Battery Terminal Covers
 

Guys,

After that thread about the Baia that burnt to the waterline due to an accidental short across the battery terminals, I've had my eye on fixing this problem in my boat, as they were both completely exposed. I bought several off-the-shelf- options, but nothing fit how my cables/wires connected to my batteries.

So I gave up finding ready to use terminal covers that would work with how my wires and cables approach and connect to my batteries.

Using SolidWorks, and after a couple redesigns, I came up with these:


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...95c3d6bb2.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...8c565581e.jpeg


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b1edd4bd3.jpeg

A buddy of mine has a 3D printer, so I bought a spool of purple filament (of course), and he printed them for me.

They “press” down onto the tapered lead posts, and two stainless screws clamp them in place. They are very secure, but easily removed. I plan to permanently connect shielded charging leads that my tandem charger will connect to so I won’t have to remove them to charge the batteries.

I can print these up for anybody having trouble finding terminal covers that work with their wiring, if anybody is interested. I have models for “left”, “right”, and “through” wiring configurations.Yes we can use different colors.

I’m not really looking to actively sell them, but I thought I'd make them available for anybody in the same situation I was. I'm still sorting out costs of printing them, as it wasn't my printer. Contact me if you’re interested.

Thanks. Brad.
(937)545-8991

That looks like a good solution to a simple problem. 3-D printers are great. My brother has one and has made a couple things for me. I still use the old school battery box and force the lid on over my wiring and strap it down.

Guys,

Here are the renderings of the four configurations I've worked up.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...a4b48918be.jpg
Right
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...3635cee63b.jpg
Straight
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...b379c4b2aa.jpg
Through
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...89b9bef54a.jpg
Left


I've settled on $20 each, in whatever color is requested.

For those who have reached out, have a look and let me know which ones you need.

Thanks. Brad.

What material (filament) are you using?

Rookie,

PLA for now. I don’t think there’s any reason to use anything else. We could possibly try Nylon, but my buddy’s printer doesn’t have a high temp nozzle at the moment.

PLA is non-conductive and holds a thread well enough for the screws to hold it in place.

Thanks. Brad.

PLA is why I actually asked. The problem with PLA is that it has a low heat deflection temperature. You can tighten it down with screws, but the inside that is grabbing on to the lead can become malleable and loosen up if the battery gets hot. (ask me how I know) PLA can be re-formed with just hot water from the faucet. I'd suggest PETG. I print a lot with PETG and nothing to extreme with temps 230-240°C.

Rookie,

I’ve got them on my batteries. We’ll see how they work out. I’m not going to send any out until we put them to the test. I can’t imagine the inside of an engine compartment getting warm enough to remelt PLA, though. Time will tell.

Thanks. Brad.

It doesn't melt PLA, it softens at 125°F. I work in the industrial battery industry and battery terminals can get to that temperature. Especially if a terminal is not connected tight or corrosion.

I know you stated you didn’t want to go into the “battery post cover business”. ..but how much do you want for those lol??

Scot,

I didn’t want the other thread, about the Baia that burnt up, to turn into a “for sale” section.

I stated in the OP that I’m getting $20ea for them, in whatever color you want (based on availability of filament).

Thanks. Brad.

Guys,

We finally have our 3D printer up and running, and these terminal covers are coming out really nice in PETG. I can print one per day, two if I come back to the shop and start another print and have access to seemingly endless colors. Let me know which configuration you need and what color you want them in, and I can get them printed.

I will also be working on configurations that will accommodate those that use the lead post, that will attach to the threaded post with a nylon acorn nut.

Thanks. Brad.

Thats a cool idea Brad....
3D printers are fun toys for sure...we just got a bigger printer that can now make parts up to about 20" tall and about 16" in dia...we printed this 42" boat in 4 prints over 4 days out of a PETG/ABS mixture that the guy makes himself here at work...he made his own extruder and we just get the raw plastic and make our own filament...its glued together with superglue, that's why the white line across the bow :)
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...93b7fd6cd3.jpg
42" . :D

Very cool!!!

Wally,

There are several guys in the model boating world who have been printing various parts for model boats for a while now, and a few of them have printed sponsons (at least) for outrigger hydroplanes. Lots of possibilities.

Something else I developed....


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...458c558c10.jpg
I just ordered the MMU3 for my Prusa. This will allow for automated multi-color/material prints like this one. Might even work on adding graphics to the battery terminal covers. Who knows....

Thanks. Brad.

yeah dual filaments are cool.....our new machine has that. the coolest stuff is the dissolvable filaments where you can print, for example, an entire working crescent wrench in one shot...then dip it into a solution to release the support structure and have a fully working movable model to play with......we haven't had a need to try that yet but we are looking for excuses! LOL :D
here's a pic of our new toy:
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...c9c0a5002e.jpg

we are having a guy build us a cabinet to house it in and try to keep the temps more consistent when printing....we have found we get some warpage when temps fluctuate during prints...on thin walls anyway

Wally,

I have a Prusa MK3s+. I would have sprung for the MK4, but the interwebs says it's not really worth the extra cost for what you get over the MK3.

The MMU3 supports FIVE filaments. God only knows what I'll do with that, but I'll have it all the same. I have need for three in the immediate, though.

I'm gonna get myself into trouble with this thing, I can tell already...... :picard1:

Thanks. Brad.

I've had my Lulzbot Taz 5 for 8 years. I use to do a lot of prototype printing for companies just from a Craigslist add. I might print something every other week for myself currently. But I use to run it 16hrs/day maybe 6 days a week as a side gig. They're real handy. I don't buy commodity items anymore I just draw them up in Tinkercad and print them. Last I looked I have over 600 files of widgets that apparently I needed at one time. lol

You guys playing with your 3 D printers making widgets,,,,,, Childs play.

This is the way they do it down here :drink:

https://www.relativityspace.com

Thats some cool stuff for sure! Ive seen the 3D printing welders with built in cnc's to clean up the welds at the IMTS show when it was last here in Chicago a few years back before Covid....very cool stuff :D
Its coming back Sept 9-14 but i'll be down in Fl at that time :(

Wildman,

More like 3D welding, but still pretty cool.

Thanks. Brad.

The stuff that is out there now is crazy, they have a 3D printer that can do a house. It uses a concrete mix of some type.

We got our first 3D printer in engineering at a company I worked at around 1999 or 2000 maybe. It cost close to 300K, would take overnight just to print a speaker bracket and it was fragile as a potato chip. We would use them for fist build mockups before we committed to tooling.

Now the same printers are cheap enough for anyone to buy and make stuff up, and the parts can be almost as strong as the injection molded one.

Guys,

I printed one in all black, just for a proof of concept. It fits in the Reese receiver perfectly.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bed90b677.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...ee6c3391f.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...bb5204088.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...58bbbc65a.jpeg

Looks pretty sweet, if I have to say so myself. Now I just have to turn on ironing and incorporate the colors.

Thanks. Brad.

Thats sweet Brad! nice job

Very cool!