#2 lug from WARN power interrupt to positive terminal: What am I missing?

[JWilks]

I need to connect #2 copper wire provided with WARN power interrupt kit to positive battery terminal. The provided wire (lug) does not fit into the terminal bay as it is too wide. Bending the lug to fix the angle does not solve the width problem. Am I just dense? (Please don't answer that last question)

I also need to create a 3 foot cable rather than 2 feet (as provided by WARN) to reach around the battery from my solenoid mount. Any thoughts?

I'm trying to search for a #2 lug that has a slightly narrower neck to fit within that slot on the terminal bay. However, almost everything I can find seems to be the same style with one width throughout the lug.

Many thanks!

JWilks
'24 Badsquatch MT

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[Oldhippie]

I used the lug above where you are trying to hook up with an extra nut…there really is not any great solutions I know of…but that is lug shows in there winch install instruction…lots of shops can make a cable…

 

[Neps]

You could have a local shop re-terminate your cable or fabricate another cable that fits the stock lugs.

You can even order one online Custom Battery Cables

 

[Doc TOC]

If you own a large Vise-Grip pliers (or go buy some), you can make your own cable. There is nothing special about it.

Home Depot sells #2 stranded wire by the foot. It will cost you about $12. They sell the wire lugs and heat shrink tubing too, about $3 each. So for about $20, you can make your own. Use the Vise-Grips to crimp the lug onto the wire (doesn't have to be pretty), then put the tubing over it and shrink it down. Presto! A custom cable.

If the lug is too big, buy a 1/4 in. copper pipe straight coupler (about $1.50). Smash half of it down in a vise, with the Vise-Grips, or just a plain old hammer. Drill the flattened end to match the screw size. File down the flat end sides to get the fit you want. Doesn't matter if the ends sides separate, you are clamping it down with a nut. Crimp it onto the cable. Cover it with the heat shrink. Double Presto! A super customized cable.

 

[Johnny Mo]

I used these and I bought a terminal crimper and ferrule kit and made my own. The larger gauge cables seem to all have that wide ug though.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08R6TX3XM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017S9EINA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08N4277BQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

I used a rasor knife to slowly cut away and straighten the curved parts of the plastic around that lug so the standard end would fit all the way down.

 

[RHeinz]

2/0 and #2 are NOT the same size wire.

 

[Figmo]

Just take the damn thing to the magic bench grinder and shave a few thou off each side.

Presto-Chango…..you’ve got a lug that is now the correct width.

 

[JWilks]

2/0 and #2 are NOT the same size wire.

Thread title corrected.

So, #2 as pictured above is the same as 2AWG.

 

[cr117]

If you own a large Vise-Grip pliers (or go buy some), you can make your own cable. There is nothing special about it.

Home Depot sells #2 stranded wire by the foot. It will cost you about $12. They sell the wire lugs and heat shrink tubing too, about $3 each. So for about $20, you can make your own. Use the Vise-Grips to crimp the lug onto the wire (doesn't have to be pretty), then put the tubing over it and shrink it down. Presto! A custom cable.

If the lug is too big, buy a 1/4 in. copper pipe straight coupler (about $1.50). Smash half of it down in a vise, with the Vise-Grips, or just a plain old hammer. Drill the flattened end to match the screw size. File down the flat end sides to get the fit you want. Doesn't matter if the ends sides separate, you are clamping it down with a nut. Crimp it onto the cable. Cover it with the heat shrink. Double Presto! A super customized cable.

If safety is a concern, I hope no one follows any of this lug crimping advice. Sure, the crimp doesn't have to look pretty, but it needs to be somewhat uniform, otherwise that wire is not going to hold in there long term. A vise grip is the wrong tool for this job. It's just going to pancake out the sides of the lug. A poorly crimped wire will increase the circuit's resistance, leading to excess heat and melting. A hammer lug crimper tool doesn't cost that much and will make a much more solid connection.

Also, using a pipe coupler as a lug?! Spend a couple extra dollars, get the right tools & equipment, don't burn down your Bronco.

For OP, if the lug is too big, just cut away a bit of the plastic surrounding those positive terminals. You want as much direct contact as possible between the lug and the bus bar (i.e. no nuts/washers in between).

 

[JWilks]

For OP, if the lug is too big, just cut away a bit of the plastic surrounding those positive terminals. You want as much direct contact as possible between the lug and the bus bar (i.e. no nuts/washers in between).

Of course, great suggestion to cut plastic (just a little on each side at the edge). Thank you! Grabbing the blade!

 

[nottinbe]

I used a rasor knife to slowly cut away and straighten the curved parts of the plastic around that lug so the standard end would fit all the way down.

This is what I did as well.

 

[Freebird32]

I need to connect #2 copper wire provided with WARN power interrupt kit to positive battery terminal

What winch did you get? My Warn EVO 10s came with a 6 foot #4 gauge power cable. I added a Stinger isolator relay and cut/terminated cable (all #4) from control box to relay to battery. #2 seems large for that short run.

 

[JWilks]

What winch did you get? My Warn EVO 10s came with a 6 foot #4 gauge power cable. I added a Stinger isolator relay and cut/terminated cable (all #4) from control box to relay to battery. #2 seems large for that short run.

WARN Zeon 10S

 

[Doc TOC]

I hope no one follows any of this lug crimping advice. Sure, the crimp doesn't have to look pretty, but it needs to be somewhat uniform, otherwise that wire is not going to hold in there long term. A vise grip is the wrong tool for this job. It's just going to pancake out the sides of the lug. A poorly crimped wire will increase the circuit's resistance, leading to excess heat and melting. A hammer lug crimper tool doesn't cost that much and will make a much more solid connection.

Also, using a pipe coupler as a lug?! Spend a couple extra dollars, get the right tools & equipment, don't burn down your Bronco.

I guess when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a punch chisel.

I simply stated he could make his own crimped lug cables. Doing it properly is up to the OP. Plenty of online videos are available. He doesn't have to spend $60 at a shop for a simple-to-make item.

If you think the only thing a vise-grip does is pancake things, you don't know how to use a vise-grip. There are plenty of online videos to help with that. The suggested hammer crimper pancakes the wires too. And how much force is required for a proper crimp? Does OP have that capability and heavy enough hammer? It may actually make worse, deceptive, mal-formed crimps than a pair of vise-grips. So I guess nobody should use that tool.

It appears you are short on technical knowledge of amperage, flux arcs, or resistance. A tight, solid connection is better than a loose gappy one. Most lugs in the #4-0 range have too big of a terminal hole for the screw terminal on a battery. See OP's photo above. It's actually a worse connection than using a copper strip with a smaller hole that does not create excessive leverage on the terminal connection like the badly sized lug. Look at which battery connections have the most corrosion build up - always the big, gappy ones. Why? The air gap and ambient moisture. Where would the greater resistance reside?

There is plenty of ampacity in a 1/2 inch run of 1/4in. copper pipe for a 2 AWG (125A) on an 850A battery. (Electrons flow on the outside of the metal - not the interior. Maxwell's Equations.) It's not how thick the lug is. The contact surface area and lattice support is what matters . The WARN will draw 70-90 amps on average for a 9,000 lb pull. A 10,000lb pull pushes it up to the cable (and winch) limit. The battery plates would short, or the alternator cables overheat, long before the #2 wire or lug would fail. Why do you think 200A service panels are grounded to copper pipes in houses?

Every one gets to choose what they are comfortable doing with their Broncos. Feel free to offer your suggestions. But don't go criticizing others when you don't have full knowledge. And you know the assumption saying (well, at least most people do).

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