How to properly use crimp terminals

[nhamilto40]

When properly applied crimp terminals are very safe and reliable. Unfortunately the general public typically improperly crimps them. This results in electrical fire and other unpleasantness. I have noticed three cases of overheating/fire in the last month on this forum.

Proper tools are required to use these terminals (about $16 including shipping). If you are too cheap to buy one use some other method ie. wire nuts, screw terminals, solder, etc. Any of these are infinitely safer than an improperly crimped connection.

You can spent any amount of money on a crimping tool but for most of the people on this forum a low cost hand ratchet crimper is the correct tool. My recommendation for insulated crimp terminals is a HS-30J tool. About $16 on ebay. These will apply a correct type J (German asymmetric) crimp to common red/blue/yellow insulated crimp terminals. If money is no object by all means go for an American built, calibrated, aerospace grade crimp tool.

An informative link: Marine Wire Termination http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination&page=1

If you want the manufacture's information on the HS-30J: http://www.fasen-tools.com.cn/压接工具/9棘轮式压接钳(欧洲型)-HS25R.html

 

[jsmsmk]

For the amount of money that most of use have involved in our brewing systems this crimper is a small expense to making it more reliable. Crimps are one of the most common failure points in our wiring.

 

[BrunDog]

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge/thoughts with soldering crimped terminals. I am thinking to use non-insulated terminals, coat wire in flux, insert into terminal and twist it a bit to flux inside of terminal, crimp, then flow in some electrical solder, the cover the end in heat shrink tubing. I realize by heating the crimp strength is somewhat sacrificed, but the solder would probably limit high resistance zones leading to heating at the joint at current. Feedback?

-BD

 

[BigFloyd]

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge/thoughts with soldering crimped terminals. I am thinking to use non-insulated terminals, coat wire in flux, insert into terminal and twist it a bit to flux inside of terminal, crimp, then flow in some electrical solder, the cover the end in heat shrink tubing. I realize by heating the crimp strength is somewhat sacrificed, but the solder would probably limit high resistance zones leading to heating at the joint at current. Feedback?

-BD

Except for the wires going into the terminal blocks, lighted switches and the like, all of the crimp connections on my E-BIAB rig are also soldered. I've had no problems.

That's likely a result of my upbringing. Dad was an industrial electrical designer who taught me well how to solder as a kid. I had lots of practice building stuff with him.

 

[pablosbrewing]

Does anyone have any experience/knowledge/thoughts with soldering crimped terminals. I am thinking to use non-insulated terminals, coat wire in flux, insert into terminal and twist it a bit to flux inside of terminal, crimp, then flow in some electrical solder, the cover the end in heat shrink tubing. I realize by heating the crimp strength is somewhat sacrificed, but the solder would probably limit high resistance zones leading to heating at the joint at current. Feedback?

-BD

If you must solder, use electronics flux. Plumbing flux is acid and will eventually corrode the wire underneath the insulation.

 

[nhamilto40]

Yes this stuff is serious business. An improper crimp can easily burn down your control box and/or your home.

If the el cheapo crimper/stripper/screw cutter/ass scratcher that came with the terminal assortment makes a bad connection on your trailer wiring maybe the turn signal doesn't work. If it makes a bad connection in your control box...

On a lighter note here is vid on how to use a ratcheting crimper [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIfoSSmlQR8[/ame] (this crimper makes a type c crimp for avation double crimp terminals).

 

[ajdelange]

I am thinking to use non-insulated terminals, coat wire in flux, insert into terminal and twist it a bit to flux inside of terminal,

The solders used for this kind of soldering incorporate flux in them (the wire is hollow and the solid rosin rides in the center). They are often referred to as 'rosin core' solders. The flux is non acidic. Do not use plumbing flux on electrical work.

 

[atoughram]

We're not working on airplanes here...

A good set of lineman pliers will suffice.

 

[Facinerous]

Thanks to the OP for bringing this up. I have seen the other threads you are talking about. As I recollect, hopefully my memory is good enough, I remember seeing insulated crimps in every one of those 'almost had a fire' threads.

I completely agree having a bad crimp can be a very serious issue. I am not even remotely a fan of insulated terminals. If I get them I will just tear off the plastic insulating and use them as a standard ring terminal, but that is just me.

I also agree with atoughram. A good set of linemans pliers will suffice. When I do it that way I really squeeze the piss out of em, two hands, and enough so that my knuckles pop.

Last. Solder is really the way to go when crimping stranded wire. There is a reason that many of the major utilities and public departments that I have worked with require that. For my own personal use though soldering crimped joints is overkill IMO. Once again though, thats just my opinion. Its kind of a 'best practice is to solder' but I don't kind of thing.

[edit]

I forgot. Please for the love of god don't crimp solid wire and think that is good. If you do then please always solder the darn joint. Just had to get that out there or I may have lost sleep tonight.

 

[nhamilto40]

Correct: We are not in the aerospace field but that in not an excuse for grossly improper crimping.

The crimp must be correct for the connection to carry the rated amperage. **** like crimping with linesman's pliers/vicegrips/two rocks/etc. is not in any way safe or acceptable.

 

[ajdelange]

Dad was an industrial electrical designer who taught me well how to solder as a kid.

Mine was an EE and I well remember the first lesson. He came home one night and though I didn't notice it he was holding something behind his back. I ran out to greet him all decked out in my cowboy outfit, pulled out my cap gun and said "Stick 'em up". He pulled out the thing behind his back which was the classic soldering gun and said "You stick 'em up". I didn't know what that thing was and must have figured it was Bell Labs latest ray gun and almost wet my pants. If that happened today I'm sure child wellfare would be called in and I would spend a year in 'counseling' but it's a treasured memory of my dad. And I still remember eideticaly the soldering lesson which came after dinner.

 

[Hommel]

i found this video to be excellent for general crimping how to: