Copper vs. Aluminum booster cables

[DrRoughneck]

Originally Posted By: rustypigeon
Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck

Sounds like a great plan. What do you think of the "parrot" style vs. conventional clamp jaws?


I used parrot style for the two sets that I made. I used Coleman 08904 about $10 per pair on Amazon. They have good clamping strength.

Here is the thread I started a couple of weeks ago. If you go to page 2 you will see that two sets that I made. I made a 15ft 4AWG set and a 20ft 2AWG set...
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4289157/1

I used the Coleman clamps and the welding cable came from Temco on ebay. They have good USA made cable and delivered across the country in 2 days both times that I ordered from them. You can buy your cable in both red and black. If you want 15ft cables, choose the 30ft option with 50% red 50% black.

The 4AWG copper cables should allow you to start many vehicles with a completely dead battery, as opposed to thinner cables that are more like charging cables than jumper cables.


How did you attach the copper wires onto the clamps to get good electrical connectivity? Did you sodder the copper wires into the clamps?

 

[rustypigeon]

Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
How did you attach the copper wires onto the clamps to get good electrical connectivity? Did you sodder the copper wires into the clamps?


The Coleman clamps came with crimp terminals that screw into the handles. You can just use pliers to crimp the terminals. Soldering would help with conductivity. If you do solder them, you would need a propane torch and I recommend 60/40 Rosin Core solder. A regular soldering gun won't generate enough heat in such a large wire. Use caution as the 60/40 solder contains lead. The lead, while toxic, lowers the melting point and makes it easier to use. Just avoid the fumes and wash your hands.

Although the included terminals were adequate, I personally used a 4AWG #10 ring terminal and riveted it to the handle. I did this because my ring terminals were 100% copper as opposed to the copper plated steel that came with the Coleman clamps. The ring terminals also had more surface area contacting the clamps than the included terminals. You probably don't want to go this route unless you already own a hammer crimper for the ring terminal.

If you look at the upper left most clamp, you can see how they are attached. I have my copper ring terminal hammer crimped to the wire, then shrink wrapped. The ring terminal was then riveted to the clamp with a 3/16 aluminum rivet. I already had the tools, so these improvements did not cost me extra.

This is what the included terminal looked like...

 

[Trav]

Get some of this wire and these clamps and you are all set. Make them as long/short as you want.

Cable

Clamps

Edit: Fix links

 

[DrRoughneck]

Originally Posted By: rustypigeon
Originally Posted By: DrRoughneck
How did you attach the copper wires onto the clamps to get good electrical connectivity? Did you sodder the copper wires into the clamps?


The Coleman clamps came with crimp terminals that screw into the handles. You can just use pliers to crimp the terminals. Soldering would help with conductivity. If you do solder them, you would need a propane torch and I recommend 60/40 Rosin Core solder. A regular soldering gun won't generate enough heat in such a large wire. Use caution as the 60/40 solder contains lead. The lead, while toxic, lowers the melting point and makes it easier to use. Just avoid the fumes and wash your hands.

Although the included terminals were adequate, I personally used a 4AWG #10 ring terminal and riveted it to the handle. I did this because my ring terminals were 100% copper as opposed to the copper plated steel that came with the Coleman clamps. The ring terminals also had more surface area contacting the clamps than the included terminals. You probably don't want to go this route unless you already own a hammer crimper for the ring terminal.

If you look at the upper left most clamp, you can see how they are attached. I have my copper ring terminal hammer crimped to the wire, then shrink wrapped. The ring terminal was then riveted to the clamp with a 3/16 aluminum rivet. I already had the tools, so these improvements did not cost me extra.

This is what the included terminal looked like...

Yep. 4AWG copper wire and Parrot clips. That's the plan too. Thanks for the tip on using rivets. Only difference in my plan is sodering the wires inside the terminals like so:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMdlPsBxkc

Thanks so much for the photos and sharing your process, it helps a lot.

 

[supton]

Skin depth is about a third of an inch at 60Hz. So for wires below 0.6" or so diameter, it's not an issue at 60Hz (and less). Above that, and it can become an issue.

Even then, larger diameter wires reduce resistance--that outer shell of metal carries current. However the inside can be a different material (steel, for strength) or missing altogether (high power coax known as heliax is hollow on the center conductor). Or just there for the ride.

The effect arises from magnetism. The current flowing sets up a magnetic field. If the current varies with time, the magnetic field varies with time. Varying magnetic field through a loop of wire can induce a current--and it turns out, that loop of wire doesn't have to be a physically present "loop" that you can see--just a chunk of copper can have an imaginary loop drawn on it, which an induced current can flow.

Only thing is, "there is no such thing as a free lunch", and this induced current is in the opposite polarity of the initial current. If you try to analyze this, using the right hand rule and picking different strands of wire, you'll find that this induced current flows on the inside of the wire, driving that current on inner strands to zero. But since current into the wire is a constant, the current has to be pushed outward. Hence, into the skin of the wire.

It's a magnetic effect. Fun stuff.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad
This one's easy. Aluminum wire is bunk. Copper Clad Aluminum is the original "Lipstick on a Pig". High Currents and DC currents don't travel on the outside of the wire, the copper coating does exactly nothing except fool consumers, which is the intent in the first place.

You want your cables to be 24 feet, so that you could park behind a full size truck on a limited access highway (freeway, interstate) and still reach it's battery. You park behind because you have the running vehicle with the working hazard lighting.




Thanks for your post.