Battery Wing Nuts

[Ken Juul]

Been emailing John Nixon our Mainsheet Technical Editor about some battery issues.  I pass on this tip:

"A word to the wise: replace the wing nuts with regular hex nuts, and tighten them with a wrench. I can't begin to tell you how many problems are caused by "finger tight" wing nuts. They came about because of fishermen needing to easily remove batteries in trailerable boats. They are nothing but trouble looking for a place to happen."

Does this qualify for posting in Electrical 101?

[mainesail]

Not to mention their use is not approved by the ABYC.... To take it a step further I prefer nyloc nuts, if your batt stud is long enough..

[Ron Hill]

Ken : I've never had a problem.

I use a lock washer under the wing nut and tighten the wing with crescent wrench (on one of the wings).

[claygr]

My experience has been directly opposite.  We never had a problem with wing nuts.  Our new batteries came with hex nuts and we did not replace them.  Sure enough, we started having intermittent power issues at the end of this season.  The hex nuts had backed off.  I may not have tightened them down sufficiently with the wrench but it was easier to get a pair of pliers on the end of the "wing."  I am going to replace the hex nuts with wing nuts during the fast approaching off-season. 

[Ted Pounds]

Seems to me the bottom line is to get enough torque on whatever nuts you use to ensure they don't loosen up...