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Hi everyone. Just bought one of these heavy duty crimpers from jaycar after they recommended it for what i need. Need to crimp lugs to connect dual battery system using 13mm2 wire (i believe 6 gauge from my unknowledgeable understanding).
Is this the right tool? It appears the crimping bit goes from 10 to 16mm with no inbetween. Any suggestions on something else to get also appreciated. Probably won't be used to much so something cheaper.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/Tools-%26-S...imper/p/TH1849
If you are not going to use it much except for this job, it would be cheaper to measure out your cables and get a local battery supply co or auto electrician to crimp them for you. I mean if you only had say 10 to do, that works out to nearly $5 a crimp based on the crimper in your link. I recon most shops would knock em up for less than that if you supplied everything.
I bought this fancy HD crimper off fleabay to crimp the lugs for some Anderson plugs. Made a complete mess. You'll get a much much better connection just soldering. Invest in a decent soldering iron and learn how to use it.
Those crimpers are for proper electrical cables. Real cable sizes do go from 10 to 16mm with no in between.Quote:
Originally Posted by beexy
What Winnie said x2
Another option is a set of flea bay hydraulic crimpers
Won't they be the same though?
What lugs are you wanting to crimp?Quote:
Originally Posted by beexy
Is that what other folk use? I reckon it sounds pretty light. I would usually use a minimum of 35mm2 for battery connections. 13.5mm2 might *just* suffice if the batteries are sitting next to each other, but even then could become a charging ‘bottleneck’. Telstra also used 35mm2 when they installed the dual battery system my car came with. (Since removed).Quote:
Originally Posted by beexy
The ebay hydraulic crimpers usually come with a variety of dies, the one I have goes from 6mm up to 70mm, & I usually use the one below the size wire I’m crimping. Cost is less than the lever one linked to in the OP. Have had mine for several years now, did all the cables (up to 70mm2) in the Patrol & it’s a reliable piece of gear.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/8-Ton-Hyd...item1a0494b8e5 Prices have come down since I bought mine - same as in the ebay link, but I paid around $70.
Hey Cuppa, probably not a good idea mate. Should always use the correct size die for the lug and cable.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cuppa
Yeah, but one of the things with these cheap hydraulic crimpers is that the die sizes don’t seem to relate that accurately to the numbers stamped into them. I’ve found that using the ‘correctly numbered one for the given wire size that whilst it holds the wire it only just does so. A proper crimp should be sufficient to ‘cold weld’ the lug & copper core together. When I use the next size down I don’t fully compress the crimper (they can be backed off at any point prior to full closure).Quote:
Originally Posted by Winnie
I have one of the Jaycar crimpers. Its not bad but I found that it tends squash two of the opposing sides where the jaws meet.
When I done my dual battery I use a Anderson Plug crimper for the main battery wires. (pic):o
Nah, the dies start at 4mm2 and step up in 2mm increments till the heavy gauges.Quote:
Originally Posted by Winnie
The kits with quality dies can cost but the Chinee Cheapies around $60 are quite adequate for hobby use (I have one same as cuppas link as my loaner kit)
Best option is to measure up cable sizes and get an auto sparky to crimp them.
I live in the sticks so I had to improvise a little... Hydraulic bottle jack under the tie down points, soldered them and then shrink wrapped. Worked a treat for me :)
Attachment 60624
I always crimp and solder the battery lugs in my truck.....
This helps to ensure a good connection over time, escpecially if you dont quite have the correct crimper
I have the same kit as Cuppa and it's awesome. Comes with 6sets or dies all different sizes up to 90mm2
Note that some of the guys are posting pics of the crimpers for Anderson plugs which are completely different and I have them too. They do the job different.
I also used the Ebay hydraulic crimper for my winch install. I added pics of crimper and result in the thread I did here.
Like Cuppa, I had to go one size under for the correct crimp. For the 50mm2 cable I had to go once with the 50mm dies then pass the 35mm over it.
The reason I did this is because I soldered the exposed copper near the end of the lug and found it wicked through the crimp. This is a sign that the crimp is not "gas tight" as it should be. Didn't happen after using the 35mm dies.
I just assumed the chinese dies weren't precise enough.
This is the crimper and the result on 50mm2 cable after passing the 35mm dies.
...
Attachment 60629Attachment 60628
I do a double length crimp with mine rather than a single central crimp like that, I crimp the full length of the lug.
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...015/08/162.jpg
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...015/08/163.jpg
And these shears make everything possible
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...015/08/164.jpg
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk cause AB turned it back on!!
Your dies are thinner. That looks neat. Wouldn't look as neat with the thicker dies I think.
I like those shears.
A grinder works well too for cutting big cables neatly =]
Can never have enough tools imo
Nah mate that failed dismally. I tried using a 4" thin disk through the double insulated to help protect the end and couldn't get the out on. The bell end lugs would be fine but the straight cut ones forget it. Those shears work awesome.Quote:
Originally Posted by Winnie
Most big bolt cutters have a cable shear in them but it's not the sharp guillotine type cut you need to do neat work..Quote:
Originally Posted by Winnie
You wouldn't say that if you worked with some of the tools where I am employed...Quote:
Originally Posted by threedogs
I flare the straight cut lugs with a centre punch..Quote:
Originally Posted by MudRunnerTD
Yeah I mainly play with 70mm so would need a BIG punch :p
Somebody mention 70mm? =)
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum...015/08/170.jpg
I hate you. I have plenty though. :p
Thanks for the replies guys. Might just go the lazy option and take to a auto sparky
Where are you in Melbourne Beexy, as there are a few of us with tools?Quote:
Originally Posted by beexy
these days $60 is not a big outlay. If you had the crimping tool in your shed for a few years you would be surprised how much use you would get out of them. If you needed to use it at 1am on Sunday morning to get you out of the shit it was worth the outlay.