See full version: What size are the terminals on a marine battery
Furthermore, can I use marine battery terminals in my car? You may not realize that your car battery terminals are made different from your marine batteries, but they are. Most car battery terminals are made using lead alloy or zinc. This is it to resist corrosion. However, there are marine batteries that are still made with lead alloy and zinc battery terminals.
What are the two terminals in a battery called?
On a car battery, the positive pole usually has a larger diameter than the negative pole.
What size nuts will I need? here
The Optima batteries don't have two different size posts for the + and -, like other batteries do, at least I don't believe so, they seem to be the same diameter and thread on this battery. [links]
Hey guys, I have an Optima Blue Marine battery on my boat, and I want to use regular nuts on the terminals.
Either way I want to replace the wingnuts with ny-lock nuts, as the wingnuts tend to come loose over time. So just wondering if anybody knew the size off hand.
Happy holidays, and all the very best for the New Year, from the staff at SDMC Inc.
Batteries that are designed for marine and industrial applications are often equipped with what’s known as a flag terminal. Flag terminals are blade-like protrusions that take the place of an automotive post. These may be copper, and usually are on AGM batteries, or lead. Advantageously, a hole in the flag enables a ring terminal to be through bolted directly, without the need for an adapter. more
Last month I mentioned the disquieting marine industry trends of acquisition and consolidation and the net result of diminished support and customer service. Sadly I just encountered yet another example, one of the premier manufacturers of some of the marine industry’s finest motor mounts, ones I recommend routinely. They’ve been acquired by a defense contractor and the recreational boat page on their site is virtually blank, it includes a short list of products, with no details what so ever. There is, however, a slew of information about military products. Unsurprisingly the “contact us” link is gone. I can only hope they continue to offer this very high quality product for what is now no doubt a small market for them. I’ll continue to report on these cases, both good and bad, as I encounter them.
The United States Coast Guard boating website has all of the regulations regarding boat electrical systems outlined in this USCGBoating.org builders handbook document.
“Each ungrounded current-carrying conductor must be protected by a manually reset, tripfree circuit breaker or fuse. Note: Cables from Battery to starter are exempt. (see note 6)
“Each conductor must be insulated, stranded copper.” (see note 3)
Stranded wire is resistant to failure due to vibration and flexing. Copper has excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance. Don’t use aluminum or solid wire no matter how much old house wire you have laying around. here
“Each battery terminal connector must not depend on spring tension for its mechanical connection to the terminal.” (see note 2)
Bolts or Nuts on Battery Terminals:
SAE J378 is for “Marine Engine Wiring” and says wire used for marine applications must be self extinguishing. In other words if exposed to a flame it won’t continue to burn by itself once flame is removed. [links]