Problems fitting cables to battery switch

[Tmacmi]

I updated all the cables from the battery and starter, as well as renewing the connections from the various other wires going to the switch.

The former cables had very thin insulation and the lug to cable connection used electrical tape rather than shrink wrapping.

Now I can't fit the cables back in enough to get a good solid connection to the stud. Its particularly pronounced on the left stud that is the panel and starter connection. It seems like the back of the switch is just too deep.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is there something that extends the studs out slightly?

Its a Guest brand switch

[Montanan]

Use cable lugs with longer depth of offset reach such that the cable does not need to be bent into the recess where the switch terminal bolt is located.

Or better yet, use battery terminal fuse blocks to provide both current protection at the immediate source of DC power and a raised terminal block to attach the positive cables to. Reference image at link below.

https://dh778tpvmt77t.cloudfront.net...ducts/2151.jpg

All the best.

[sailormed]

You could try to find a copper extension tube that screws on the existing thread to bring the connection out of the well.

[Tmacmi]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Use cable lugs with longer depth of offset reach such that the cable does not need to be bent into the recess where the switch terminal bolt is located.

Or better yet, use battery terminal fuse blocks to provide both current protection at the immediate source of DC power and a raised terminal block to attach the positive cables to. Reference image at link below.

https://dh778tpvmt77t.cloudfront.net...ducts/2151.jpg

All the best.

I already have terminal block fuses at the batteries themselves.

This type of offset?

https://www.batterycablesusa.com/90-...saAuAOEALw_wcB

or these

https://www.amazon.com/Fastronix-Deg.../dp/B07ZCB1HLQ

I didn't know such things existed.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

I already have terminal block fuses at the batteries themselves.

This type of offset?

https://www.batterycablesusa.com/90-...saAuAOEALw_wcB

Yep, those will work well.

I would much prefer to just have one wire to each terminal and have the secondary and subwires connect directly to a bus, so as to unclutter all those crossed wires which are not fuse protected from the power source. Positive current wires should not contact or overlay each other up current from a current protection device [fuse or breaker], with each wire fuse / breaker protected suitable for the current capacity of each wire.

Your fuse at the battery will not adequately protect the small wires you have attached to the switch terminals. The fuse at the battery terminal is certainly oversized compared to the small capacity wires connected to the switch terminals.

[seabreez]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

I updated all the cables from the battery and starter, as well as renewing the connections from the various other wires going to the switch.

The former cables had very thin insulation and the lug to cable connection used electrical tape rather than shrink wrapping.

Now I can't fit the cables back in enough to get a good solid connection to the stud. Its particularly pronounced on the left stud that is the panel and starter connection. It seems like the back of the switch is just too deep.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is there something that extends the studs out slightly?

Its a Guest brand switch

Easy... for the larger cables, drill a hole on the side of the mounting plastic and feed the cable from the side instead of the rear of the mounting.

[Frankly]

Not familiar with that switch but is that not a wiring access slot on the case side.

Don't know where the smaller wires are going but they can be protected from overcurrent anywhere along the length. Short circuit and ground fault protection needs to be before encountering the enemy (ie 12V return or something grounded).

Most seem to ignore physical separation of the positive conductors as a significant point of protection.


Frankly

[Ken Pole]

I solved a similar issue by buying right-angle cable lugs.

[OS2Dude]

A pair of pliers or channel locks will solve that. Just put a bit of a bend in the lug. Just be careful to not loosen it from the cable end.

[stormalong]

That looks like a Perko switch. The best thing for it is the trash heap. Buy a good switch - those are crap. Blue sea systems makes good ones.

You could open it up to see what I mean. Battery switches are not expensive - get a good one.

[Pete7]

^^^^^^^ This, those Perko switches are junk.

Whilst not cheap, this would be much better. Did ours 14 years ago and just works.

https://www.bepmarine.com/en/product...tion%20cluster

[Phillip]

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is there something that extends the studs out slightly?

Its a Guest brand switch[/QUOTE]
____________________________________
I would replace it with a Blue Sea Systems or BEP switch:
Pretty sure that Blue Sea switch will normally fit the same hole pattern if you get the E series switch (not the M), but check the Drawings on the web site:


Blue Sea web site link: https://www.bluesea.com/products/cat...ttery_Switches

[stormalong]

I missed that on the original post. My eyes went directly to the picture. Same opinion on Guest. Very poor quality.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Tmacmi

I updated all the cables from the battery and starter, as well as renewing the connections from the various other wires going to the switch.

The former cables had very thin insulation and the lug to cable connection used electrical tape rather than shrink wrapping.

Now I can't fit the cables back in enough to get a good solid connection to the stud. Its particularly pronounced on the left stud that is the panel and starter connection. It seems like the back of the switch is just too deep.

Has anyone ever dealt with this before? Is there something that extends the studs out slightly?

Its a Guest brand switch

Put the terminal lug in a vise and bend it slightly to get the clearance you need. Use the vise to be sure the part under the nut stays flat.


Battery switches are wear items that require periodic replacement and you can probably find better ones than what you have but that wasn't the question

[Tmacmi]

Originally Posted by Frankly

Don't know where the smaller wires are going but they can be protected from overcurrent anywhere along the length. Short circuit and ground fault protection needs to be before encountering the enemy (ie 12V return or something grounded).

Guest makes a switch that has longer studs and will fit in the existing hole, that along with the 45 degree lugs, might be the ticket.

The 2 smaller red wires go to directly into the harness and are then divided up into to feed to each of the fuses at the switches on the panel. There are 9 switches and fuses. The travel distance from the battery switch to the fuse on the panel is approximately 18".

I am considering putting in an inline blade fuse on each of the red wires. The problem would be that I have absolutely no idea what size fuse would go there.

I know the answer is "depends on the length of the circuit, the size of the wire on the circuit, and the number of circuits on the panel". I do not know the distance of every single circuit that travels from the panel to its ultimate use. I don't have the means to track them under the settees or above the head liner to their ultimate source. Where I have been able to see it the wiring harness is a bundle of wires as thick as my wrist.

I suppose one possibility is to start with a 10 amp fuse and turn on everything on the panel. If it blows, go to a 20 amp fuse etc. until I get over the nuisance blow level.

The red and blue wires are also about 18" and just go to each volt meter.