question

electricboating avatar image
electricboating asked

AGM/GEL terminal bolts

I have always been told that nuts and bolts are assembled as follows: Bolt (set screw) with flat washer, through material and any other attachments, next flat washer, next spring washer, next nut. And so it was with Victron gel/agm batteries until recently. Now the set screw has two flat washers, one spring washer, fitted through battery terminal and then has a nut on it. So what you probably think, take it off and re-assemble in correct order. That’s what I thought, but the M8 set screw thread is very slightly bigger than the hole in the battery terminal. As the screw has been inserted from the battery side, it cannot be “bashed out”. I actually wonder how the manufacturers get the screw to fit at all.

Any ideas?

Has it even been raised as an issue?

AGM Battery
1 comment
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Matthias Lange - DE avatar image Matthias Lange - DE ♦ commented ·

Can you make a picture of that?

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4 Answers
Paul B avatar image
Paul B answered ·

still waiting for more details

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electricboating avatar image
electricboating answered ·

Apologies, having re-read my comment, I realised that it should have said "the M8 set screw thread is slightly bigger than the hole in the FLAT WASHER" not the hole in the battery terminal

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electricboating avatar image
electricboating answered ·

Here are some photos

sBattery bolt 1.jpg Battery bolt 2.jpg


Bolt 1 photo shows the setscrew, washers and nut as it is on the battery as delivered.

Bolt 2 photo shows the setscrew removed from the terminal. The washers are fitted over the threads somehow, by force I think. They cannot be removed for correct assembly.

I know it seems that they should come off easily, but even with tools they cannot be removed. I suspect that the setscrew is M8 and the washer is for a 5/16 screw, which is 7.9mm and has been forced on during assembly.



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electricboating avatar image
electricboating answered ·

~Any update on this query. Or more to the point, do customers need to buy their own stainless washers

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