Correct way to crimp a 25mm copper tube terminal with an indent crimp?

[HappyHippyDad]

I am about to connect up my 12V battery to my inverter (at last!) and I need to crimp some copper tube terminals on to the end of the cable. I have purchased an indent crimper for these tube terminals but I notice it is different to my crimping tool for insulated crimps. The stem of tube terminal is much longer than the width of the crimping part of the crimping tool. Does this terminal require crimping twice in different places along the stem? And if so, does it require a slightly deeper crimp at the bottom of the stem (away from the hole)?

Cheers all.

 

[Flanders]

I have not used one of those crimper,s mine have a much fatter crimping point but I would say crimp at end of the lug first were the cable enters and then give it another crimp next to it , You want the indent to go it to the bottom of the crimp as it is in your picture

 

[Simonslimline]

What type of cable are you using?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

What type of cable are you using?

Fine stranded

 

[Simonslimline]

Fine stranded

View attachment 32234

I would use a hex crimper.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I would use a hex crimper.

Yes Simon! But I don't have a hex crimper. :teeth_smile:

 

[Simonslimline]

Yes Simon! But I don't have a hex crimper. :teeth_smile:

Did you specifically purchase the indent crimper for this job?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I have not used one of those crimper,s mine have a much fatter crimping point but I would say crimp at end of the lug first were the cable enters and then give it another crimp next to it , You want the indent to go it to the bottom of the crimp as it is in your picture

That's what I thought first Flanders and then thought it may be best to have a slightly deeper crimp at the bottom so that a slightly thicker piece of the conductor is left above the deeper crimp?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Did you specifically purchase the indent crimper for this job?

Yes, It was all they had, it's just for this job at home and wont be used on other jobs for customers. Any thoughts?

 

[Simonslimline]

Yes, It was all they had, it's just for this job at home and wont be used on other jobs for customers. Any thoughts?

The point i am making HHD is that for fine stranded cable it is better to use a hex crimper.

This is what i was taught at college anyway.

 

[Pete999]

Personally. IMHO I think indent Crimpers are the pits, the majority of my work in later life was installing UPS and Voltage stabalisers etc, using anything from 16mm to 50mm singles.
Most of the stuff we bought and use, specified Hex crimpers, in fact I did hear, can't recall where that indent crimpers were to be outlawed, as being dangerous, not sure if that's still ongoing, but you only have to look at the hex crimp as opposed to the indent crimp to see that the former is far superior.

 

[telectrix]

or solder.....

 

[Andy78]

Agreed. An indent crimper is not suitable for fine stranded cable. I'm pretty sure you should be checking your lugs are suitable for fine stranded too.

 

[telectrix]

i'd return that indent crimper for credit and then buy a hex jobby.

 

[Flanders]

That's what I thought first Flanders and then thought it may be best to have a slightly deeper crimp at the bottom so that a slightly thicker piece of the conductor is left above the deeper crimp?

If you use a deeper crimper setting say the 16mm for the 25mm lug you may cut into the lug I would go for the crimp twice method although saying that the Hex crimpers are better as they squeeze the lug from all directions, Other may disagree but I would give it a good pull after you have crimped it to check you have a good hold on the cable.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Just as a thought then, would these be suitable for (non fine) stranded cable such as tails?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

If you use a deeper crimper setting say the 16mm for the 25mm lug you may cut into the lug I would go for the crimp twice method although saying that the Hex crimpers are better as they squeeze the lug from all directions, Other may disagree but I would give it a good pull after you have crimped it to check you have a good hold on the cable.

Thanks Flanders, I wasn't planning on using the 16mm setting, just not biting down as hard at the top.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

i'd return that indent crimper for credit and then buy a hex jobby.

I'm beginning to think I might do that!

 

[telectrix]

ere goes:

Copper Tube/Terminal Hex Crimpers 6mm² 50mm² STARTER CRIMPING BATTERY LUGS TOOL | eBay

 

[Andy78]

Just as a thought then, would these be suitable for (non fine) stranded cable such as tails?

They'd be more suitable for coarse stranded, but still not the best job by a long chalk.

 

[davesparks]

If it's just for one job then borrow a set from your wholesalers instead of buying. Most of them hire out one of two sets, and if you've got a good relationship with them it's normally a free hire

 

[mattg4321]

I need to invest in a hex crimper for occasional use. Anybody got the one tel linked to?

How about,

CT650H | CT650H | Group B Electrical

or

CRT 50 For Copper Tube Terminals 6.0 - 50.0mm² - - Tooling For Copper Tube Terminals - Copper Tube Terminals & Tooling - Connect - Cablecraft

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If the strands are laid up tight and the cable is a very snug fit in the terminal, a few carefully placed indents may be satisfactory. The problem is that the fine strands tend to flow around the indent and some parts of the cross-section may not make gas-tight metal-metal contact. It will doubtless work OK at first, but subjected to atmospheric attack it probably won't be as corrosion resistant as a uniform cold-weld through a hex-crimp.

I do have an indent crimper that I use for a particular type of terminal that prefers it. It's one of the long-handled adjustable ones that will take a terminal up to 120mm² and it does make a pretty substantial and powerful crimp, but the result on an ordinary tube terminal is not as good as a properly sized hex.

If you have a torch and solder handy, that might be an alternative to waiting for a new tool to arrive. Or a gas stove. Or file two bits of metal into a hex die and crimp it in a vice. As I always say a good sparks can make a sound connection with virtually anything.

 

[uksparks]

I always use PEPL certified crimp ends or tubes etc, and hex crimp with a SWA650H crimper.

 

[mattg4321]

I always use PEPL certified crimp ends or tubes etc, and hex crimp with a SWA650H crimper.

Is that the SWA crimper I linked to above?

 

[telectrix]

load of -------. why not just use your teeth?

 

[PEG]

The indent crimpers,can do a useful job on occasion,being cheap and light,but were designed as a compromise.

Hex,faceted and formed swages,are the preferable means to ensuring a complete,void-free connection,between conductor and terminal.

The indent type of crimper,was a way of achieving the pressure desired,albeit in a small area,using human arm power.

The old "knock-on" lugs,favoured by welders and DC traction engineers,was another way round the same problem,where a raised pip on the front of the lug,was pounded with a hammer,and a similar outcome to the indent crimper,was obtained.

My first portable hand hydraulic crimper,cost over £800,when that was 10% of a new van...you can now buy a shanghai-squeezer,on ebay for 40 squid.

There is a lot more going on,in a satisfactory crimp,than just conduction.

...and remember,the next time you are in a lift,or under a crane,on a suspension bridge,or being winched up a recovery wagon...your life is dangling from a ferrule,squeezed on a wire

 

[7029 dave]

Solder the bugger.