I am building a DIY Apexium battery, using their cells and BMS and I have built a box. I have some battery cable but I am struggling to confirm what mm2 it is as I want to use 50mm2 inside the box between the BMS and the fuse and the terminals. What measurements should I be getting to confirm this is actually 50mm2 and not 35mm2. Otherwise I will need to take the cable to a place that sells the 50mm2 and compare it with that cable.

16 minutes ago, Greglsh said:

I am building a DIY Apexium battery, using their cells and BMS and I have built a box. I have some battery cable but I am struggling to confirm what mm2 it is as I want to use 50mm2 inside the box between the BMS and the fuse and the terminals. What measurements should I be getting to confirm this is actually 50mm2 and not 35mm2. Otherwise I will need to take the cable to a place that sells the 50mm2 and compare it with that cable.

An estimated diameter of 8mm is a 50 sq mm cable. Just a very rough indication.

Is that just the copper part? I measured the copper with a vernier and it was 8.3mm diameter. So it sounds like it is 50mm2. Thank you

@Greglsh Are there no markings on it at all? Not even embossed markings?

Edited February 1, 20242 yr by TheMac

1 hour ago, Greglsh said:

Is that just the copper part? I measured the copper with a vernier and it was 8.3mm diameter. So it sounds like it is 50mm2. Thank you

 

2 hours ago, Greglsh said:

Is that just the copper part? I measured the copper with a vernier and it was 8.3mm diameter. So it sounds like it is 50mm2. Thank you

Always the conductor as what is the important part. Insulation thickness will vary between different types of cables. For example solar cable and welding cable compared to house wiring. 

Edited February 1, 20242 yr by Scorp007

Easy test.  If you can get the cable into a 50mm² lug with only a moderate amount of swearing, then it is 50mm² cable.

But seriously, it is virtually impossible to get cable that is not labelled. Shine a light parallel to the surface of the cable, and you will probably see some lightly embossed markings.

On 2024/02/01 at 2:40 PM, JustinSchoeman said:

Easy test.  If you can get the cable into a 50mm² lug with only a moderate amount of swearing, then it is 50mm² cable.

But seriously, it is virtually impossible to get cable that is not labelled. Shine a light parallel to the surface of the cable, and you will probably see some lightly embossed markings.

Moderate amount of swearing, I lost my sense of humor. I took the cable to Voltex and they said it was 35mm2 so I had to buy 50mm2. Fark it is a mission to get them into the 50mm2 lugs. I think it is how you cut and skin the cable, I use cable ties to try and keep the cables from "opening up" but still what a mission. Some went easy and some f@$;ng not. 

2 hours ago, Greglsh said:

Moderate amount of swearing, I lost my sense of humor. I took the cable to Voltex and they said it was 35mm2 so I had to buy 50mm2. Fark it is a mission to get them into the 50mm2 lugs. I think it is how you cut and skin the cable, I use cable ties to try and keep the cables from "opening up" but still what a mission. Some went easy and some f@$;ng not. 

This is one for another day to keep those thin strands together to get into the lug. 

The initial cut must be clean and square i use a Stanley Fatmax to cut the cable. Then mark off 27mm from the cut and mark the insulation. Use the Stanley Fatmax to cut the insulation by putting on the mark lightly press and spin around the insulation try not to cut through strand. Then remove the outer insulation. Get yourself a meduim elastic band and start in the middle of the copper strands(about )13mm then turn the elastic band around the copper strand tighter as you go forward and leave about 4 to 5mm copper on the end put your 95mm² lug into the copper strands remove the elastic band then push lug all the way to the insulation, crimp and put heat shrink over. You can also us a cable tie at 4mm from the end. I prefer the elastic band as i don't want to waste cable ties. Work like a charm @Greglsh try a few and give us feedback. 

Below Stanley Fatmax great cable cutter around R400.

 

Edited February 3, 20242 yr by TaliaB

8 hours ago, TaliaB said:

The initial cut must be clean and square i use a Stanley Fatmax to cut the cable. Then mark off 27mm from the cut and mark the insulation. Use the Stanley Fatmax to cut the insulation by putting on the mark lightly press and spin around the insulation try not to cut through strand. Then remove the outer insulation. Get yourself a meduim elastic band and start in the middle of the copper strands(about )13mm then turn the elastic band around the copper strand tighter as you go forward and leave about 4 to 5mm copper on the end put your 95mm² lug into the copper strands remove the elastic band then push lug all the way to the insulation, crimp and put heat shrink over. You can also us a cable tie at 4mm from the end. I prefer the elastic band as i don't want to waste cable ties. Work like a charm @Greglsh try a few and give us feedback. 

Below Stanley Fatmax great cable cutter around R400.

 

Thanks for the posting of the tool and your tips. 

😃😃Would it not be easy to get a 50sq mm cable into a 95sq mm lug 😀😀😜😜

Edited February 4, 20242 yr by Scorp007

That type of cable cutter is a MUST on battery cables to be able to fit them into a lug.

But, now look at the ID differences between the same brand of lug, different hole size and different barrel length.

That little bit of difference means - smile or swear

Stampcor barrel lengths have also been getting shorter with time(11mm). 2nd picture of the ferrules show the short Stampcor (19mm) vs the much longer one from ACDC.