DIY: Build your own positive battery cable 9456836 for the 850

Post by **matthew1** » 21 Feb 2014, 17:45

Jason, great DIY! Scheduled for inclusion in the repair database.

ThommyKent · Post by **ThommyKent** » 21 Feb 2014, 17:48

matthew1 wrote:Jason, great DIY! Scheduled for inclusion in the repair database.

Except it is not done correctly

Post by **matthew1** » 21 Feb 2014, 18:09

My VRD entries always point back here to the forum, to the original post. So people will read this very thread and will know about the soldering no-no.

ThommyKent · Post by **ThommyKent** » 21 Feb 2014, 18:28

Thanks, good to hear!

Post by **abscate** » 21 Feb 2014, 21:15

From my boating life...

West Marine stores have a public crimper that they will let anyone use to crimp wires and swages.

Just tell them for its for your boat, and leave off the Volvo adjective .

Google west marine store locator to find the nearest one.

Post by **jreed** » 22 Feb 2014, 04:43

Thanks for the feedback! I don't know if the soldered connection will have better reliability than the crimped connections. I promise to field test mine and let everybody know as soon as it shows signs of failure.

SpeedyPete · Post by **SpeedyPete** » 07 Jun 2014, 14:08

Hello all out in Volvo land

The idea that you can make a die and use a bench vice to crimp an electrical lug to proper torque pressure is flawed. To do it correctly one needs to use the proper tool. Our small lug compression tool reaches 12-15 tons and our large tool is in the 22 ton range. Note the different color stripes on the lugs. This is to identify which matching die to use in the tool to the lug being crimped. Best Wishes to all, SpeedyPete

Post by **matthew1** » 09 Jun 2014, 16:42

My positive cable let go entirely two days ago. I didn't know how far gone it was, and when I was working on fixing the battery to the tray (non-stock size battery, that's a whole 'nother story), the cable gave out.

So to get the car running as a temporary fix, I took off a bit of the end of the cable's sheath and screw clamped it to the terminal clamp.

It's ugly but it works. It's temporary until I can get the parts for this DIY.

Post by **jreed** » 09 Jun 2014, 18:44

Ingenious! I'm curious to see more pictures of your method!

Post by **abscate** » 10 Jun 2014, 05:12

You can get perfectly good electrical connection, long term with stripping and bolting battery cables vs swaged or compression lugs. They WILL need more maintenance and inspection for corrosion and correct tension but cars came this way for a long time. We crimp 100 amp marine connectors using rigging tools in the salt water environment where corrosion is much worse.