Crimp Connections

[Eneto-55]

Sometimes pick up magazines in the trash at the PO.  Recently picked up the May/June issue of Wiring Harness News, then found the previous article on their website.

 

Here are a couple of articles that pertain to doing a quality crimp.

 

ERROR DETECTION IN CRIMP CONNECTIONS

[SOURCE: https://wiringharnessnews.com/error-detection-in-crimp-connections/]

(2023, March/April issue)

 

MICROGRAPH THE INNER VALUES OF A CRIMP

[SOURCE: https://wiringharnessnews.com/micrograph-the-inner-values-of-a-crimp/]

(2023, May/June issue)

 

[I have learned to not depend on on-line resources still being there later, when you want to see them again, so I copied these two articles into MS Word documents.  If this is worthy of being in the downloads, I could provide my copies.  A PDF issued by the magazine would have been better, but I didn't see where they provide that.]
 

Now to find a quality crimper that will render this kind of connection.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Eneto-55
additional comment

[greg g]

Was watching a post on you tube where a guy was using something called solder sticks.  You use them like crimp connectors but they have low temp solder inside and heat wrap on the outside.  You heat it with a heat gun till the solder flows around the wire.  They even sell a heat shield deflector that keeps you from frying neighbor wires. When done you have a soldered waterproof connection.

 

https://solderstick.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8M_-8aq7_wIVR0VyCh2I0AYhEAAYAiAAEgKcOPD_BwE

 

 

Edited June 11, 2023 by greg g

[Sniper]

The link is bad.  But if you go to the site and search by the article name, it comes up, with the same address as your link, lol.

 

They make racheting crimpers that will allow you to make a good enough for most DIYer's crimp.  Not cheap though,

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092MRZ5JK/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_0?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&th=1

 

That assumes you're not using Packard, Weatherpak, etc terminals in which case more tools needed.

 

Might make sense for a tool hoarder like me or a shop.  Average guys though?  Your call

 

Crimp, solder and heat shrink usually covers most sins,

[Eneto-55]

16 hours ago, Sniper said:

The link is bad.  But if you go to the site and search by the article name, it comes up, with the same address as your link, lol.

 

They make racheting crimpers that will allow you to make a good enough for most DIYer's crimp.  Not cheap though,

 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092MRZ5JK/ref=syn_sd_onsite_desktop_0?ie=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&th=1

 

That assumes you're not using Packard, Weatherpak, etc terminals in which case more tools needed.

 

Might make sense for a tool hoarder like me or a shop.  Average guys though?  Your call

 

Crimp, solder and heat shrink usually covers most sins,

Sorry about the bad link.  I must not have tested it.  (Didn't work for me, either, not now anyway.)

 

I just may go for that crimper.  I already have muscle strain issues in my wrists and hands, and a ratcheting crimper is going to be a necessity for me to make reliable connections.

 

[If you want to hear a high price for a crimper, the one I use for building computer header cables (Berg HT-0095) is over ten times that ($1,599.99 at Digikey), and used ones (on EPay) for as much as the one in your link, on up to 250.  (The ones I have I purchased 12 to 15 years ago, so didn't pay that much.  At one point I looked into repairing the first one I bought, and that was going to cost as much as I paid for another used one, which I'm still using now.)]

 

So thanks for the link.  Is this one you have, or something very similar?  

Edited June 11, 2023 by Eneto-55

[Sniper]

I do not have that particular crimper, but I think I'll be getting it.  I do have a crimper for other connectors that one doesn't cover though,

 

I love (opposite day today) watching those garage shows where the "electrical expert" is using a pair of needle nose vice grips to do crimps.

 

 

 

 

[Eneto-55]

Is there a crimper that can do all of the terminal types on a P15?  (I suppose that the main need would be for one that does a professional job on the barrel terminals.)

 

Is this the same tool?

Wirefy Crimping Tool Set 11 PCS with Interchangeable Dies and Wire Stripping

Edited June 11, 2023 by Eneto-55

[Los_Control]

18 minutes ago, Eneto-55 said:

Is there a crimper that can do all of the terminal types on a P15?  (I suppose that the main need would be for one that does a professional job on the barrel terminals.)

 

Is this the same tool?

