4 Questions to Answer Before You Buy Battery Cable Wire

Posted by Greg Anixter on October 3rd, 2017

If you’re about to undertake a project to replace or attach new Battery Cable Wire, there are a few key questions you need to ask yourself before you make a purchase. As with any electrical system, the correct wiring is remarkably important, not only for the proper function of your system but also for the safety of you and other components within the system. Thankfully, there are a few simple questions you can ask yourself in order to set yourself on the right path.

1. What Environment Will This Battery Cable Wire Be Used In?
Taking careful stock of your electrical system’s environment is incredibly important in regards to choosing the correct battery cable wire. The most important distinction by far is whether your battery will be used primarily on land or primarily in a marine environment. Understandably, the presence of water can make a significant difference in the type of wiring you may need. However, it is also important to consider the type of water that may be in the environment around your battery. Salt water is considerably more corrosive and dangerous to electrical systems than fresh water and, as a result, will demand the use of stronger insulation types on your battery cables.

Keep in mind that land environments can have their own dangers and challenges as well. For an example, a battery that is to be used to power a tool in an automotive garage may never be in the presence of large amounts of water; however, the battery cables might be exposed to oils, cleaning solutions, or acidic fluids. Each of these environmental hazards will affect your choice in battery cable based on insulation.

2. What Current Will I Be Running?
It is incredibly important to know what strength of current you will be running through your battery cables before you buy. Running too strong of an electrical current through wires with a lower “ampacity,” or capacity for electrical current, can result in system failure, wire degradation, and even fire hazards. On the other end of the spectrum, having cable that possesses too much resistance (through length, gauge, etc.) for systems running weaker currents can result in malfunction and/or power surges. Therefore, ensure that you understand the demands your system will have in regards to electrical currents.

3. How Much Space Do I Have?
While not quite as important as the previous two questions, understanding the amount of space you have around your battery can be considerably impactful on your cable needs. Lower gauge (thicker) cables and cables with stronger insulation are notably less flexible than higher gauge cables and cables with weaker insulation. As a result, you may need to choose your cables more carefully if you have limited space in which bending cables might be necessary.

Never force thicker cables to bend, even if that means having to reconsider the type of cable you’ve purchased. Over-flexing heavily insulated battery cables can result in cracking or splitting of the insulation and tearing of internal copper strands. Both of these results can lead to system failure, severe fire hazards, and electrocution hazards.

In conclusion, consider your space needs carefully and never force a cable into a position that it cannot bend naturally to fit.

4. Where Should I Buy?
Thankfully, this is the easiest question to answer! Always buy your cables from professional suppliers who sell certified cables with good documentation. If you want a fantastic example of such a store, come visit our site at www.ewcswire.com. Not only is our selection fantastic, but also our employees are skilled professionals who can help you get the cables you need.

For more information about Fire Alarm Cables and Electric Wire Cable Please visit : Electric Wire & Cable Specialists (EWCS).

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Greg Anixter

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Greg Anixter
Joined: May 9th, 2017
Articles Posted: 17

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