solenoid terminal cover

thingiverse

I'm looking to upgrade my truck's electrical system for camping and other off-grid applications, so I decided not to use a standard $50 battery isolator. Instead, I opted for a more cost-effective solution: a $12 continuous-use solenoid wired to engage only when both the key and toggle switch are activated. This configuration has worked flawlessly for me in the past, although it was on an old 1970s Dodge truck with ample hood space. My current project is a bit more challenging due to limited clearance under the hood of my 1992 Ranger. To address this issue, I'm planning to create a custom cover for the switching terminals as part of this upgrade. In preparation, I've been printing prototypes using Cura software, and you can see the enlarged versions in the photo – they're about 12.5% larger than the original designs. While the files would have worked fine without scaling up, I realized that a slightly larger socket is needed to secure the terminal nut properly. Now, my primary concern is ensuring that the PLA material holds up well under the hood's heat as well as any thermal stress generated by the solenoid's operation.