Make Your Own Quick Disconnects

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Make Your Own Quick Disconnects:

For a while now, I've been pondering what it would take to make (for the H1's) a Warn equivalent quick disconnect system that would work with a wide variety of accessories, ranging from electrical winches to jumper cables to chargers (etc, etc). After Keith Perry's removable winch setup was complete, it gave me the idea to go forth with it.

However, in my mind, it's not cost effective to pay the $100-120 street price to get the Warn branded system. Even the battery side only cable is about 50 bucks. For 25 bucks over that cost, you can make your own complete system that includes jumper cables.

So - here's what I did to get a Warn compatible quick disconnect system installed on my truck. Cost - 30 bucks if you include the fact that I already had rosin core solder. This parts list is only for the truck end - for the accessories end, you'll have to create your own but you'll find that you can plug any Warn 175amp accessory into it.

Here's the parts*:

Anderson Power Products SB175 - 2 or 4 Gauge Pins. Cost - $9.00.
http://store.solar-electric.com/anhicupoco.html

Lynx Battery Cable - Red, Top Terminal, 48" 4 Gauge. $8.49. Part LCS448C

Lynx Battery Cable - Black, Top Terminal, 48" 4 Gauge. $8.49. Part LCSB448C

What you need other than the parts:

Propane torch, electrical tape, rosin core solder, vise and/or spring clamps, long pliers, water, double sided tape, hose clamp or long thin bolts. (Every owner should have this in their garage already!)

Construction:

Take an electricians plier and remove the top terminal lug of both battery cables.
Use a knife and remove about 1 inch worth of insulation from both cables.
Put the electrical contact into a vise or some other secure method where it's pointing up.
Take one cable, insert it into the electrical contact to test fit
Use the propane torch to heat the contact. Melt rosin core solder into the bottom of the contact well. Continue heating until just touching solder to the sides make it drip inside the contact well
Insert the stripped cable end into the contact well. Continue heating and add more rosin core solder to fill the well completely. A spring clamp can be used to help support the wire - bend it to where the end stays in the contact well. Continue adding solder until it totally drips out.
Douse the exterior of the contact end with water. Don't dip it, just spray it. This sets the solder. Remove from the vise and dip only the electrical contact 3/4 of the way into water to continue cooling. Don't dip the whole thing - just most of it!
Repeat steps 5-7 with the other cable and contact end.
Electrical tape the junction, and insert both contacts into their respective marked polarity sections.

Total time - about 20 minutes.

Installation:

Open Hood

Route cables

Take a 5/16ths wrench and undo each battery bolt. Add the drilled lug side into each terminal and fasten the bolt down.

Mount the connector end to your favorite surface. I have mine right behind the bumper, pointing down. Drill, fasten, tape, or bolt as needed. I used 3M VHB Automotive tape and a hose clamp. Total time - 15 minutes.

The cool thing - you've got something that's the perfect length. The Warn version (part 26405) is 90 inches long. This version is only 48" long and is perfect for H1's. If you want to use the top terminal end, reverse the ends of the cable in the first step and remove the lug rather than the top terminal contact.

There's also a reason why I soldered everything in. You can reuse the terminal. Just release the electrical end from the spring loaded clip, and remove the end. Then, you can heat it and remove whatever cable you had, and replace it with another one. The electrical end is designed to be either crimped or soldered.

You can take the same construction method and create your own jumper cable sets. Just clip off one jumper clip end, and follow the same construction tips. 4 Gauge jumper cables are about $35 bucks. If you added the jumper cable setup - the total cost (versus the Warn) would be about $75 dollars. The Warn version lists for $120.*

Other neat uses and reasons:

Portable winch connection
Battery minders
Battery chargers
Jumper cable from Hummer to Hummer without ever opening your hood (and is compatible with the H2 winch system quick disconnect as well, so you can jumper a H1 to an H2)
Common accessory power point. Great for organized groups and spread the load out of what you take between multiple trucks. I know now that I can take Keith's winch and power it if I have to.

Enjoy!

-Steve

* Prices are as of December of 2006 and may not be current.

Q: What happens when you dip your rear bumper under water? Do you loose your electrical?

A: You won't. If you want, you can get a cover for it to prevent it from getting a lot of garbage. I just dielectric grease the crap out of it.

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