Brass Nuts & Bolts - Where to Get Them?

[Santa]

I need to get brass nuts, bolts, washers, for my Battle Born battery terminal connections. (I want 3/8" and 5/16"). They didn't have any at Home Depot yesterday. I only found them one place online, but they will be coming from China and could take forever (and can I trust the material)? (Ask me how I know...I bought a video camera a couple years ago and it took a month from China and broke shortly after buying it.) Any way, can anyone recommend a place to buy them? Thank you.

 

[Bob142]

Do you have a good old fashioned hardware store anywhere near you? I'm lucky enough to have two nearby that stock lots of different fasteners in many alloys, including brass. I avoid the big boxes like Depot and Lowes, as they always have a comparatively limited selection.

 

[SolarRat]

My local Ace hardware stocks most uncommon things that HD and Lowes don't. I've bought plenty of brass nuts and bolts there before.

 

[Bob142]

My local Ace hardware stocks most uncommon things that HD and Lowes don't. I've bought plenty of brass nuts and bolts there before.

Yup. Ace or True Value work out well for me.

 

[Santa]

@Bob142 @SolarRat thank you! There is an Ace somewhat close! I will check!

 

[sajjen]

There is absolutely no need for brass hardware. Stainless is a much better material for fasteners and a lot cheaper. Current carrying capacity is irrelevant. The fasteners role is to clamp the cable lugs to the terminals, not to carry the current.

 

[Supervstech]

I am curious WHY you want brass hardware?

 

[Santa]

There is absolutely no need for brass hardware. Stainless is a much better material for fasteners and a lot cheaper. Current carrying capacity is irrelevant. The fasteners role is to clamp the cable lugs to the terminals, not to carry the current.

I respectfully disagree.

 

[Supervstech]

I respectfully disagree.

Again, why do you think this?

 

[sajjen]

I respectfully disagree.

Every battery manufacturer in the world use stainless steel hardware, as do every professional installer. If you think you know better, go ahead with brass.

 

[Santa]

I am curious WHY you want brass hardware?

Here is something I learned from @JeepHammer (a Master Welder, etc.): With brass or copper you want it to fill up as much of the (battery terminal) hole as possible - it's a proper conductor and will aid/add to getting current out of, and back into the battery.

Steel bolts use smaller diameter HOLES in battery terminals. Smaller hole, more copper contact surface.
When you use brass bolts it doesn't really matter since the bolt is no longer a resistor.

More surface area means more amps at full power, so large, trimmed to fit, as large of brass bolt as you can fit, all adds to AMPS getting where they need to go!

 

[Supervstech]

Here is something I learned from @JeepHammer (a Master Welder, etc.): With brass or copper you want it to fill up as much of the (battery terminal) hole as possible - it's a proper conductor and will aid/add to getting current out of, and back into the battery.

Steel bolts use smaller diameter HOLES in battery terminals. Smaller hole, more copper contact surface.
When you use brass bolts it doesn't really matter since the bolt is no longer a resistor.

More surface area means more amps at full power, so large, trimmed to fit, as large of brass bolt as you can fit, all adds to AMPS getting where they need to go!

The amperage limiting factor in a battleborn battery is the BMS. It limits you to 100amps. The surface of the BB brass lug on the battery can handle 300 or so amps... filling in the hole with a brass bolt won’t increase anything. You will still be limited to the BMS 100 amps.

as long as your cable lugs are in DIRECT contact with the battery lug... use whatever bolt makes you happy...

but steel has a stronger clamping force and won’t wriggle loose over time with a good lock washer, or locking nut.

 

[nosys70]

you would not use steel either because steel is not only a very bad conductor, but also a third metal.
the terminal of the battery is usally aluminium (2nd best conductor after copper), and your lugs are usually copper, so it is already 2 differents metals.
to avoid corrosion, i would not want to add anything containing iron.
let's add to his, that battery terminal is fragile, especially to torque.
an aluminum screw would break before damaging the battery, we you can put a lot of excessive force on a steel screw.
ideally you would do all with aluminium or copper.

 

[Supervstech]

you would not use steel either because steel is not only a very bad conductor, but also a third metal.
the terminal of the battery is usally aluminium (2nd best conductor after copper), and your lugs are usually copper, so it is already 2 differents metals.
to avoid corrosion, i would not want to add anything containing iron.
let's add to his, that battery terminal is fragile, especially to torque.
an aluminum screw would break before damaging the battery, we you can put a lot of excessive force on a steel screw.

You are thinking of the cell threads... this post is about battleborn... not relevant to this conversation.

 

[Santa]

I believe BB battery bolts are stainless steel, not steel, just saying.

 

[Santa]

The amperage limiting factor in a battleborn battery is the BMS. It limits you to 100amps. The surface of the BB brass lug on the battery can handle 300 or so amps... filling in the hole with a brass bolt won’t increase anything. You will still be limited to the BMS 100 amps.

as long as your cable lugs are in DIRECT contact with the battery lug... use whatever bolt makes you happy...

but steel has a stronger clamping force and won’t wriggle loose over time with a good lock washer, or locking nut.

What about the resistance of the stainless steel?

 

[sajjen]

you would not use steel either because steel is not only a very bad conductor, but also a third metal.
the terminal of the battery is usally aluminium (2nd best conductor after copper), and your lugs are usually copper, so it is already 2 differents metals.
to avoid corrosion, i would not want to add anything containing iron.
let's add to his, that battery terminal is fragile, especially to torque.
an aluminum screw would break before damaging the battery, we you can put a lot of excessive force on a steel screw.
ideally you would do all with aluminium or copper.

Best conductor is silver. Copper seconds, followed by aluminium.

Your lugs are also plated, usually with tin. If you are worried about galvanic corrosion, use an antioxidant compound.

The correct solution to not stripping the threads is not overtighten the screws.

As said earlier, all professionals, all manufacturers and all hobbyists use stainless fasteners. They are the best tool for the job.

 

[Supervstech]

What about the resistance of the stainless steel?

Irrelevant.

the steel isn’t forming a conductive path, the copper and brass are.

 

[sajjen]

What about the resistance of the stainless steel?

The resistance of the fastener does not matter. The current is carried by the lug directly to the tab/terminal.

 

[Supervstech]

Best conductor is silver. Copper seconds, followed by aluminium.

Your lugs are also plated, usually with tin. If you are worried about galvanic corrosion, use an antioxidant compound.

The correct solution to not stripping the threads is not overtighten the screws.

As said earlier, all professionals, all manufacturers and all hobbyists use stainless fasteners. They are the best tool for the job.

EVERYBODY PLEASE stop sidetracking the thread. This is a discussion on Santa’s battleborn battery terminals and bolts to go there. Nothing else.