Cable connector "hood" necessary?

[josrulz]

Hi all, I'm rewiring battery cables on our boat. On the original wires, there were insulating connector "hoods" on each battery cable to the Perko OFF-1-ALL-2 switch. The back of the switch as a whole is protected. Does each cable need a hood too?
Thanks,
J

[hellosailor]

Arguably not. But the individual hoods are a little extra protection against shorts when you are working in there, i.e. moving one cable and either it or a tool slips and hits another one. I'd replace them if it was simple or convenient, but not obsess about it if I couldn't.

Some heat shrink tubing or butyl tape over most the the lug would be an easy compromise in the meantime.

[mitiempo]

They are more important on the batteries. You would have a hard time creating a short as they are all positive connections, but it couldn't hurt.