Wirefy Crimping Tool Set 11 PCS with Interchangeable Dies and Wire Stripping

 

I must be a real hack .... I love my tools, but $150 for wire crimps I would seldom use is a tough pill to swallow ..... For my tight arse  

 

As a remodel carpenter I always carried a pair of crimps in my tool belt. I felt that they were a good quality working man's tool .... plus the electricians also used Klein tools.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=klein+wire+crimper&i=tools&crid=35HSRZIK7BEJG&sprefix=klein+wire+%2Ctools%2C118&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_3_11

If you scroll down the page you will see the wirefy crimps for $33 ..... but does not include all the extra accessories.

I assume you can probably buy them separate, just purchase the ones you will use?

 

About specific crimps for barrel connections, I think is a valid question. .... I think it depends on the ends you purchase.

Looking at my original barrel ends, they are different. It would take a weird crimp tool to duplicate it.

Looking at the few replacement barrel connectors I have on hand, they have the standard style crimp end as any other end available .....

My 15 year old pair of Kliens will crimp them fine .....

 

[TodFitch]

On 5/27/2023 at 8:07 AM, greg g said:

Was watching a post on you tube where a guy was using something called solder sticks.  You use them like crimp connectors but they have low temp solder inside and heat wrap on the outside.  You heat it with a heat gun till the solder flows around the wire.  They even sell a heat shield deflector that keeps you from frying neighbor wires. When done you have a soldered waterproof connection.

 

https://solderstick.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8M_-8aq7_wIVR0VyCh2I0AYhEAAYAiAAEgKcOPD_BwE

Back in the 1970s the manufacturer I worked at used "solder sleeves" when making some wiring harnesses. The "Solder Stick" that you linked to looks like the same type of thing but you can find a lot of other ones by searching for "solder sleeve" and you can get them at places like McMaster-Carr https://www.mcmaster.com/products/solder-sleeves/

[Eneto-55]

So maybe the first step is to find a supplier for the terminals, much preferred w/o the plastic sleeve (which would just need to be cut off anyway), then decide which dies are needed. 

I've also been looking at some multiple connector terminal housings, like the Metri-pack 630.  Get a fair bit extra into the harness, but it should make it less likely to plug something in the wrong place, and these are also water resistant.  A three pin set is listed for $7.65 at cycleterminal DOT com.  I don't know how that compares to the original style connectors, if they are even available.  (Some of mine are broken, and I'm not THAT insistent on the "original look".)

 

About Klein Tools - after having a couple of cheap wire cutters, I finally got a pair of Kleins, and I have been very happy with them.

Edited June 12, 2023 by Eneto-55
additional comments

[kencombs]

16 hours ago, Los_Control said:

 

I must be a real hack .... I love my tools, but $150 for wire crimps I would seldom use is a tough pill to swallow ..... For my tight arse  

 

As a remodel carpenter I always carried a pair of crimps in my tool belt. I felt that they were a good quality working man's tool .... plus the electricians also used Klein tools.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=klein+wire+crimper&i=tools&crid=35HSRZIK7BEJG&sprefix=klein+wire+%2Ctools%2C118&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_3_11

If you scroll down the page you will see the wirefy crimps for $33 ..... but does not include all the extra accessories.

I assume you can probably buy them separate, just purchase the ones you will use?

 

About specific crimps for barrel connections, I think is a valid question. .... I think it depends on the ends you purchase.

Looking at my original barrel ends, they are different. It would take a weird crimp tool to duplicate it.

Looking at the few replacement barrel connectors I have on hand, they have the standard style crimp end as any other end available .....

My 15 year old pair of Kliens will crimp them fine .....

 

The tool I use for most crimps is an ancient T&B that looks like the Klein 1006 on the page you linked.  I have a couple of them, one in my big box with other electrical stuff and one on my roll around work table.  Works for me.   One just has to remember which jaw gets the open side of the terminal, if using folded barrel terminals.

[ggdad1951]

I bought a ratcheting crimper with the interchangeble jaws....how did I ever survie with out this?  Works right all the time, takes all that guess work out of it.  And if you buy the crimps from them as well they come with a heat shrink aspect to really lock/seal things up.  Toally worth it.