Amp rating on crocodile clips

[Antony Gilbert]

I have a 12V leisure battery and a 1000W power inverter. I want to find out what suitable crocodile clips I need (which will be connected on to the battery terminals, from a cable running to the back of the inverter).

I notice that crocodile clips have an amperage rating (e.g. 50amp or 500amp). I already have a set of clips that are 50amp. Are they likely to be suitable? Do they have a high enough amperage rating? Why do crocodile clips have an amp rating? What happens if you use clips that have too low an amperage?

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Martyc]

Power=voltage x current, so to calculate current you would need to divide power by volts (1000w/12v=83.3*A). So you'd want 100A crocodile clips.
If you use underrated equipment overheating, damage and even fire can occur.
To demonstrate this take a thin piece of wire with a croc clip either end and stick it across your leisure battery terminals. Well that's what my college tutor done when I was studying automotive years ago anyway....

 

[snowhead]

The rating of the clip is mostly about point of contact with the terminal.
Smaller area of contact = lower rating.

If a true Croc with teeth then there isn't much contact.

Then the cable joined to the clips needs to have at least the same rating.
You won't be able to put 100amp into a leisure battery from an inverter

 

[Martyc]

Wouldn't it be better to hardwire it on ring terminals?

 

[grantr37]

Tags and Bolts

 

[Antony Gilbert]

Slightly different question. I have a 40W solar panel and need to connect the solar panel leads up to a 12V battery. The crocodile clips on the solar panel leads are quite small. Is there the same requirement for having high enough amp rated crocodile clips when you are putting a charge into a 12V battery compared to taking out the charge from a battery - which I was effectively doing when using the power inverter to connect up to an appliance?

 

[Robotstar5]

Put some stud/nut clamps on battery, 3rd one down on this page and use ring crimps.

 

[UKMeterman]

Hi,
A suitable fuse and fuse holder would be good. VWP - fuse holders 2 The short circuit current out of a lead acid can be 1KA or more!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Power=voltage x current, so to calculate current you would need to divide power by volts (1000w/12v=83.3*A). So you'd want 100A crocodile clips.
If you use underrated equipment overheating, damage and even fire can occur.
To demonstrate this take a thin piece of wire with a croc clip either end and stick it across your leisure battery terminals. Well that's what my college tutor done when I was studying automotive years ago anyway....

this is the idea behind PAT testing CPCs at say 25A...so it tensions the cable....if it cant cope (damaged)..it gives up....