Wire terminal Crimper recommendation

[Don 130]

After watching the latest episode of Project Binky (#20) I thought I'd shout myself a decent set of crimpers. I think they use the type in the picture, (Duratool 03008) but what do others recommend?
I don't mind paying for good quality 'lifetime' tools, but I am very much an enthusiastic tinkerer at best.
Don.

[87County]

I use one of this type (Toledo brand) and I have found the resulting crimp much stronger than using the simple plier-style crimper.

In use the crimpers ratchet up and then release when fully closed and the crimp is done.

[Don 130]

I use one of this type (Toledo brand) and I have found the resulting crimp much stronger than using the simple plier-style crimper.

In use the crimpers ratchet up and then release when fully closed and the crimp is done.

This type?

[bee utey]

Ratchet crimpers way are better than the pliers type even if you buy a cheapie. Worth noting though that you still have the exact jaws to suit your chosen terminal, and the quantity of wire you insert into each terminal needs to be roughly correct. Where your wire is too small for your chosen terminal, double it back on itself until it fills the hole.

Some crimpers can be purchased with different jaw sets although I prefer having a separate crimper for each type of terminal I use.

[Toxic_Avenger]

I have plier type and ratchet type.

IMO, whether the ratchet type unit is a toledo or a SCA brand, or something else, quality will be comparable.

Biggest factor in a good crimp is the quality of the terminals you buy (I like Narva), and ensure you get the correct size wire to suit, or else it will pull thru.
I always prefer to solder and heat shrink wherever possible. But I'm weird like that.

[towe0609]

I also have a Toledo kit

https://www.tridon.com.au/products/Toledo/24048/327599/crimping-cutting-and-stripping-pliers/409549/crimping-plier-kits/428154/302018

I'd recommend it ... seems like a quality tool that will outlive me.

[goingbush]

As far as longevity is concerned crimp wins over solder and heat shrink every time. Though I often solder and heat shrink for convenience. On the EV build it was crimp city , I bought a $60.00 eBay Chinese hydraulic crimper, don't know how I ever did without one.

http://goingbush.com/ptev/crimper.jpg

[Geedublya]

As far as longevity is concerned crimp wins over solder and heat shrink every time. Though I often solder and heat shrink for convenience. On the EV build it was crimp city , I bought a $60.00 eBay Chinese hydraulic crimper, don't know how I ever did without one.

http://goingbush.com/ptev/crimper.jpg

I have the same one for doing the the non-insulated lugs and the ratcheting types above for insulated. Plier crimps can work but I don't recommend using them. All in all I have over 10 crimping tools. The Toledo one looks like it covers a good range and would mean less tools in the drawer.
The best tool to use is always the one designed for the type of crimp you are using.

[PhilipA]

I never use insulated terminals.
The non insulated are much harder to find but, non insulated and a bit of heat shrink are far superior to insulated terminals. I also have jaws for other stuff like phone connectors etc.
My crimper AFAIR was bought from Jaycar, and is like the first one but looks better quality.

I also have a BIG one that I use for Battery terminals that is a two handed job like those old type rivet tools. I forget where I bought it.
Regards Philip A

[101RRS]

After watching the latest episode of Project Binky (#20) I thought I'd shout myself a decent set of crimpers. I think they use the type in the picture, (Duratool 03008) but what do others recommend?
I don't mind paying for good quality 'lifetime' tools, but I am very much an enthusiastic tinkerer at best.
Don.

I have the same as in your pic - just red handles - they work fine for car use.

[bee utey]

I never use insulated terminals.
The non insulated are much harder to find but, non insulated and a bit of heat shrink are far superior to insulated terminals.

I disagree with you, insulated terminals are extremely reliable so long as you buy quality. Narva ones are very good. And I've used many thousands of the things over the last 30 years on LPG conversions. The trouble as you say is finding non insulated terminals, and I'll add that most on the market now are complete rubbish. It's been 20 years since I could buy a box of Utilux non insulated terminals and about 10 years since I've been able to buy supplies of decent nickel plated ones through my LPG supplier. The extremely thin plain brass ones that most sellers stock aren't worth touching, a bit of damp air and they fail to carry any meaningful current without melting their holders.

