'99 V70. No start condition MVSOLVED. New batt cables

[misha]

My local Advance Auto Parts has battery cables. A new negative cable would be about $9.00. 4AWG wiring (I am advised). A new positive cable would be $15.00+ from the same source.

New cables from FCP are c. $50 for the positive and just shy of $100 for the negative cable. The negative cable from FCP is OEM Volvo, the positive is RAFAC.

Any reason I shouldn't go with the generic cables for c. $25 bucks if they are, in fact 4 AWG?

4awg is a little thin for these needs.

2 or 3 awg must be used for main battery cables(25mm2 - 35mm2).

You can build your own cables using new battery clamps and wire connections.

[E Showell]

OK no 4 AWG cables. Thanks, Misha.

Looks like FCP will be hearing from me.

[misha]

There is no need to pay that much for those cables because you can build your own.

You just need new battery clamps and few connections.I made mine few years ago for about 10eur.
The other solution is to connect them in parallel and to leave original cables in their place.In this case you will need to connect those new cables onto existing battery terminals...on top of them.

[erikv11]

See https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... =1&t=61747.

Included there is a link to a supplier that will make you a custom cable for far cheaper, if you don't want to make one yourself.

[E Showell]

Erik -- Thanks for the tip. Looks like the way to go. Since I already have new cables on order, I am going to use those as patterns from which to measure for new custom ones from the supplier you identified, before returning the new ones to the seller. Thanks again.

[E Showell]

Well thank you Erik. I just placed an order from www. genuinedealz.com for battery cables that he will fabricate to my specifications. Although he doesn't have the 90 degree battery clamps found on the original Volvo cables, he can make me a set of negative, positive and positive B+ (to the fuse box) for $47.50 [edit, probably closer to $58.00] shipped since I upped the spec. on one of the wires. FCP's price on those same cables was $209 shipped.

From what I can tell, Chuck at Genuinedealz is using higher quality, marine grade wire and is heat shrink wrapping the ends of all cables. Only the Volvo positive main battery cables came from FCP with heat shrink on the ends. The Volvo original equipment negative cable supplied by FCP was made in Poland and did not have heat shrink on the cable ends. The B+ cable is made in China and consists of multiple strands of thinner wire crimp connected to some pretty cheap right angle bent lugs and the lugs were about the cheapest I've seen as well. Again, no heat shrink.

I buy a fair bit of stuff from FCP and I can honestly say that these cables are all going back because of a perceptible lack of quality for the price charged.

[erikv11]

Thanks for posting up your experience, I am also interested in buying a custom cable from them, I don't want to put it together myself.

A nod goes to jreed, he found genuinedealz.com in the first place.

[E Showell]

Price will be a bit more than I initially quoted since I have changed the wire specs., but probably won't be more than $10.00 more than my initial quote.

[regent]

...I buy a fair bit of stuff from FCP and I can honestly say that these cables are all going back because of a perceptible lack of quality for the price charged.

Very good point and 'food for thought'.

To my disappontment, the majority of the 'stuff' sold by FCP is overpriced - 15% on top of the dealer's price that is - which makes their advertised 'savings' and so called 'clearance sales' not that attractive, even with free S/H and life-time warranty (whatever that may be).

[E Showell]

I go back and forth between FCP and Volvocountryparts.com. I suppose I would check TASCA, but they never responded to one email inquiry I made about parts, which didn't instill confidence. I find if you price shop very carefully on FCP, they aren't necessarily overpriced, but I only use them if I can't get it from VCP cheaper. VCP is my somewhat local dealer (Bridgewater Volvo) and I have found them very fair on parts. They also usually throw me a nice discount.

I have found FCP's returns/service to be very good.

I do not patronize IPD.