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<DIV>In the Navy we used to use DC-4, which was a silicone grease made by Dow
Corning. It has a high melting point. Any of the similar silicone greases would
probably work, but rather expensive in small quantities – but you only need a
very thin coat. We used to use it to fill up RF transmitter coax connectors that
were exposed to salt water – which was almost anyplace on the ship that was
outside. <A title=http://www4.dowcorning.com/DataFiles/090007c8801e254b.pdf
href="http://www4.dowcorning.com/DataFiles/090007c8801e254b.pdf">http://www4.dowcorning.com/DataFiles/090007c8801e254b.pdf</A>
Available also from most electrical, or online at many places. Here in Arizona,
EVERYTHING gets over 100 ;p</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Getting a good seal on the heat shrink is a problem, and there is no real
good solution – even if you start with a good seal, sharp flexing can break it
and all you need is a pinhole.</DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ray@solarray.com
href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">R Ray Walters</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, November 30, 2010 12:53 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Cable REvistied</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">We
use the same inner melt heat shrink, I think. You don't know you have a problem,
until you cut that pretty heat shrink off 5 years later, and see what is
happening underneath.
<DIV>The reason we use the vaseline, is that it remains conductive, so we can
precoat the connectors before assembling and tightening. (Windy Dankoff taught
us that one)
<DIV>I would see the 3M coating as something to spray on after, but I would be
concerned about using it on contact surfaces before.</DIV>
<DIV>I agree, heat can be an issue, so we use a high temp grease for
applications were the temp might get over 100 deg F.</DIV>
<DIV>Maybe a combination might work best: grease on the contact surfaces
before, and 3M spray outside after?</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>R. Walters</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">ray@solarray.com</A></DIV>
<DIV>Solar Engineer</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Nov 30, 2010, at 9:47 AM, Warren Lauzon wrote:</DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
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<DIV>We use the “inner melt” type of heat shrink and have had few problems
with it compared to the standard heat shrink. As far as Lead plated lugs, I am
not sure I see much advantage to them. Also as far as coatings go, most
Vaseline and other standard grease type are way too temperature sensitive, and
in hot weather they just melt away – and they are also great dust/bug/dirt
gatherers. 3M and others make a spray on coating that hardens somewhat that we
have found to be much better. From the 3M website “<FONT
face="Times New Roman">Scotch® Insulating Sprays 1601 and 1602 are
electrical-grade, fast-drying enamel sealers and insulators in pressurized
cans.
<DIV style="DISPLAY: inline" id=learn0><SPAN style="DISPLAY: none"
id=full_desc><A onclick="toggleMe('longdescDiv');"
href="javascript:void(0);">Full Description <SPAN
class=caret>»</SPAN></A> </SPAN></DIV></FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman">These sealers protect surfaces against weather,
moisture, corrosion, oil, alkalies and acids. The sprays can afford easy
access to hard-to-reach spots. Use Insulating Spray sealers to spray over
insulation on wire and cable splices, as a general-purpose sealer, or for
touch-up insulation on motor windings and frames. Sprays are available in
clear, red or black.”</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">The local Home Depot carries it here, also
some electrical distributors.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=ray@solarray.com
href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">R Ray Walters</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:26 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Cable
REvistied</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none">HI
Mark;
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Where do you get the lead plated lugs? We used to special order tin
plated lugs from Del City, but they quit carrying them.
<DIV>I found that the grease or vaseline coating was the most important issue,
though. Tin plated lugs would corrode just like the unplated ones, except they
first would lose their plating.</DIV>
<DIV>Lead plated lugs might just be the ticket, except you would still have to
keep the corrosion from creeping up under the heat shrink to the copper
cable.</DIV>
<DIV>I've had cables with corrosion going up the cable strands for over 6"
past the lug. And yes we use heat shrink with the sealing adhesive inside; the
corrosion just travels right under it along the surface of the metal. I
actually found electrical tape seals better, it just doesn't look near as
good, so we still use heat shrink, and coat over the heat shrink with the
vaseline (or grease).</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>R. Walters</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:ray@solarray.com">ray@solarray.com</A></DIV>
<DIV>Solar Engineer</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV>On Nov 30, 2010, at 9:09 AM, Mark Frye wrote:</DIV><BR
class=Apple-interchange-newline>
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<DIV lang=EN-US vlink="purple" link="blue">
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=109580316-30112010>I recently worked with a telecom specification that
required lead plated copper lugs on the battery side and I have been using
the same on my own systems for some time now.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=109580316-30112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=109580316-30112010>How important is it to use lead plated lugs on the
battery side? Is tin plated copper just as good so long as you coat well
with grease etc.?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=109580316-30112010></SPAN></FONT><BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT size=2
face=Arial>Mark Frye</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT size=2
face=Arial>Berkeley Solar Electric Systems</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT size=2
face=Arial>303 Redbud Way</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT size=2
face=Arial>Nevada City, CA 95959</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><SPAN lang=en-us><FONT size=2
face=Arial>(530) 401-8024</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><SPAN lang=en-us></SPAN><A
style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"
href="http://www.berkeleysolar.com/"><SPAN lang=en-us><U><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>www.berkeleysolar.com</FONT></U></SPAN></A><SPAN
lang=en-us><FONT size=2 face=Arial> </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>From:</B><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A
style="COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</A><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org]<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><B>On Behalf Of<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></B>Glenn Burt<BR><B>Sent:</B><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>Monday, November 29, 2010 6:03
PM<BR><B>To:</B><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>'RE-wrenches'<BR><B>Subject:</B><SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>Re: [RE-wrenches] Battery Cable
REvistied<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV style="page: wordsection1" class=WordSection1>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: cambria, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hi
Ray,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: cambria, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: cambria, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I have for my last 2
battery jobs used the Cobra X-Flex in 2/0 size with MTW
rating.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: cambria, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>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).<BR>On
the usual electrical equipment end, I use a Greaves Shoo-Pin<SPAN
class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: cambria, serif; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">PT131FX20 as the
appropriate reducer to a THHN stranding #</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">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).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In fact, I am wrapping up one of these installs
right now.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Don’t know if this helps,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman', serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">-Glenn</SPAN></DIV></DIV>_______________________________________________<BR>List
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