[PhilipA]

The main lot I bought from Ebay from the USA several years ago and they are fantastic..

I bought some smaller ones a couple of years ago from an Oz ebay seller. These are not as good as the USA ones but OK .
I have never had one fail.
The method used with insulated terminals of using a curved crimper is IMHO in no way comparable with the fold and crimp method with non insulated terminals. IE the type shown in the first photo where one side of the anvil is curved to a point to fold the terminal. The way to tell of course is to give the terminal a good tug to test whether it is holding.

Regards Philip A

[goingbush]

RS Components have 1000 non insulated crimp ring terminals to chose from , I suspect a similar amount of spade / bullet connectors

Crimp Ring Terminals - for online sales of Terminals & Splices| RS Components (https://au.rs-online.com/web/c/connectors/terminals-splices/crimp-ring-terminals/'sra=p&applied-dimensions=4294484743)

[bee utey]

The main lot I bought from Ebay from the USA several years ago and they are fantastic..

I bought some smaller ones a couple of years ago from an Oz ebay seller. These are not as good as the USA ones but OK .
I have never had one fail.
The method used with insulated terminals of using a curved crimper is IMHO in no way comparable with the fold and crimp method with non insulated terminals. IE the type shown in the first photo where one side of the anvil is curved to a point to fold the terminal. The way to tell of course is to give the terminal a good tug to test whether it is holding.

Regards Philip A

A standard ratchet crimper on a standard insulated terminal will give you a join that is as strong as you need it to be, no special pointy bit required. The ferrules inside these terminals are like the battery cable terminals, crush them and they deform to have a very permanent grip on the wire. Any time I need to remove one of those things, I have to cut off the crimped bit as it won't let go any other way.

[LRJim]

I think I paid $20 for my ratchet crimper at SCA, first one I've ever bought I've been using the manual ones forever. I can't believe I've been struggling for 2 decades with those useless things. Check for a loose terminal, try and try to recrimp it and in the end use a new one anyway, so much time and too many terminals wasted.
I normally buy the small packs of NARVA terminals, but this time I bought a massive packet of "calibre" ones. I don't like the look of them, colour is a real dull red. I know that sounds stupid but every time I use ones that are a bit different in color to the norm, the sheath always cracks and falls apart. It's happened a few times when I've bought random branded ones they seem to crack and break.
The SCA brand one's in the small packets of 25 I found to be really good quality and never had a problem with them, but these calibre ones I think I may return before I open them.

Get a ratchet crimper, even if you only spend $20 or so for starters it will pay for itself first time you use it.

Cheers Jim

[Lemo]

If you’re after good quality crimp lugs try your local electrical wholesaler they usually will stock the better brand?? Also will have a good quality crimp tool as well.

Hand Crimpers - Products | CABAC (https://www.cabac.com.au/products/tools/hand-crimpers/1610)

[rick130]

I'm crimping most days. I love my old school Utilux crimping pliers.
Had them for twenty five years after going through a few sets of ratchet crimpers and failed crimps.

Unfortunately I can't post photos from tapatalk.

[Don 130]

I called in to Jaycar today and found these. At $40.00 They look robust enough and I doubt I'll wear them out before I'm worn out. Now to stock up on connectors
Thanks to all for the help with the process.
Don.

[ozscott]

I'm a fan of good crimping however for larger terminals and anything on boats I have wired over the years I take the time to heat silver solder using a MAP torch (short of an Oxy the only thing that gets that solder hot enough) in the lug, then do a quick dip of the wire to tin the wire then add some more solder, heat and dip and hold. Then heat shrink with stiff walled impregnated heat shrink and done. I only use tin coated copper multi strad too for the boat. I never have electrical issues after I do the wiring properly. I know I can use the boat year after year and never any probs.

Cheers

[DiscoClax]

I called in to Jaycar today and found these. At $40.00 They look robust enough and I doubt I'll wear them out before I'm worn out....

I have a pair that are dead ringers (First Forever brand), but well worn. Would have to be 25+ years old now and have done a LOT of work. Best crimpers I've ever had for the smaller stuff (say under 10mm2). Above that size the hydraulic ones are the bees knees (like shown in an earlier post). This stuff is so cheap nowadays...

