Crimping woes

gazdkw82 · Jun 25, 2019

Nearly Everytime iv tried crimping I have really struggled and its really starting to frustrate me.

Today I was trying to crimp a ring crimp to a 2.5mm solid conductor for attaching to a piranha earth ring on a SWA gland. Tried 3 times and it just wasnt a good connection. Tried different positions on the crimp and still no good.

Is it something I'm doing? Is it my crimper? Is it the crimps? Really starting to get to me now as in reality it's not exactly a difficult thing to do

Deleted member 26818 · Jun 25, 2019

Most Crimpers seem to only crimp on one side of the jaw.
The other side seems to just shape the plastic insulation on the crimp.
I prefer the type that crimps on both sides of the jaw.

gazdkw82 · Jun 25, 2019

I looked at the jaw and tried it both ways. It looks identical from either side

The Ghost · Jun 25, 2019

crimping is for stranded cables imo

telectrix · Jun 25, 2019

i've had problems with some crimpers. found the knipex ones are the best. narrow jaws, so you can crimp each end separately.
KNIPEX 97 00 215 A Crimp Grip Pliers burnished 215 mm

gazdkw82 · Jun 25, 2019

Yeh are lovely but mega expensive

telectrix · Jun 25, 2019

got mine from elex on a deal. £60. you get what you pay for.

Deleted member 26818 · Jun 25, 2019

Most ratchet crimpers have an adjustment, so you can increase the force they crimp with.

gazdkw82 · Jun 25, 2019

I think I need a new set of crimpers

pirate · Jun 25, 2019

I favour these, but then I have long flowing locks...

Lucien Nunes · Jun 25, 2019

trying to crimp a ring crimp to a 2.5mm solid conductor

Were the crimp terminals designed and approved for solid-core cables? Is the die set in the tool matched to them?

For 'DIY car audio' grade connections, any blue terminal in the middle hole of any die set will do for any 2.5mm cable. But to get a proper termination that you can trust for proper work, you need a terminal made to a known specification, and the correct die set specified by the manufacturer. For example, I use TE's PIDG series, Duraseal, JST and Klauke, all of which have different die sets, and not all of which are suitable for solid-core.

Crimping is deceptively simple, but at the business end it's quite a sophisticated process of forming a cold weld between the wire and the terminal, not just squashing it shut, yet without weakening either part. Invest some time studying the data sheets from major manufacturers such as Tyco, AMP and JST; dismantle different brands and types of terminal, crimp some to a variety of cable types with different dies and then hacksaw through the middle and see what they look like, and the differences and subtleties will all start to be revealed. Then, when you want to put a ring on a 2.5mm cable, you will know which parts to trust and which tool to put them on with.

If that sounds like a lot of effort, don't forget that making connections is one of the main skills of being an electrician and worth a year of concentrated study and practice in its own right.

Bobster · Jun 26, 2019

Solid core cables from my experience and looking through data sheets, require uninsulated crimp connectors, and an indent type crimping tool.

The coloured, common crimps are only really suitable for stranded conductors.

davesparks · Jun 26, 2019

telectrix said:
i've had problems with some crimpers. found the knipex ones are the best. narrow jaws, so you can crimp each end separately.
KNIPEX 97 00 215 A Crimp Grip Pliers burnished 215 mm
View attachment 50214

I've got a set of these too, I've found them a lot easier to use. The arthritis in my hands make the normal type painful to use for some reason.

telectrix · Jun 26, 2019

on mine i cut off the useless sliding selector. found it was sometimes damaging the crimps. but they are a delight to use. think it's because you get more squash for the effort put in squeezing. if that makes sense.

davesparks · Jun 26, 2019

telectrix said:
on mine i cut off the useless sliding selector. found it was sometimes damaging the crimps. but they are a delight to use. think it's because you get more squash for the effort put in squeezing. if that makes sense.

I find the sliding selector useful, it helps line up ring crimps in exactly the right place. But then I almost exclusively use it for ring crimps and almost never use butt connectors.

richy3333 · Jun 26, 2019

Another vote for the Knipex crimpers. I have several sets for different applications. I've found in the past that the cheap ones just dont cut the mustard. Good quality tools are an investment.

telectrix · Jun 26, 2019

richy3333 said:
Another vote for the Knipex crimpers. I have several sets for different applications. I've found in the past that the cheap ones just dont cut the mustard. Good quality tools are an investment.

that's why i have a £20 hammer for the high-tech. bits.and a £5.99 b&q one for wrecking floorboards.

Marvo · Jun 27, 2019

Getting good results when crimping solid conductors can be problematic.

Get a decent crimper that has adjustments built into it for calibration...and yes, they're expensive but the cheap crimpers are generally hit and miss.
Try to use crimps by the same manufacturer that made the crimper.
Read the data sheet to make sure the crimp you're using is rated for solid core wires.
Uninsulated crimps have always given me a better result with solid core, we just insulate accordingly afterwards with some heat shrink if necessary. I'm guessing this is because the plastic insulation can become a variable within the crimping process because of softening in warmer ambient temperatures etc

James · Jun 27, 2019

Are you using yellow crimps on 2.5mm cable? If so, you need to change them to blue. You will never get a good crimp connection with yellow to 2.5

telectrix · Jun 27, 2019

James the Spark1976 said:
Are you using yellow crimps on 2.5mm cable? If so, you need to change them to blue. You will never get a good crimp connection with yellow to 2.5

you will if you overlap the conductors.

gazdkw82 · Jun 27, 2019

James the Spark1976 said:
Are you using yellow crimps on 2.5mm cable? If so, you need to change them to blue. You will never get a good crimp connection with yellow to 2.5

Was actually using a red crimp

telectrix · Jun 27, 2019

gazdkw82 said:
Was actually using a red crimp

round peg in a square hole.

gazdkw82 · Jun 27, 2019

telectrix said:
round peg in a square hole.

Don't follow

telectrix · Jun 27, 2019

2.5 cable in a 1,5 crimp. follow. use the right six=z crimp, hit with a hammer, job done. applxapies i am pi$$$$$ed

davesparks · Jun 27, 2019

gazdkw82 said:
Was actually using a red crimp

Red is for conductors up to 1.0, blue is for 1.5 and 2.5, yellow for 4 and 6.

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The Ghost

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Bobster

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davesparks

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