it will only last 100 years instead of 1000.
Dielectric grease in a sealed crimp is overrated IMO. General manufacturing practice does not include dielectric grease for a crimp. The grease is more for exposed components.

I too would recommend the heavy wall...

Reasons: Stronger,thicker thus less likely to break

Also,thicker metal can haul more freight (Carry more current with less voltage drop)and in my book it is all about voltage drop.

The cables Genuinedealz uses are high quality tinned copper conductors. The lugs are tinned copper. They are properly crimped with proper tools and sealed with thick adhesive lined heatshrink.

The Dielectric grease in the lug, while a good idea, is overkill, unless perhaps you plan on boondocking with your wheels buried on the beach and waves slapping your rv at high tide and have your wiring submerged.