[goingbush]

If you can get around yanks saying soddering this bloke sums it up.


https://youtu.be/5FIBU16MiBY

[ozscott]

Car and boat often different considerations. If you have the time and can do the soldering remotely in a vice it is superior.

Cheers

[rick130]

What's the go with Americans saying "sodder" and "soddering"?

I suppose it's like "erb" for herb?

[Lemo]

I called in to Jaycar today and found these. At $40.00 They look robust enough and I doubt I'll wear them out before I'm worn out. Now to stock up on connectors
Thanks to all for the help with the process.
Don.

Hey Don
Those crimpers are designed for uninsulated lugs and would require you to maybe double crimp an insulated lug, as a true insulated lug crimp tool crimps the wire ferrel section at the same time as the insulated section

Maybe get another pair like these, can never have enough tools[emoji106]
https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/0ff37e547538e4f0f273935c24e51bed.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/e80c57253bf1933b164f213ddf61fc9c.jpg

Lemo

[theelms66]

Those crimpers are all great but try and get them under the dash of a later model whilst you are inverted with your legs out the sunroof. HELP . CRAMP. BUGGER .

[Geedublya]

Car and boat often different considerations. If you have the time and can do the soldering remotely in a vice it is superior.

Cheers

It isn't. Tinned wires and terminals in a marine environment of course. I've discussed why crimping is superior previously especially in an environment with vibration. Look at any vehicle from cars to aircraft and the connections for wiring are mechanical.

[ozscott]

Ok I will go an pull out those 10 year old silver solder joints subject to the marine environment of vibration, heat, cold , condensation, salt and start again with my crimping tool.

Cheers

[ozscott]

I have seen many crimps done well fail with enough time, especially large multi strand to agree that crimping is superior. Crimping offers superior speed and practicality in terms of in vehicle crimping etc. Manufactueres use crimping because its quick and cheap and reliable when they do it with machines. Most people who crimp dont also use heat shrink which doesnt help. Also crimp ends are often quite a bit bigger than the wire meaning any heat shrink you do use doesnt fit as tightly or snugly onto the wire.

Cheers

[Geedublya]

When a crimp is done correctly the pressure welds the terminal to the wire. Believe what you will, I spent time being trained in mechanical connections and soldering for military applications and a mechanical connection done correctly is superior.

[goingbush]

For a start Electricity don't know the difference between Marine , Automotive , Household , Aviation , Underground or even Space exploration.

Secondly Silver Solder is NOT recommended for electrical connections, Silver solder is for metalwork / mechanical soldering . Lead/Tin is for electrical work.

If your style of electrical connections is working for you , that great , keep up the good work. The last LandRover I bought had a mass of aftermarket Electricals done with twist joins & insulation tape . Served the Previous owner well no doubt.

[goingbush]

Whether to Crimp or Solder Electrical Connections on a Boat | Cruising World (https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/crimp-or-solder)

[ozscott]

Whether to Crimp or Solder Electrical Connections on a Boat | Cruising World (https://www.cruisingworld.com/how/crimp-or-solder)I think I have read this before. I do like crimps but particularly with big lugs prefer filling the lugs and immersing as noted above. I haven't recently come to this and have been doing it for decades. Happy to have the critiques though. Cheers

[LRJim]

I knew I wasn't a fool for thinking the color matters!
From that article..
"Insulation for crimp terminals comes in several forms. Low-quality, low-cost connectors typically rely on PVC insulation sleeves that are brittle and often crack when crimped; while all connectors are color-coded red, blue, or yellow to denote their matching wire size, connectors with PVC insulation sleeves use an opaque pigment."

Cheers Jim

[101 Ron]

For 3mm wire I used to crimp or solder depending on my circumstances.
Many years ago I got good crimpers and terminals and never looked back.
It is hard to solder 3mm terminals up side down under a dash board or in a boat bilge without getting burnt by dropping solder.
soldering is not fool proof...….skill is needed and I find the odd dry solder joint or a joint in which the flux is not completely removed causing the soldered joint to fail with time.

