Batteries, Batteries' post, Batteries' hardware

Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
I just purchased two Walmart 24DC batteries for my boat. Dang if they didn't come with any hardware. I have hardware at home that I can use, I think. Well, I have 5/16-18 (which the battery posts seem to be) nuts that don't fit. But the posts are either 5/16" or 8mm, no information on which. I went and purchased 5/16-24 thinking that is what the posts are. Nope. So back to the store to find M8-1 or M8-1.25, not sure which.

What a joke. No standardization in this regard. How can that be? Oh, and I really don't what to use the lead posts, I want a good nut and split washer to secure the cables.

Just a rant.
 
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D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
13,039
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
It has become common for batteries to have one ⅜" post and one 5/16" post. Some have 2 ⅜" posts. No telling who or where those Wally World batteries came from.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Looks like East Penn for the car batteries and Johnson Control for the Marine batteries. Might have to go to them for help. I have tried all four nuts 5/16-18 and -24, and M8-1.25 and -1. Nothing fits. I have no clue now.
 
D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
13,039
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Brian D said:
Looks like East Penn for the car batteries and Johnson Control for the Marine batteries. Might have to go to them for help. I have tried all four nuts 5/16-18 and -24, and M8-1.25 and -1. Nothing fits. I have no clue now.
Click to expand
Try ⅜" coarse thread, I think is ⅜-16.
 
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Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
3/8" is too big. That was first thought when looking at it. I have a Blue Sea fuse block and it is 5/16". Thought that would fit but it went on and turned once or twice and that was it. I think that it is 5/16-18. But the package list it as 5/16 (M8). I think the M8 is the stud size, being M8-1.25.
 
jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
from wikipedia:
"Marine battery terminals[edit]
Marine batteries typically have two posts, a 3/8"-16 threaded post for the positive terminal, and a 5/16"-18 threaded post for the negative terminal."
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Yeah, I read that, but both of these terminals are the same size. That is what is confusing me.

dmax said:
9 mm?
Click to expand
Haven't seen 9mm hardware, but that might be possible. Is that something one would find in an Automotive store?
 
D

dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
13,039
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Brian D said:
Yeah, I read that, but both of these terminals are the same size. That is what is confusing me.


Haven't seen 9mm hardware, but that might be possible. Is that something one would find in an Automotive store?
Click to expand
At this point I'd be inclined to return the batteries to Walmart and find a different source, even it costs a few bucks more. What's your time and effort worth?

BTW, NAPA batteries are made by East Penn.
 
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dmax

dmax

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Jul 29, 2018
1,219
Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
9 mm is going to be hard to find, maybe Ace Hardware or something like that.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
jviss said:
I would wander back to Walmart and see if any of the other ones on the shelf have the little plastic bags of nuts and washers that usually comes with them. :)
Click to expand
Yeah, gonna head back to Walmart and check. Hardware should have been included.
 
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RoyS

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Reminds me of a story I read about the old Soviet Union. Everyone who owned a car had the same State approved make and model. You could not get parts. At night everyone took in their windshield wipers and gas cap. Maybe your batteries came from there.
 
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Maine Sail

Maine Sail

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Feb 6, 1998
11,711
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
I have never seen anything but 5/16X 18 or 3/9" X16 on East Penn or JCI batteries. My guess is that someone galled or cross threaded the post and returned the battery. the nuts are pressed onto the positive post cap.. So if they were not there.....
 
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jviss

jviss

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Feb 5, 2004
7,089
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
dlochner said:
Return the batteries. What are you going to do when you lose one of the nuts to the bilge? You'll be in the same situation. :(
Click to expand
He would be in the same situation if a nut falls in to the bilge if the batteries had some with nuts. :)

I say, go back to Walmart and find the hardware. Then, go to Lowes or some other hardware place with this things to try out the size of threaded fasteners and find out for sure what thread it is. Then buy a few spare nuts.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
On my list of things to do today. Will head back to Wally and ask about the hardware. There is the possibility that it is a minor cross thread. I think I will investigate that once I know I have the correct nut size. The batteries were made in Korea so the post should have a standard size of 5/16-18. Should have an answer this afternoon.

Speaking of spare parts, when I was working and traveling, I noticed that car owners would engrave their license plate numbers on anything that could be taken off. That would include the side mirrors, tires, doors, everything. I thought that strange until a local told me why. As mentioned about, spare parts. Crazy.
 
Rick Webb

Rick Webb

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Jun 2, 2004
3,564
Hunter 23.5 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Florida
Brian D said:
On my list of things to do today. Will head back to Wally and ask about the hardware. There is the possibility that it is a minor cross thread. I think I will investigate that once I know I have the correct nut size. The batteries were made in Korea so the post should have a standard size of 5/16-18. Should have an answer this afternoon.

Speaking of spare parts, when I was working and traveling, I noticed that car owners would engrave their license plate numbers on anything that could be taken off. That would include the side mirrors, tires, doors, everything. I thought that strange until a local told me why. As mentioned about, spare parts. Crazy.
Click to expand
We always had to do that when the Marines came through.
Seemed to be doctrinal form of procurement.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Well, I have the hardware. I went to my Walmart and talked to the department manager and was told the hardware is in bags attached to the batteries. They are removed because people steal them. She went to the department register and gave me two bags. So now I have the hardware.

I tested to make sure they fit and one post did not allow the nut to fasten. I was sure it was my fault by trying to get the wrong size fastener on. So I gently twisted CW-CCW-CW-CCW until the nut slid on. Qapla'

So now to Home Depot to match size and get some more in case some drop down the bilge.
 
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