Trojan T-105 - being smart with short terminals

[blucassen]

Hi all,

Just hoping for some quick feedback on a fairly simplistic issues.

After much time considering different options for replacing my battery bank I decided to go with 4 T105s, series-parallel (most amps under my skinny ass in the nav table, they fit exactly in place of 3 regular 105/110/115 leisure batteries

Because of the new set-up went from 3 available + and - terminals to only 2, on top of which the T105 has an annoyingly short ELPT (embedded low profile terminal). Now hardly any of my cables fit on the terminal anymore... (I feel like such an idiot)

I bought the boat last year and am slowly adjusting her in order to live on her, I will spend a good bit more time in trying to get most of the connections back behind the electronics panel (where they belong), but until then I need to get the DC circuit up and running.

How have the people on this forum that swear by the T105s dealt with this issue of short terminals? I'm considering either a terminal extension, but thats starting to become an issue height-wise. Separately thinking of fixing the car terminal connector horizontally by grinding off one of its arms (not sure if the description makes sense, it does in my head)

Thanks a lot in advance

[Colin A]

The best soloution would be some high amp bus bar to limit the connections to the Batt as much as possible.

[randomrun]

You might consider a Blue Sea5024 post expander. It work for me. Hope this helps. Frank

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by blucassen

I will spend a good bit more time in trying to get most of the connections back behind the electronics panel (where they belong)

That is the right way to deal with this. A battery terminal makes a lousy binding post, fuse block, or junction point. There are many reasons for this, and I can see you get it, but for the benefit of others who might be reading, they include:

1. Using the battery terminals to connect wires together leads to high odds of a mistake when the battery is disconnected and reconnected, whether for replacement, maintenance, or in an emergency.

2. Anything attached to the battery terminals will corrode, and if you get a shorted cell at some point, it will corrode quickly because of the sulfuric acid vapor that is emitted from teh vents.

3. Too many opportunities for a spark to occur in an environment that may have an explosive atmosphere due to hydrogen emissions

but until then I need to get the DC circuit up and running.

So to paraphrase, you're asking what the best short-term hack is to connect the existing electronics to the new batteries. Taken in that light, I offer suggestions.

My first recommendation would be to get suitable size solder-cup lugs and solder slugs, and connect all the wires together in the lug so that there is a single lug connected to each batter terminal. Del City has the parts and instructions for how to use them.

https://www.delcity.net/store/Cast-S...20567.h_820357

https://www.delcity.net/store/Termin..._1036.h_103464

You can get these from auto parts and chandlers also. With solder slugs you don't need a crimp tool, and I find that the soldered connection works better where multiple wires of mixed sizes are involved.

My second recommendation would be to to terminate all the extraneous little wires at a pair of busbars at the side of the compartment, using premanufactured busbars, available from several sources.

https://www.delcity.net/store/150A-C...8aAiO8EALw_wcB

You could also make a busbar that is mounted by attaching it to the battery terminal with a nut and washer. Smaller is better since it's less stress on the battery, just get a tinned coppper rectangle that is big enough to be drilled for all the connections you need. It may take some shopping to find a place that will sell you tinned copper in onesy twosy quantities. Untinned copper will work for a while but will eventually corrode leading to poor connections.

[smac999]

first off you're only allowed 4 wires per posts by ABYC. the best is to only have 2. (jumper and feed) also every wire leaving should be fused. some of those don't look like they are.

I would start by getting one of thse and putting all the small wires onto.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/502..._Bus_and_Cover

though a nother concern is only a few circuits on a boat should ever be connected to a battery. CO2 monitor, propane monitor. battery charger. etc. most of those wires should likely be after a battery swtich. not always on.

the bigger wires can go onto MRBF fuses. like this. https://www.bluesea.com/products/215...k_-_30_to_300A then you get 2 wires onto a post. and both are fused.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by smac999

though a nother concern is only a few circuits on a boat should ever be connected to a battery. CO2 monitor, propane monitor. battery charger. etc. most of those wires should likely be after a battery swtich. not always on.

Don't forget the bilge pump.

[blucassen]

Alright, thanks a lot for your feedback all. Hadn't thought about the hi-amp bus bar option but think it'll be the best, and then combine it with a labelled fuse block for the stuff directly on the batteries, should be a fairly elegant look (ignoring the rest of the mess...)