As a forklift mechanic for 30 years and working on electric ones for the same length of time, I for most of it soldered the large power cables in these vehicles.
The main reason was one of cost......the bosses I worked for were to lousy to buy good gear and solder joints worked OK if done correctly.
Recently the cost of good crimping tools for battery and large power cables has greatly reduced.
For battery cables , hydraulic crimpers are much better and the cost of a hydraulic crimper with a good set of magnetic dies covering the full range of power cables found in automotive use is under $100 dollars .
soldering battery cables in a boat hull, if petrol powered means a heating flame and a risk of petrol vapour flash over and the same with many work sites and hydrogen venting in vehicle battery compartments.
A soldered battery cable works well if done correctly, but if say a starter motor on a car has been given a hard time by cranking a non starting internal combustion motor until the starter motor gets hot...the wires will get hot too and the solder can melt or partly melt out of the battery cable joints.
This is especially true for electric vehicles...…...like a hired out golf buggie, as the operators will not recharge it until it physically will not go any more because human nature is too lazy to recharge a hired electric vehicle.
As voltage drops, current increasing to do the same work and wiring greatly heats up.
A crimped battery/power cable can get very hot , time and time again and not fail.
Hydraulic crimping is not really crimping, but is fusion welding.
Today I put my money where my mouth is.
The sample in the pictures is a 175 amp Anderson plug cable lug....often used to connect winches and jump start cables to vehicles.
The cable is a good quality fine strand battery cable of the correct size for the Anderson plug lug.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4908/30851817937_5c51c9db20.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCBt)DSCN1767 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCBt) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4881/30851817997_a146dd012f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCv)DSCN1768 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCv) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

[101 Ron]

The picture below shows the crimped joint which I have crimped a bit harder than normal.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4867/30851818007_75c25a41e4.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCF)DSCN1769 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCF) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

This picture below shows the crimped joint cut in half and cleaned up a little bit.
Note total fusion of the copper, the joint is no longer present, the Anderson lug and the strands of the copper cable are as one piece of copper.....the copper has flowed and fused as one.....no difference in the cross section can be seen.
Also note the cross section width overall even with the lug over the out side of the cable is smaller than what the cable was before crimping.
This joint will take extreme high current and over heat without failing.....the limit will be the insulation melting off the cable.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4916/30851818037_e33f2eb6f9.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCDc)DSCN1770 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCDc) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

[101 Ron]

I started out many years ago soldering because that was the way it was done and cost.
today its very different.
The picture below shows some of the crimping tools I have used and there size.
The yellow and orange long arm crimper is very adjustable, and does a good joint, but is bulky and the finish of the crimp is poor from a stand point of looks.
It is also easy to use.
The black long arm crimper is bulky too and much harder to use, but gives a better looking joint.
it is shown with the same No 35 crimping die in place as the hydraulic crimper.
The smaller hydraulic crimper has very easy to change magnetic dies of a very large range.
It cost me $75 dollars is moderately hard to use and will give excellent crimps and if carefully used good looking crimps too.
The hydraulic crimper I have also made my own dies for so I can cold press rivets of old vehicle sheet metal work.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4823/30851817877_eb58fc5983.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCAr)DSCN1772 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCAr) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr
Picture below shows my normal cheapie run of the mill 2 to 5 mm wire crimper with the hydraulic crimper.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4821/30851817907_e9a191a8c2.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCAX)DSCN1766 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCAX) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

I these days have the two smaller hydraulic crimpers, one in the workshop and one in the work van.
I also have one huge hydraulic one purchased recently for $135 dollars which looks it will handle the cable used on domestic street power poles......will never most likely never use it.

[ozscott]

Some nice crimping there mate. Cheers

[goingbush]

Heres a tip, if you have difficulty getting all the strands into a crimp lug put a cable tie around & cut it away as you push it home, especially useful using a plain lug rather than the bell mouth lug shown. Otherwise its easy to end up with a few strands hanging out like the bottom picture.

http://goingbush.com/ptev/crimp3.jpg

http://goingbush.com/ptev/crimp2.jpg


http://goingbush.com/ptev/crimp.jpg

[DiscoClax]

Pfft. I think you are all wrong. THIS is clearly the way to join wires. Note the extra reinforcing structural wire twists for added durability.

