Following the instructions here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5vkwWuDRGE on how to solder a terminal, is it ok to thin out the copper wiring a little bit so it fits perfectly inside the terminal?

I bought 0 gauge terminals for my 0 gauge wiring and the only way I could get the 0 gauge wiring inside the terminal was to thin it out a bit at the top where it would be going inside the terminal. Is that ok to do?

Also, is there any way to check to make sure your 0 gauge wire is going to work after you install the terminal? Can you use a multimeter to make sure the current is fine?

 

some don't like it, but i personally twist my wires a bit so they all fit, but i don't see a few strands missing being a problem. but that's me.

 

Unless you are very good with soldering you would be better off using a decent crimp terminal. If your soldered connection is not "near perfect" you will be killing your 0 gauge wires' potential. A big pair of strategically placed vice grips and several passes of squishing makes an excellent pair of 0 gauge crimpers. To put this into perspective, your soldered connection should look as though "tinned", as in it should appear as though it was dipped in tin. If you are looking at a blob of solder then the connection is essentially useless.

 

Yeah it will be fine I do it all the time.

 

soldering that thick of cable requires alot of hear... a bit of flux will not hurt..rather help solder flow to the wanted area...
you know its hot enough when u can melt the solder on the terminal and wire without touching the heat source!

 

Crimp and solder, then coat the exposed end with di-electric grease and heat shrink tightly. This prevents corrosion of the copper wire by sealing the end..lasts a lifetime or at least 24 years. I recently cut open a piece of 4awg power wire i used in 1986 on my first "real" system that had it's ring terminal connected that way, and the wire was perfect, not the slightest green oxidation on the copper.