Make Copper 12V Battery Cable Lugs For Pennies!

[Smurf Hunter]

This is embarrassingly simple.  I presume larger diameter pipe could be used for heavier gauge cables.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpFb_Yxl_hA

[FreeLancer]

Clever! 

That can save you some serious money.  Copper is copper, I guess, whether it's conducting water or electrons.

[Alan Georges]

Cool stuff, Smurf.  Thanks for posting that.  I need to clean up a few – literally – loose ends around the shack.

Copper is copper, I guess, whether it's conducting water or electrons.

As long as it's the soft kind, K or L, but not M.  (Not that I've actually tried this mind you, it's what the guy in the video said.)

[FreeLancer]

As long as it's the soft kind, K or L, but not M.  (Not that I've actually tried this mind you, it's what the guy in the video said.)

Is there a difference in electrical conductivity with the M, or is it just the inability to physically bend and compress it without fracturing?

[Alan Georges]

Is there a difference in electrical conductivity with the M, or is it just the inability to physically bend and compress it without fracturing?

I really doubt there's any significant difference in conductivity.  The video just mentioned that M is harder, so I imagine that's what counts here.

[Greekman]

Any sense in tinning them for protection?

[archer]

nice video.

[Greekman]

Cool stuff, Smurf.  Thanks for posting that.  I need to clean up a few – literally – loose ends around the shack.
As long as it's the soft kind, K or L, but not M.  (Not that I've actually tried this mind you, it's what the guy in the video said.)

I am perplexed.....It seems K > L > M in thickness. So why in this particular application doesn't he use M-type?

[d3nni5]

These are the tips and tricks that USED to get passed down from father to son.   Too many people have lost their ability to think on the fly.    I can hear people watching this video saying that it is a waste of time, just go to Lowes or Home Depot....the time it takes isn't worth the effort...etc etc.

The thing is, for me, it isn't about the money but knowing how to make due in a pinch.   Self reliance.    This is something I would have never thought of, but now that I see it I will buy the ingredients and keep them on hand in my garage.   

I put this one right up there with using the tire valves to vent the new gas cans.   Thanks for sharing!

[FreeLancer]

I am perplexed.....It seems K > L > M in thickness. So why in this particular application doesn't he use M-type?

M is rigid and isn't as malleable, it might fracture when being worked into the shape of a lug or crimped to the cable.

These are the tips and tricks that USED to get passed down from father to son.   Too many people have lost their ability to think on the fly.    I can hear people watching this video saying that it is a waste of time, just go to Lowes or Home Depot....the time it takes isn't worth the effort...etc etc.

The thing is, for me, it isn't about the money but knowing how to make due in a pinch.   Self reliance.    This is something I would have never thought of, but now that I see it I will buy the ingredients and keep them on hand in my garage.   

Yep. 

[kckndrgn]

Great tip! 

As far as "it's quicker to got the store", that's not true for everyone.  For me, it's almost an hour to the nearest HD or Lowe's.  About 15 min for an ACE or Walmart.  So knowing things like this save me time and money!

[FreeLancer]

The last time I needed some lugs I had to drive all over and still couldn't find exactly what I wanted and the price I was paying for mediocre quality was often more than what I could get a superior product online for. I prefer tinned lugs and will pay extra to use them for long term projects, but for the other projects this diy hack will work great.

[Smurf Hunter]

The last time I needed some lugs I had to drive all over and still couldn't find exactly what I wanted and the price I was paying for mediocre quality was often more than what I could get a superior product online for. I prefer tinned lugs and will pay extra to use them for long term projects, but for the other projects this diy hack will work great.

There are so many similar examples.  Even though I'm barely 4 miles from both a Lowes and Home Depot, maybe there's a power outage, it's 3am and I need to make a repair to a home battery bank.  You could argue how likely this is, but skills like this don't take years to perfect.  You can figure it out in 5 minutes

[machinisttx]

Just saw this and thought I'd throw out some info for anyone who has to work copper much. Copper will work harden fairly quickly, which leads to cracking. If you have a problem with this, the solution is simple. Just heat the copper to a dull red color and let it cool(no plunging it into a bucket of water). It will be soft and malleable again.

[Carl]

  M copper tubing is 'brittle' and heating it till it changes color will soften it to be workable though some M type tubing is alloy with other metal and not just hard drawn copper. Also I would drill the hole through the copper before cutting it short so as to save hand/finger danger. A quick 10 minute dip in vinegar will remove oxidation or the sandpaper works ,as will plumbers flux just prion to soldering. I always solder connections,even crimped, for best maintained ,low resistance, to be maintained as high current causes less heating/cooling to eventually loosen the connection and the old problem of dissimilar metals having corrosion when in contact.