Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables (Read 479 times) previous topic - next topic

Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables

What is the best way to test Chassis Battery cables with a multi-meter or whatever to determine their efficiency?  I clean the terminal ends from time to time by soaking them in a Baking soda solution but cannot determine if the acid has affected the internal cable itself.  I'm wondering if cables degrade/corrode somewhat inside the jacket and if so,  will this affect carrying the charger load to the batteries; shorten battery life?
Fiddler
1959 Parris Island grad
40' 2001 U320 Build 5875
1999 Suburban K1500 toad
1986 Corvette Pacecar
ssoftail@comcast.net

Re: Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables

Reply #1 –
A good and practical way is to put a heavy load on one side, and measure voltage at each end of the cables for drop.
1998 U270 34'

Re: Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables

Reply #2 –
Don't think you need to be concerned with the wire under the sheath.  Get the terminals cleaned and protected with a battery cleaner of some kind (same for battery terminals).  If you know what size of cable it is, you can find out how many ohms per foot it is and just measure end to end to see where you are.  Have a great day  ----  Fritz
Fritz & Kathy Johnson
1991 36'

Re: Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables

Reply #3 –
I know I ran a second set of cables directly to the starter and bypassed the black splitter box. I also redid the ground wire. FT uses a star washer to make the ground. I put on a plain one after cleaning the area and making it ready.  Made a huge improvement.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Testing efficiency of Chassis Battery Cables

Reply #4 –
Quote from: krush –
A good and practical way is to put a heavy load on one side, and measure voltage at each end of the cables for drop.

That's about the only way to actually check the cables. Awhile back I started having cranking issues, started doing voltage drop tests. Ended up replacing both tie cables, and the + and - ends at the battery all of them looked new. If you do the drop check from the connection to the cable on each end you can find the bad ones pretty quick. Another Quick way if you don't have a meter handy is to put a load on the cables then check and see if any connections are warm or hot to the touch, that will be the guilty party.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country