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Hydraulic Crimpers
- Thread starter fridayman
- Start date
yep - bought the ones in a red case on flea-bay (think they're now about £40 or so). They work just fine!
Similar to these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4mm-70mm-HYDR ... 910wt_1037
Very happy with them.
Similar to these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4mm-70mm-HYDR ... 910wt_1037
Very happy with them.
60mm2 cable is quite a large cable for use on split charging system. We use 35mm2 on twin Odyssey/IBS Systems.
Winches will quite happily run on 35mm2 cable unless you are comping. Comp boys tend to run on 50 or 70mm2 cable.
With crimping cables it is better to slightly overcrimp rather then under crimp. Under crimp and cable can pull out. Overcrimp too much and you will get excessive flash. Tube terminals can come with varying wall thickness dependent on source. Sometimes we use the size under to crimp but watch out for flash
Heat shrink tubing size also can be a pain. Sometimes it is easier to get 3:1 shrink ratio as well to ensure it goes down well.
Brendan
Winches will quite happily run on 35mm2 cable unless you are comping. Comp boys tend to run on 50 or 70mm2 cable.
With crimping cables it is better to slightly overcrimp rather then under crimp. Under crimp and cable can pull out. Overcrimp too much and you will get excessive flash. Tube terminals can come with varying wall thickness dependent on source. Sometimes we use the size under to crimp but watch out for flash
Heat shrink tubing size also can be a pain. Sometimes it is easier to get 3:1 shrink ratio as well to ensure it goes down well.
Brendan
fridayman
Well-Known Member
I am only using 60mm2 on the new starter motor cable, and possibly to link the 400A vsr to the 2 batteries. Then I will probably run 40mm2 to the distribution point (for inverter/fridge/accessories) in the back to minimise voltage drop.
I might use heat shrink, but I have also bought some self amalgamating tape to see what that is like.
What is flash?
I might use heat shrink, but I have also bought some self amalgamating tape to see what that is like.
What is flash?
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Paul
Well-Known Member
I used 50mm for the battery as it was easy to get and was concerned about voltage drop. Bought the proper terminal covers for the end of the cables as they are very cheap and make a nice job. I did seal the crimped parts with tape also. Thinner stuff for the inverter itself.
It's quite easily torn through compared to heat shrink plastic.fridayman said:
Putting a VERY old hat on 
What is flash?
When you crimp an aluminium ferrule/copper tube terminal in a hexagonal or round die you are changing the physical dimensions of the tube but not its actual volume. As the two halves of the split die comes together a small amount of material may protrude into the two faces of the die meet. This excess amount of material is called flash and in a good die there may be a little space allowed for the flash and a lip to cut it off.
If you have good dies, right size ferrules right size wire then the flash is minimal and it is either cut off by the dies or can easily be deburred
If everything is not right or you overcrimp by using a smaller die etc this flash can be excessive
It can often be seen on the cheaper steel wire winch ropes where the flash on the aluminium ferrule can be extremely noticeable.
Electricians also use what is know as indent crimpers which do not flash but the 'grip' on multistrand wire cable is not as even as using a hexagonal die.
HTH
Brendan
What is flash?
When you crimp an aluminium ferrule/copper tube terminal in a hexagonal or round die you are changing the physical dimensions of the tube but not its actual volume. As the two halves of the split die comes together a small amount of material may protrude into the two faces of the die meet. This excess amount of material is called flash and in a good die there may be a little space allowed for the flash and a lip to cut it off.
If you have good dies, right size ferrules right size wire then the flash is minimal and it is either cut off by the dies or can easily be deburred
If everything is not right or you overcrimp by using a smaller die etc this flash can be excessive
It can often be seen on the cheaper steel wire winch ropes where the flash on the aluminium ferrule can be extremely noticeable.
Electricians also use what is know as indent crimpers which do not flash but the 'grip' on multistrand wire cable is not as even as using a hexagonal die.
HTH
Brendan
Well apart from having the potential to slice your hands to ribbons, if material is not kept within the die then you can not have full design pressure on the joint.
With small amount of flash you can deburr it ok. Large amount of flash then if you remove it then you can have a seriously weaken joint rather then just a weak joint. OK for an electrical joint the strength of the joint may be secondary to good electrical contact. However in case of a winch cable or bridge support then strength is rather more important.
Digressing a bit. One company I worked for made ferrules/dies/etc and I tested assembled joints. It was basically a sacking offence if you made a wire loop without a thimble in as it weaken the loop. I see many steel winch cables which are badly made up. When things go wrong and people are seriously hurt then it will NOT be an accident but criminal incompetence. Yes I have see rescue vehicles with incredibly badly made winch cables on.
Brendan
With small amount of flash you can deburr it ok. Large amount of flash then if you remove it then you can have a seriously weaken joint rather then just a weak joint. OK for an electrical joint the strength of the joint may be secondary to good electrical contact. However in case of a winch cable or bridge support then strength is rather more important.
Digressing a bit. One company I worked for made ferrules/dies/etc and I tested assembled joints. It was basically a sacking offence if you made a wire loop without a thimble in as it weaken the loop. I see many steel winch cables which are badly made up. When things go wrong and people are seriously hurt then it will NOT be an accident but criminal incompetence. Yes I have see rescue vehicles with incredibly badly made winch cables on.
Brendan
A couple of photos.
Top one shows a typical electricians indent crimp tool and type of crimp it makes. Underneath it is a small hydraulic crimper and type of hex crimp it makes
Bottom one shows 'flash' Not extreme flash but probably too much
HTH
Brendan
Top one shows a typical electricians indent crimp tool and type of crimp it makes. Underneath it is a small hydraulic crimper and type of hex crimp it makes
Bottom one shows 'flash' Not extreme flash but probably too much
HTH
Brendan
But that is easily cured by simply rotating the crimp in the pliers and lightly crimping again. It's not a problem. I don't think we need to make this into a major issue here with the small crimps such as we use all of the time on vehicle wiring.
Chris
Chris
Steve Wright
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fridayman said:
Hi All
Can I put my two pennath in, Crimping is ok but if you have to replace the cable or something, you have to replace
the connector every time.
What I do is solder the connection, so if in the future you need to replace, just warm up and unsolder and reuse the connector.
Best type are the ratcheting ones. If you use insulated crimps then the one from vehicle wiring products is good. I also bought one or non-insulated crimps (where you use a separate cover) and that's superb, but can't remember off hand where it came from.
