We use cookie to improve your user experience on the site. By clicking "Accept and Close", you agree to the storing of cookies on your device. Please check our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use for more information.


Battery Cable Terminal Ends: Top Post, Side Post, Elbow or Flag

Below is a brief description of the different types of battery cable terminal ends to help you choose exactly what will work best for you.

Battery Terminals:

Straight Top Post: 

This is the most common battery terminal and probably what you think of when we talk about battery cable ends. They come in a large variety of sizes from 6 gauge to 4/0 gauge.  The terminals we sell are die-cast solid copper with tin plating for corrosion resistance.

 Buy Here 

Elbow Top Post Battery Terminal:

These are available in Right or Left.  They are useful in certain applications where space is a concern or if you want a different look. (Left elbow shown). Elbow terminals are a little more expensive (about $1 more).

 Buy Here 

Side Post or Stud Top Terminals:

These are the heavy-duty replacement for the cable ends used by some OEMs on new cars and for stud top industrial batteries. 

 Buy Here 

Double Barrel Stud Top Terminals:

These are for connecting several stud top batteries together in parallel.  They are the stud top equivalent of the flag terminal shown below. I do not normally stock them but they are available special order.  One could also use a double-barrel terminal for a ground in the middle of a ground cable.  Double barrel lugs are only available in 1/0 and larger with 3/8 hole. I do not normally stock them but they are available special order.

 Special Order 

Flag Terminal:

This style is used for dual battery setups where two or more batteries will be connected in parallel on a single cable. Please, note that because these require 2 connections and 2 heat shrink, the labor for these will be double. We stock these in 1/0 thru 4/0. 

 Buy Here

Terminal Sizes:

Not every terminal is available in every wire gauge.  For example, 6 gauge elbow terminals are not available. Here is a table with what we normally stock (“Yes”); what we can order special order (SO);  and what is hard to find (“No).

Wire
Size
Top Post Straight Top Post w/extra wire Elbow
Top Post
Side Mount
or Stud Top
Flag Flag w/extra wire Double
Barrel
8ga No No No No No No No
6ga Universal Only No No No No No No
4ga Pos & Neg No R & L Universal Only Yes No No No
1-2 ( 1 or 2ga) Pos & Neg No R & L Universal Only Yes No No No
1/0 or 0 or “one-aught” Pos & Neg NO Pos & Neg in Left and Right Yes Pos & Neg No SO
2/0 or 00 or “Two-aught” Pos & Neg Positive only Pos & Neg in Left and Right Yes Pos & Neg Positive Only SO
3/0 or 000 or “three-aught” Pos & Neg No Pos & Neg in Left and Right Yes Positive Only Positive Only SO
4/0 or 0000 or “four-aught” Pos & Neg No Special Order Yes Positive Only No SO

Ring Terminals:

Ring Terminal or Lug:

This is what you need to connect o the starter, solenoid, alternator or deep cycle battery. A heavy-duty end is shown. The metal used in the heavy-duty ends is twice as thick. The HD ends are also wider and more expensive. As lugs get larger, more copper is required to make them, therefore they cost more.

  Buy Standard Here   

 Buy Heavy Duty Here

Heavy Duty 45/90:

Heavy-duty ring terminals are also available with a 45 degree or 90-degree bend.  Not all sizes are available. These terminals are more expensive than the normal heavy-duty lugs. I do NOT recommend trying to make your own bent ends. I have tried and very often the ends will crack possibly leading to premature failure.

 Buy Here

Ring Terminal Sizes:

Not every hole size is available with every wire gauge. For example, 4/0 gauge lug with 1/4 holes is not something we stock and can be very hard to find. Here is a table with what we normally stock (“Yes”); what we can special order (“SO”) and what is not available (“NA”). We try to stock all sizes up to 3/0.  We don’t stock much 4.0 due to low demand.

Wire Size 1/4
Std
lug
5/16
Std
lug
3/8
Std
lug
1/2
Std
lug
1/4
HD
5/16
HD
3/8
HD
1/2
HD
5/16
HD-45
3/8
HD-45
1/2
HD-45
5/16
HD-90
3/8
HD-90
1/2
HD-90
8ga Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
6ga Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
4ga yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2ga
(or 1-2)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
1ga
(or 1-2)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
1/0 or 0 or “one aught” Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2/0 or 00
or “two-aught”
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
3/0 or
000 or
“three-aught”
SO SO Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NA Yes Yes  NA Yes Yes
4/0 or 0000
or “four-aught”
SO SO Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes NA SO SO NA SO SO

Don’t see the cable you wanted here?  Custom Battery Cables would be happy to build a custom cable to your specifications.  Go to the Custom Orders page for more information.

Share this page