146007146008

I overhauled a dual battery system in someone else's vehicle as a favour a while ago. The main feed to the second battery (in the tray) involved three individual pieces of random, miss-matched (small gauge) wire series-joined together and this little beauty hidden under a few wraps of electrical tape in the engine bay... Owner was really resistant to "wasting" a length of 16mm2 double-insulated wire I had on hand and using "new-fangled" crimp connections and glue-lined heat-shrink for end-connections. Wanted to solder it properly, like he did last time... And reuse the old wire. To this day he reckons I "overkilled" it and what was there was fine and not contributing to his fridge-running issues at all..

[ozscott]

For 3mm wire I used to crimp or solder depending on my circumstances.
Many years ago I got good crimpers and terminals and never looked back.
It is hard to solder 3mm terminals up side down under a dash board or in a boat bilge without getting burnt by dropping solder.
soldering is not fool proof...….skill is needed and I find the odd dry solder joint or a joint in which the flux is not completely removed causing the soldered joint to fail with time.

As a forklift mechanic for 30 years and working on electric ones for the same length of time, I for most of it soldered the large power cables in these vehicles.
The main reason was one of cost......the bosses I worked for were to lousy to buy good gear and solder joints worked OK if done correctly.
Recently the cost of good crimping tools for battery and large power cables has greatly reduced.
For battery cables , hydraulic crimpers are much better and the cost of a hydraulic crimper with a good set of magnetic dies covering the full range of power cables found in automotive use is under $100 dollars .
soldering battery cables in a boat hull, if petrol powered means a heating flame and a risk of petrol vapour flash over and the same with many work sites and hydrogen venting in vehicle battery compartments.
A soldered battery cable works well if done correctly, but if say a starter motor on a car has been given a hard time by cranking a non starting internal combustion motor until the starter motor gets hot...the wires will get hot too and the solder can melt or partly melt out of the battery cable joints.
This is especially true for electric vehicles...…...like a hired out golf buggie, as the operators will not recharge it until it physically will not go any more because human nature is too lazy to recharge a hired electric vehicle.
As voltage drops, current increasing to do the same work and wiring greatly heats up.
A crimped battery/power cable can get very hot , time and time again and not fail.
Hydraulic crimping is not really crimping, but is fusion welding.
Today I put my money where my mouth is.
The sample in the pictures is a 175 amp Anderson plug cable lug....often used to connect winches and jump start cables to vehicles.
The cable is a good quality fine strand battery cable of the correct size for the Anderson plug lug.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4908/30851817937_5c51c9db20.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCBt)DSCN1767 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCBt) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4881/30851817997_a146dd012f.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCv)DSCN1768 (https://flic.kr/p/P1gCCv) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on FlickrThis is great stuff Ron. I haven't hydraulically crimped and I think of crimping as most people using small hand crimpers and at best some long manual ones. I think there is a very big difference between saying that crimping is superior than well soldered higher temp solder in a lug and saying that crimping with quality crimps and a powerful hydraulic crimper is superior to dipped solder. I like those hydraulic crimpers. Would save me a fair bit of time. Having said that I have never had a solder joint fail. For future joints I might try hydraulic crimping

Cheers

[Don 130]

Pfft. I think you are all wrong. THIS is clearly the way to join wires. Note the extra reinforcing structural wire twists for added durability.

146007146008

I overhauled a dual battery system in someone else's vehicle as a favour a while ago. The main feed to the second battery (in the tray) involved three individual pieces of random, miss-matched (small gauge) wire series-joined together and this little beauty hidden under a few wraps of electrical tape in the engine bay... Owner was really resistant to "wasting" a length of 16mm2 double-insulated wire I had on hand and using "new-fangled" crimp connections and glue-lined heat-shrink for end-connections. Wanted to solder it properly, like he did last time... And reuse the old wire. To this day he reckons I "overkilled" it and what was there was fine and not contributing to his fridge-running issues at all..

That bloke is certainly a soldering 'Artiste' I think we could all learn a lot from him. What not to do! What a mess.
Don.

[DiscoClax]

For future joints I might try hydraulic crimping

Cheers

Try it... you'll LIKE it. There is something pleasurable and satisfying about a nice hydraulic crimp. So fast and easy and neat... Almost a bit like a well machined ... anything :)