Battery Cable Issues

[Robbie8984]

Not sure is this is a common problem...

When I bought my ski (Rickter XFS DASA 1200) it had the original OEM cables thet were years old and it didn't crank very well.

Cut cabes open and were a horrible rusty colour.

Replaced the cables with a Marine flex 16mm2 tinned cable, cranked perfectly.

Less than a year down the line and its starting to crank slow again when cold and can see a rust discolouration down the starter coming out the end of the cable.

The 16mm2 cable is rated at 110 amps, im sure its pulling well over that cranking the Dasa.

The 25mm2 is rated at 170 amps. Do I just need to uprate the cables?


Anyone else have this issue?

Cheers Rob

 

[Sanoman]

@The OCD Garage makes a great cable for jet skis and has no issues that l'm aware of.Been using them for about 7 years now with salt and freshwater use.
You can purchase them through @JetManiac

 

[X2Kid]

OCD Surf Armor from JetManiac or Jet Ski Solutions cable set. I'd probably go OCD/JM just to keep it on the family!

 

[Harbor]

Mine draws 265 amps with new cables during cranking. My 480cca lithium battery during colder weather cranks slowly, I either warn it with a hair dryer or with my trucks heater first, then it cranks good again.

 

[Robbie8984]

Thanks for he replies guys.

Emailed the company I got the cable from, they think it is a quality issue and not due to excessive amps etc.

They are sending me a new set of cables FOC so have to see how long these last...

 

[DAG]

Marine Grade Make to Order Cablers here: They comes out to about $8 US depending how you configure

http://www.bestboatwire.com/6-awg-custom-battery-cables

I ordered 6AWG and never had a problem and I have been riding salt and freshwater for several years.

 

[Christian_83]

@Robbie8984 were do you attach you ground post on the engine?
The anodising of the engine can isuloate pretty good actually. We had a DASA 1200 that stopped cranking, and after som voltage drop messaurements, we found 13Vdrop on the negative that went from battery to manifold. (meaning it somehow worked before, but now 13V voltage drop)
So we put a cable from negative on battery directly to boss on starter.
My common point on my ski, is on that boss on the starter.

 

[Christian_83]

Also another tip to making your own cables, do not ever use "auto stereo" cable shoes, only real shoes for hexagon press fitting.
If you can source it, get 3M scotch kote or liquid electric tape, to brush in the gap between shoe and cable insulation, and the glued heat shrink

 

[Big Kahuna]

Also another tip to making your own cables, do not ever use "auto stereo" cable shoes, only real shoes for hexagon press fitting.
If you can source it, get 3M scotch kote or liquid electric tape, to brush in the gap between shoe and cable insulation, and the glued heat shrink

was gonna say something similar, you got it covered.

 

[Robbie8984]

Cheers guy. I have earth bolted direct to starter, it odd as it has just sort of corroded the cable nearly all the way back.

Wondering if it’s just to many amps through a 16mm sq cable

 

[mikidymac]

I have been making my own and what I have found works good is the marine wire from Bestboatwire, get their closed end tinned lugs and the solder pellets. Heat the lugs with the solder pellets then put the wire in and let cool. Then use the marine heatshrink with the adhesive to seal it up.

 

[DAG]

If you are using BestBoatWire.com wire why not just have them custom build a set? Its only $2 to have professionals that build 1000's of cables a day make you a set on professional equipment. They comes out nicer than any cable I've seen

 

[Robbie8984]

My issue is more that cable it’s self degrading

This one is still pretty good compared to the rust coloured one on my 1200

 

[mikidymac]

If you are using BestBoatWire.com wire why not just have them custom build a set? Its only $2 to have professionals that build 1000's of cables a day make you a set on professional equipment. They comes out nicer than any cable I've seen

I like to have the materials on hand and make them as I need them since I have many different skis.