9 Points to Know: Welding Cables and Battery Cables

Here are a few things you should know about the difference between welding cables and battery cables.We understand the complications that come with getting the right cables for your projects, which is why we craft cables that are right for you. Our custom cables are incredibly powerful and allow for customization throughout every part of the cable.

While many prefer using traditional battery cables for connections in their projects, others have also preferred using welding cables for a battery connection. You may have even thought of using welding cables instead of battery cables for your project, but didn’t know enough about it to make the switch.

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1.Battery Cables Have Fewer Strands Of Copper In Its Conductor

As we discussed earlier, battery cables have fewer strands of copper as its conductor than welding cables. These thicker strands make the battery cable a four gauge cable, essentially making it a significant accessory lead. But this thicker copper cannot handle higher voltages, like welding cables.

Welding cables have significantly thinner copper threads, which allow for more copper per wire. More conductibility means more power capabilities, which means broader applications. The thinner strands also allow for proper insulation, without thickening the wire significantly.

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2.Battery Cables Are Best For Direct Battery to Device Applications

When working on a project that simply needs a direct connection from the battery to the device without crossing any loops, battery cables are your best choice. These stiff cables can handle 180A along with 60V, making them perfect for these particular applications.

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3.Welding Cables Are Better For Flexible Applications

Welding cables are much better for applications that could require a more flexible wire. If the project requires a wire that can travel from the battery to the appliance in a flexible way, then this was their best bet. Moreover, appliances that would require such a cable were often very demanding, further emphasizing the need for welding wire.

Welding cables, as compared to battery cables, have much thinner copper conductors, which makes them considerably more flexible. The thinner strands can move more freely rather than the battery cable wires with the thick copper conductors.

4.Welding Cable is more heat Resistant

When choosing between a battery cable or welding cable, you should also keep in mind, which has better heat resistance. Battery cables have far less heat resistance, mainly because of the massive threads of copper that run through the wire. These thick threads make no room for any insulation, which makes the battery cable dangerous in extreme conditions.

On the other hand, since welding cables have thinner strands of copper, there is enough room within the cable for proper insulation. Therefore, welding cables can handle temperatures as high as 200°C without melting or charring. Battery cables meet UL-558 and UL-553 flame resistance standards, whereas welding cables meet the UL-1581 standards. The higher the UL rating, the more resistant it is to fire.

5.Welding Cables Are Better In Colder Climates

Speaking of insulation, it doesn’t just protect the wire from hotter environments but colder ones as well. When using welding cables for a battery connection, they can work very well under extremely hot or cold environments. Welding cables can handle a temperature range of -50°C and 105°C. This temperature range makes it much better for places that have very cold environments. Battery cables, on the other hand, can handle relatively hotter environments, but they struggle in colder climates.

This difference in their resistance is more or less because of the insulation that each of these wires has. Battery cables do not have dedicated insulation without thickening the cable. This lower insulation makes it harder for the battery cables to function effectively under lower temperature and is exactly why welding cables work better at lower temperatures. Thanks to their reliable ore insulation, they can keep functioning at lower temperatures.

6.Both Welding And Battery Cables Can Protect Against The Elements

Of course, the UL rating protects against much more than just fire; it also protects against other elements or substances that could lead to problems. The good news is that whether you choose a battery cable or welding cable, they both are more than capable of fending off against the elements.

They are very resistant to cracking, especially welding wires, thanks to their flexible nature. Both wires can also withstand oil and water, which makes them great for any project that your team might have in mind. Of course, due to the rubbery texture of welding wire, it is not excellent against abrasion or any contact with a rough surface. Battery cables can handle abrasion very well thanks to their stiff outside coating.

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7.Battery Cables are Cheaper than Welding Cables

Now, we come to one of the defining factors that teams take into consideration when choosing a wire: cost. Cost is a grave concern for every organization, especially with most budgets being very tight. And in the grand scheme of things, battery cables are much cheaper than welding cables. They are less expensive because of the lack of insulation and PVC coating, which are both cheaper than welding cables.

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8.Battery Cables Work Better In Moderate Temperatures

Battery cables can work in a wide range of temperatures. However, where they truly shine is in moderate temperatures. Similar to how a welding cable consists of thinner threads of copper that make it better in colder temperatures, the thicker threads of copper in a battery cable assembly allow it to work better in moderate temperatures. Therefore, battery cables are much better suited for projects in tropical areas.

9.Battery Cables Have Less Voltage Rating Than Welding Cables

The defining difference between the battery cable and welding cable is the voltage they can handle. We talked briefly about this in the beginning, but let us take a deeper look into both of them. The battery cable has a voltage rating of 60V, whereas the welding cable has a rating of 600V. The welding cable is better than the battery cable when it comes to voltage capacity and versatility in its tasks.

The difference in voltage rating between the battery cable and welding cable is a serious concern that each team takes into consideration. One of the major reasons teams prefer using welding cables over battery cables is because it has a much higher voltage rating. However, battery cables also come with many advantages over welding cables, which makes them much better.

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Conclusion

Choosing the right battery cable wire for your project can feel like a daunting task. That is a simple yet essential part of your project, yet it can make or break your appliance, which makes choosing the right cable even more important. But with the help of this guide, we hope that you can now better understand the difference between battery cables or welding cables. To learn more, be sure to visit our website.