False transom

Batterys should be centered or placed to balance the boat, and securely fastened down so they can't move or tip over. There should be some sort of tray under them or in a battery box to catch any spilled electrolyte. Also make sure you use the type of connectors that are tightened with a bolt. You don't want the wire connections to the battery coming loose.

 

Is this terminal more secure than putting the lug on the wing nut posts of the marine batteries?

 

Simple answer, yes. Wing Nuts should not be used.

ABYC E-10 Storage batteries says
10.8.3

Battery cables and other conductors size 6 AWG (13.3 mm²) and larger shall not be connected to the battery with wing nuts.

 

Imp, the terminal you show is about the worst thing you can use. It's a corrosion trap and guaranteed to cause problems. Use crimped or soldered terminals.

 

+111111

 

I did not know that about wing nuts not being acceptable. Thank you. My last boat had them for 8 years and I liked them and didn't have a problem (lugs were soldered on and heat shrinked but used wing nut posts on the batteries) Maybe I lucked out. Current boat has the style pictured above and I hate them. At some point I'll have them changed out to crimped/soldered & heat shrinked to the main cables. Is there any secure but tool free way to connect them to the battery posts?

 

Back in the late 70's I did an investigation of a boat fire that had the local fire department and insurance investigator baffled. After a lot of digging through the charred remains, we narrowed the source source to the battery. To make a long story short, loose wing nuts.

I was on the ABYC electrical committee for years and the consensus was that it was too easy for wing nuts to loosen from shock and vibration. But I still see a lot of boats with wing nuts. There are devices on the market that let you use screw on auto type terminal posts on your boat. If you look at these it strikes you, whats the point? you are still connecting to the battery with wing nuts. http://www.google.com/products/cata...tgPHmuGlCw&ved=0CI0BEPMCMAA&biw=1483&bih=828#

What you want is something like this http://www.iboats.com/Battery-Terminals/dm/cart_id.662144990--session_id.727573063--view_id.3518
or this http://www.acterminals.com/emt.htm

 

I do use wing nuts because that is what most marine batteries I buy come with. Not a good reason for sure but I've never had a problem although I admit to always using pliers to tighten them with. Otherwise I place soldered ring terminals under the bolts on the universal terminals if the battery does not have permanent studs on the terminals. No one mentioned that but it seems to take care of all complaints. I'd don't like to press a battery cable under one of those universal contrivances.

A little routine maintenance takes care of most all problems on boats.

 

Truer words were never spoken!