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Created
07/20/2013
Last update 07/20/2013

Anderson Equipped Jumper Cables

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since 07/20/2013
 
In the previous page I showed you how to connect an Anderson connector to your truck's battery so that your inverter could be portable.  It follows that a very nice set of jumper cables can be made at little additional cost that uses that same Anderson connector. 

Having an Anderson connector on one end makes the cable somewhat theft-resistant since it can't be used without the mating connector.  Of course, someone could lop off the Anderson connector and install two more clamps but that requires actual work, not something thieves are known for.

 

 

 

Here are the finished cables.  They're about 15 feet long and will reach almost to the rear of the truck.  Any longer and they'd be bulky and heavy to handle.

The cable is the same #2 gauge welding cable as used on the battery connection.  The clamps are NAPA "500 amp battery clips".  Probably available elsewhere but we only have a NAPA store in the huge metropolis of Tellico :-)

The one weakness with these clamps is the cable attachment method.  Not very heavy for 500 amps, huh?  That's #4 gauge cable connected to the fitting.

Since it's inadequate for the job, we're going to do it using a better method.

We solder the #2 gauge cable right to the clamp.  Even if the above fitting had been adequate, the clamp is made of steel and so isn't very electrically conductive.  In its former role as the replacement connector for a start pack, it would get quite warm during a normal jump start.  This configuration couples the electricity to within a fraction of an inch of the battery terminal.  
At the rear is a nice strain relief and cable holder.  The easy way to install the cable is to use a set of pliers to lift the spring and lay it on the edge of the clamp.  Then poke the cable through and snap the cable back into position.  
OK, here's where I got lazy.  The photo shows what happens when you use a small torch to do the soldering instead of the Roy induction heater.  I had Roy packed up in its traveling case and didn't want to get it out.  So I used a very small butane torch.

Even though the torch was small, you can see where the oxidizing flame oxidized the plating on the left jaw of the clamp.

This shows how the burning flux smoked up the other jaw.  It probably won't hurt anything but it doesn't look professional.