Another battery cable question - tapered top post or wing nut?

Fishermark

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Oct 19, 2003
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Someone asked a question about using Marine versus Automobile battery cables. That got me thinking, so I looked up the installation manual for my 2003 5.7 liter Mercruiser and noticed that I don't have the correct cables in MY boat! The manual specifically says not to use wing nut connectors. If fact, here it is word-for-word:<br /><br />IMPORTANT: Do NOT use a battery with wing nut connectors.<br /><br />It recommends using a battery with either tapered post or side terminal connectors.<br /><br />Question -- Do most of you out there use the typical marine battery with the wing nuts, or do you use the typical automobile battery? I suspect I am not alone in this. I just wonder if this might have something to do with my hard starting problem...?
 

JB

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Re: Another battery cable question - tapered top post or wing nut?

Howdy, Fishermark.<br /><br />Your manual deals with the current needed to start that big V8.<br /><br />The greatest majority of marine applications and all outboards should use a marine battery with threaded posts. Locking SS nuts are much preferred to wingnuts.
 

Boatin Bob

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Sep 24, 2001
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Re: Another battery cable question - tapered top post or wing nut?

I've got a couple of 460 Fords in my boat, have always used marine batteries and always used the wing nuts, keep terminals nice and clean and tight (not just finger tight), never had a problem
 

wvit100

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May 6, 2002
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Re: Another battery cable question - tapered top post or wing nut?

i have a 350 in my boat and have never had any problem using the wing nut connectors. I always unhook the battery after I use the boat and it is alot easier using the wing nuts. A friend of mine had a small bolt come loose while he was trailering the boat, it fell across some wires and caught his motor on fire. A guy pulled up next to him at a light and told him there was smoke coming from the back of the boat. It was a small fire but caused a couple thousand dollars in damage.
 

Fishermark

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Oct 19, 2003
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Re: Another battery cable question - tapered top post or wing nut?

wvit - that reminds me of a time when I first started boating years ago -- I didn't have my battery enclosed in a box and while going out the handle (metal) of my landing net fell accross the battery terminals shorting them out. Yikes! :eek: I moved pretty fast that night! Needless to say, I keep my batteries closed up in a battery box anymore.
 
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