Golf Cart Battery Cable Information

4 AWG vs 2 AWG?

Directly from the manufacturer, the wire installed is typically 6 AWG. But most golf cart owners upgrade their golf cart battery cable set to 4 AWG or 2 AWG. This is due to overheating issues with 6 AWG. When this happens it reduces the life of the cable and causes there to be an energy loss which causes a slight decrease in range. Additionally, the motor is calling for more current and the cable is not able to provide that current. This is also the reason why, in some cases, the acceleration of the vehicle increases since more current is available to the motor. 

Between a 4 AWG cable and a 2 AWG cable?  We recommend going with 2 AWG since this will lower the risk of you having any trouble with overheating issues with a standard lead-acid battery in a golf cart.

Why do we use welding cable versus battery cable?

Welding cables and battery cables are similar.  They can carry similar currents and both can carry 12 to 24 V. But since battery cable typically has thicker strands of wire inside compared to welding cable it is not able to carry a high voltage. Since most of our customers use a higher voltage welding cable with its thinner strands will be able to carry this load more effectively and not heat up in the process.  This is why we use it in our battery cable set for golf carts, custom cables, and electric vehicles. Since these applications have a higher voltage and sometimes have to bend in very tight spaces. With these considerations, we chose welding cable to allow our customers to have a better experience.

Is a tin-plated lug worth it?

Copper lugs tend to oxidize over time. When this happens the copper turns green. When the copper lug completely oxidizes the electrical connection will no longer work.  The process tends to speed up if they are outside typically in a wet or high humidity environment and temperatures that exceed 100 degrees Celsius. Having tin pleated lugs reduces the likelihood of the oxidization happening as fast. Allowing the electrical connection to last longer in this environment.  These connectors are slightly more expensive but definitely worth the investment if the wire is used outdoors. In most cases, a tin-plated copper lug can last 10 times as long as a copper lug.  Since it can last 10 times as long it is definitely worth getting tin-plated copper lugs for any application that will cause the copper to oxidize quickly.