[RE-wrenches] Battery Cable REvistied

R Ray Walters ray at solarray.com
Tue Nov 30 07:55:22 PST 2010


The Copflex I just ordered from Cobra is RHH, RHW rated 90degC with a 532 strand count for a 4/0. As I stated before, I've used this medium strand count cable before and found it to be the optimum combination of flexibility vs. working in regular connections without any special adapters.
I too have always wondered about the MTW cable listing of some other cables.
The problem I see now with the Copflex, though, is that it doesn't have a specific mention of Acid resistance, but since none of the cables listed in NEC table 310.13 mention acid resistance, I'm muddling forward. Forget what I said before about this being the "perfect" battery cable. Its still the best choice of what's available IMHO.
Once you strip and make a connection with this medium strand count cable, you won't want to go back to connections with the little fairy hairs of copper in the X-flex.

 
R. Walters
ray at solarray.com
Solar Engineer




On Nov 29, 2010, at 7:03 PM, Glenn Burt wrote:

> Hi Ray,
>  
> I have for my last 2 battery jobs used the Cobra X-Flex in 2/0 size with MTW rating.
> 
> At the battery end I have found the Thomas & Betts 54163-TB lugs, available at my local Grainger store to be a good match both mechanically and specification wise (also the correct hole size for M8 terminals in my Concorde AGM’s).
> On the usual electrical equipment end, I use a Greaves Shoo-Pin PT131FX20 as the appropriate reducer to a THHN stranding #2/0 size (available through our local Graybar store, drop shipped to my office). Because I am using a Sunny Island, of course nothing #2 fits… so I have two Polaris style connectors in the trough below the SI where I switch from the Shoo-Pins to four #1 THHN to go up into the SI batt terminals (two conductors per pole).
>  
> In fact, I am wrapping up one of these installs right now.
>  
> Don’t know if this helps,
>  
> -Glenn
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of R Ray Walters
> Sent: Monday, November 29, 2010 11:58 AM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Battery Cable REvistied
> 
> HI All;
> 
> I have struggled for years to get the right battery cable; in the old, old days we used welding cable, which was better than THHN, but not with the AHJs.
> Then we used a SAE battery cable with 532 strands that was ideal, but not UL listed.
> Next we used Cobra X flex, but at over 2000 strands, we had the problem it wasn't rated for some of the mechanical lugs and breakers.  (too fine a stranding)
> 
> Now I've found what I think is the perfect cable: Cobra Cop Flex, class I. http://cobrawire.com/copflex/class_i.php
> It's UL listed RHH, RHW , but is coarser stranded 532 strands, but not as coarse as standard THHN (19 strands).
> 
> What do you guys think? RHH, RHW meets the code, with the coarser stranding not being a problem with regular lugs, but still way more flexible than THHN.
> We're saved right?
> 
> 
> R. Walters
> ray at solarray.com
> Solar Engineer
> 
> 
> 
> 
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