Using4AWGcablewiththeAndersonSB50connector
N.Laverdure
FRC2363
5/27/2017Rev1
ThecrimpcontactsusedwithintheAndersonSB50connectoraresizedforupto6AWGcable.
Inthisdocument,wedevelopandtestamethodtoincreasethecapacityofthiscontacttofit4
AWGweldingcable.
The4AWGweldingcable(http://w ww.remybattery.com/4gaugeweldingcabler ed.html)usedin
thisdocumenthasthefollowingspecifications:
Parameter
Value
Unit
Vendor
REMYBATTERY

Partnumber
WC4RED

Insulatingjacketmaterial
EPDM

Strandarrangement
7x56/30

InsulatingjacketOD
0.34
in
ConductorOD
0.235
in
Strippedsectionof4AWGweldingcableandanappropriatelysizedlug
ForthiscabletoworkcorrectlywiththeSB50connector,thefollow ingcriteriamustbemet:
1.TheODofthecable’sinsulatingjacketmustfitwithintheIDoftheSB50connector
housing.
Thisismetw ithoutmodificationtoanycomponent.TheIDofthehousingisabout0.44in,much
largerthantheODoftheinsulation.
2.TheODoftheconductormustfitwithintheIDofthecrimpcontact.
Beforemodification,theID ofthecrimpcontactisabout0.224;thereforethereisapproximately
0.006ofradialinterferencewiththeconductor.Aftermodification,theIDofthecrimpcontactis
increasedtoabout0.250,providingabout0.008ofradialclearancefortheconductor.
Incomparison,anofftheshelflugmeantfor4AWGhasanIDofapproximately0.280,which
providesabout0.023ofradialclearancefortheconductor.
Tomodifythecontacttomeetthecriteriadescribedabove,wedesignandconstructthefollowing
devices:
● Afixturetoholdthecontact
● Aswagingtool
Swagingtoolandfixture(holdingunmodifiedcontactvertically
beneaththeswagingtool)ina2tonarborpress
TheswagingtoolhasanODof0.245inandithasafilletedleadingend.Itismadefromasteel
diewhichwasoriginallysuppliedwiththePalmgren2tonarborpress
(https://smile.amazon.com/PalmgrenArborpress2ton/dp/B00068U7X6).Thetoolisinserted
intoaholeintheendoftheramandisretainedinplacebyamagnet.
Machiningoftheswagingtool
Wetestedtheswagingoperationbothwithandwithouttheuseoflubricantandobservedno
differences.SincetheIDoftheswagedcontactreachesafinalsizeabout0.005largerthanthe
ODoftheswagingtool,theswagingtoolisfreelyremovedfromtheswagedcontact.
Swagedcontactremovedfromthearborpress,butbeforeremovalfromthefixture
Thecablecannow befedintotheenlargedcontactwithoutneedingtotrimanyofthestrands.
ThecontactiscrimpedwiththehydraulicwirecrimpingtoolavailablefromHarborFreight
(https://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulicwirecrimpingtool66150.html).The4AWGdiesare
usedinthecrimpingtool.
Crimpedcontact
Theassembledcablemaynow beinstalledintotheSB50housing.
4AWGweldingcableinstalledintoanAndersonSB50connectorwithouttrimminganystrands
Theassembledcablewaspulltestedtoconfirmthequalityofthecrimp.Weobservednofailure
afteratensionforceexceeding215lbf(theauthor’sbodyweight)wasappliedtothecrimped
assembly.
Assemblyafterpulltestingto215lbf