Wing nuts are no longer ABYC compliant. Most batteries do not come with them anymore,the come with nuts. Don't throw away the nuts,and use your wing nuts. This is a copy from Ed Sherman, one of the creators of the abyc standard. I can hear people out in the boatyard in the early stages of getting their boats ready for the upcoming season. These are sweet sounds after the winter we’ve had! With the sound of Spring come thoughts of common mistakes boat owner’s make with their prep, most often without even knowing it. In the photo above, we see one that even the boat builder messed up on because the photograph is of a new boat. The wing nuts holding the cables to the battery clamps are now not compliant with the latest version of ABYC Standard E-10. The Standard states that for cable 6AWG or larger, wing nuts are no longer allowed. These need to be replaced with some hex nuts and lock washers. I’m often asked why. Simple, the wings get loose and cause heating and even electrical arcing at the battery posts. As I’ve said here many times before, too much heat and fires get started. This is an easy fix and should be a simple upgrade as a part of your Spring get ready. You may also like: Electronics Installation Considerations Rapid Anode Consumption, Blistering Bottom Paint Kids Don't Float Has Your Boat Bitten You Yet? Hose Clamps and Comments IGNITION PROTECTION, YES IT’S IMPORTANT Ignition Protection, Yes It’s Important