Cable Crimp Connectors

Hi all,

I need to crimp some cable terminations. I've already got the red, blue & yellow types with a ratchet crimper, but now need to deal with something slightly more meaty. This will be for multi-strand copper wire which is approx 7mm in diameter (including its outer insulating layer.) So basically, like one or two sizes bigger than the yellow connector size deals with, basically.

Any suggestions as to suitable connectors and crimp tools, please?

ta.

Reply to
Cursitor Doom
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The appropriate size of:

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Sounds like 16mm2 cable - what are you joining out of interest?

Reply to
Tim Watts

Crimp_Lug_1/index.html

Thanks for that; I'll check out the link. It's a feed from a car battery. There are two feeds. The thickest one goes off to the starter motor; the other (the one in question) sources power to everything else the vehicle needs. BTW, I think it's probably closer to 19.5 square mm (7mm-2mm=5 (say the insulation is 1mm thick wall) then A=pi x r^2). cheers.

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

It's not something I normally do, but having got suitable lugs and crimp tool from screwfix, I did the couple of terminations (main eq bonding).

Then going back to screwfix a few days later I returned the tool (used twice) for a refund

Reply to
Chris French

Standard cross sections are 6, 10, 16, 25, 35, 50 and 70 sq mm if my memory serves correctly. You can get a reasonably cheap crimp tool that will do up to 16 sq mm like this one:-

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Above 16 sq mm you tend to need to spend rather more. I got a hydraulic tool from China (AliExpress) that will do up to 70 sq mm.

Reply to
cl

I've just remembered I have somewhere actually got a crimper in approx the required size; a decent one, too! Had it probably 20 years and never used it once! Hence it had slipped my mind (what's left of it these days anyway) With a bit of luck I'll only have to buy the terminations...

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

Get some soldering lugs. All you need then is solder and a blowlamp.

Reply to
harry

Yeah - I was going by mains "singles" as a guide.

In that case, I'd buy a couple of sizes of crimp - you want the smallest one the wire goes into, rather than an oversized crimp.

How are you planning to insulate? Heatshrink? Me - I'd give it a couple of layers of heatshrink as it may to be subject to vibration and abrasion.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Vehicle Wiring Products for suitable cable and crimps etc on a car.

With heavy duty terminals such as you'd use for starter cable, the correct crimp tool ain't cheap. So I'd be inclined to solder them using a small jeweller's blowlamp.

Don't use those nasty pre-insulated types on a car - get the correct ones from them.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

I always end up charring the insulation doing it that way. Plus there's no flexibility in the finished termination, rendering it more liable to fracture.

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

Actually you were spot-on. 16mm it turned out to be!

This particular cable comes with its own somewhat over-specified thick rubber corrugated over-sleeving complete with rubber cuff on the end; the sleeve is stretchy and squashy length-wise so you just pull the cuff up to the terminal. Nifty. :)

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

I did in the end. Actually, despite the terminations being much larger to accommodate thicker cable, it was actually easier to crimp 'em up than using one of those red/blue/yellow ratchet crimpers you mention. I used the crimpers I'd forgotten I had and they create an indent in the terminal rather than crushing it straight across the hard plastic cuff like the r/b/y types do. Easier - and a seemingly far superior joint too!

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

I'd agree about the flexibility with ordinary sized cable, but for starter stuff I doubt it matters.

I do prefer crimping - but not sure I could justify the cost of a decent tool for a one off like this.

Wrap the insulation with some cloth and keep it damp while soldering.

Out of interest, My Rover SD1 has a factory rats nest of cables at the battery positive connector. As they added more and more electrics throughout the production run. And all the terminals on these cables at the battery are soldered.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Yes. To convince yourself, cut the insulation off a pre-insulated terminal and look at the crimp. It's simply fattened - you could do as well with pliers. Now look at a properly made crimp using heart shaped dies, which force the terminal to grip the cable all the way round. However, my crimp tool for this (on ordinary sized car cables) cost 70 quid. But since I do quite a few, well worth it.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Our local branch of Edmundsons are very good in this respect. They keep a set of the BIG crimps behind the counter for customers with just one-off or a few connections to make. Do it for free. Good PR!

Gosh, that takes me back. I had a few of them back in the day. Beautiful cars to drive; specially the 3.5 litre autos. Never see 'em any more these days, though for some reason which escapes me. I'd have thought they'd have made for a sought-after classic among discerning car nuts.

Reply to
Cursitor Doom

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