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New battery cables

4K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  4biker  
#1 ·
I friend of mine works for the airlines and has access to 6 ga. wire and a crimping machine. He made me replacement battery cables that I now need to install. I'm thinking this is a no brainer and just bolt them up directly to the starter and stater. But with the canbus system is there more? Thinking I would leave the stock cables in place and just bolt the new ones on over them? More is better??? No new fuse either?? Anyone see any unforseen issues???:confused: THANKS BobL.
 
#2 ·
May I ask, what is wrong with the stock cables?
 
#4 ·
Slow cranking is not a Ducati problem, it's a large displacement twin problem. All my Ducs have cranked slow, but always fired with a good battery. I don't have any advice for you, never attempted something like that. Don't think it's necessary IMHO.
 
#7 ·
Without a wiring diagram, of how your running the new wires it's hard to give advice, but it sounds like you're thinking about paralleling the existing wiring. If you do this without fusing ( the new wiring) you could be shunting the existing fuse out of the circuit.
 
#10 ·
At startup, the wires to the Ducati's battery will initially draw in the neighborhood of 200 amps. That's a lot. This is for a stock engine, a higher compression engine will draw this current for a longer period of time.

If you crank it constantly for say a half a minute, and do this several times in a row without letting the motor and wiring cool down, you're going to get overheated wires, even if all of your connections are good. When the wires get hot enough the insulation will start smoking.

Thats why Owners Manuals recommend that you crank the starter motor for only five seconds at a time, with a ten second wait in between tries.

If the wire connections are loose or corroded, they are an additional source of higher resistance and heat. If a battery connection has a small resistance of say 1/2 ohm, a typical starting current of 45 amps generates over 1,000 watts of heat, more than a toaster. The initial draw of 200 amps through a 1/2 ohm resistance at a corroded or inadequate contact area connector is 20,000 watts. That's why connectors get overheated.

As the starter cables age, the tinned and crimped junction between the wires bundle and the connector itself corrodes and becomes the point of high resistance. So a replacement starter cable kit that uses a larger gauge wire is usually a good solution to starting problems. Also, look for replacement batteries having terminals that offer a large contact surface that will make a more secure connection with your cable terminal configuration.
 
#11 ·
Done

I installed the new cables today leaving the stock installed. The stock fuse is on the relay so it still works being it still between the cables and battery. The motor cranks more positive and quicker now. No few seconds of a dead crank.If anymore issues arise I'll post them. THANKS :)BobL.