Way back when I was working in car stereo (the 1990s) we used insulated butt connectors to wire up head units, speakers, etc.
The crimp connectors we used had a thick tube of tinned copper inside and required a lot of force to change its shape. When you squeezed your crimp tool (with all the strength you had) the ferrule would bite down on the wire so strongly that the wire would break before you could pull it out of the crimp. The forces were so high that the wire and the crimp became a single piece, and the electrical connection was as if the two parts were welded together.
Recently, I have tried numerous crimp connectors from many different sources and have yet to find a brand that used anything but the thinnest, weakest alloys for the ferrule. They don't squeeze around the wire nearly as tightly, and they spring back after crimping. I can easily pull the wire out of the crimp without any force.
Also, a female quick-disconnect we used would be very hard to slide onto a speaker terminal. You had to brace the terminal mount with your fingers or you'd break it off. This left a strong spring-loaded squeeze on the terminal, and probably also scratched through the oxidation/tinning layers to bite down on clean metal, making a secure contact.
I'm looking for female 10-12 AWG quick disconnect terminals like these again. Anyone know of a good source?
The crimp connectors we used had a thick tube of tinned copper inside and required a lot of force to change its shape. When you squeezed your crimp tool (with all the strength you had) the ferrule would bite down on the wire so strongly that the wire would break before you could pull it out of the crimp. The forces were so high that the wire and the crimp became a single piece, and the electrical connection was as if the two parts were welded together.
Recently, I have tried numerous crimp connectors from many different sources and have yet to find a brand that used anything but the thinnest, weakest alloys for the ferrule. They don't squeeze around the wire nearly as tightly, and they spring back after crimping. I can easily pull the wire out of the crimp without any force.
Also, a female quick-disconnect we used would be very hard to slide onto a speaker terminal. You had to brace the terminal mount with your fingers or you'd break it off. This left a strong spring-loaded squeeze on the terminal, and probably also scratched through the oxidation/tinning layers to bite down on clean metal, making a secure contact.
I'm looking for female 10-12 AWG quick disconnect terminals like these again. Anyone know of a good source?
I cna help you here. We use splices and quick connects in our shop a lot. We make military electronics, robotics, aviation test equipment, and automation panels. We really cannot afford a failure point.
The absolute BEST you can buy are Panduit Stronghold splices. They use a specific Panduit crimper. All of the connectors are silver plates. The crimp interior is ribbed to grab the wire. There is nothing better out there and I've used just about everything.
The absolute BEST you can buy are Panduit Stronghold splices. They use a specific Panduit crimper. All of the connectors are silver plates. The crimp interior is ribbed to grab the wire. There is nothing better out there and I've used just about everything.
Always use the terminals together with the crimper designed for them.
Avoiding just one equipment failure more than pays for the crimper.
Avoiding just one equipment failure more than pays for the crimper.
Hi HerzMeister,
Obviously you did not used the right cable size or right crimping tool, then things may happen as you described.
Obviously you did not used the right cable size or right crimping tool, then things may happen as you described.
Bmsluite, those look identical to the ones we used back then. I think this is exactly what I'm looking for.
U Da Man.
U Da Man.
Yes, there are crappy products out there in every category! I remember using hydraulic crimpers for the larger cables that we dealt with. There was no excuse for error, and a quality inspector who just loved his job, checked every possible thing to find fault. From that experience, I have followed the very idea of making the best connections from one end to the other. I am happy to see that someone else at least has the desire for this as well. I cannot stress enough the importance prepping the wire before crimping. A nick in the wire will cause the breaking of conductors as you mentioned in your post.
Klauke produces such connectors and the tools. Many of the other known brands thought it to be necessary to make stuff lighter, thinner etc.
I have had to do root cause analysis why heavy connectors/connections failed and in most cases either the inserts/tools for competitors products or the inserts for a different wire gauge were used to crimp. Wrong torque is another one. Many relatively simple things can be done completely wrong. Such relatively simple things have become so varied and detailed that they have become a specialism to be carried out by specialists.
I have had to do root cause analysis why heavy connectors/connections failed and in most cases either the inserts/tools for competitors products or the inserts for a different wire gauge were used to crimp. Wrong torque is another one. Many relatively simple things can be done completely wrong. Such relatively simple things have become so varied and detailed that they have become a specialism to be carried out by specialists.
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I think the KLEIN TOOL one is the only one for insulated type closed barrel cable lugs. But it does not do double crimping.
In case you show the lug terminal and the tool used, then wire size printed on the lug terminal and actual wire size - would possibly allow a qualified judgement. Well 10 years ago - might be difficult.
Here in Japan we can buy several of these tools in the home center or specialized shops.
In case you show the lug terminal and the tool used, then wire size printed on the lug terminal and actual wire size - would possibly allow a qualified judgement. Well 10 years ago - might be difficult.
Here in Japan we can buy several of these tools in the home center or specialized shops.
Burndy. I couldn't remember that name last night. Now I realize that this isn't exactly what we are discussing as far as what kind of connector is to be used, but it is the quality of the connector, the right connector, and the proper crimping tool and procedure that make the difference worth the time. I value the people here that know the difference that this all makes. Otherwise, you may be actually creating a problem.
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I love those comments telling you that the wire size isn't right or you use the improper crimping tool. You are totally right. What is sold nowadays is much thinner and lighter than it used to be. If you had a professional life in the 1990 you are old enough to remember how it was. And I think many of those well-intended advice is from youngsters born around that time.
If I recall correctly I ordered my last batch on Amazon and those were old fashioned.. Stay away from anything that remotely mentions China. No guarantee, but if the picture shows a glossy finish, skip it. The real tinned copper is dull. Also check the reviews. Again, no guarantee because even Amazon sends "new" or "improved" items without showing it in the picture or article description. New and improved means "cheaper to manufacture" in 99% of the cases.
It also helps to order multiple different articles at the same time. Assess them all and once you found a good quality batch, order sufficient for the rest of your life. And hope they have not been improved in the mean time.
If I recall correctly I ordered my last batch on Amazon and those were old fashioned.. Stay away from anything that remotely mentions China. No guarantee, but if the picture shows a glossy finish, skip it. The real tinned copper is dull. Also check the reviews. Again, no guarantee because even Amazon sends "new" or "improved" items without showing it in the picture or article description. New and improved means "cheaper to manufacture" in 99% of the cases.
It also helps to order multiple different articles at the same time. Assess them all and once you found a good quality batch, order sufficient for the rest of your life. And hope they have not been improved in the mean time.
Yes, for Tools only Japan, Germany, Czech Republic, maybe USA. Made in Taiwan is critical, sometimes useful....
A guy waited for a command to switch but leaned on a DC high power cable (which in itself is also not good, never touch anything if it is not strictly necessary) in a battery room and to everybody's astonishment the cable came out of its crimped connector. Under load. It had been running trouble free for a few years but after investigation it turned out that all cables were crimped with the wrong inserts. This was a mission critical 24/7 availability situation in a redundant power setup and apart from this no incidents were known. The American company had supervised and checked all work to be OK.
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That's usually a sign that things have gone horribly wrong.
In the PC world this was fixed by the arrival of the IBM PC, and immediately other manufacturers moved to use IBM compatible parts.
Crimping is a nightmare of crimpers, jaws and things we crimp. Everything is incompatible with everything else. It's enough to make a poor man turn to solder.
The only thing that's in a worse state (still) are printer cartridges.
Another highly recommended brand is DMC (Daniels Manufacturing Corporation) - they make very high quality crimpers for all sizes of wire, contacts, terminals and whatnot. We use them at work for all MIL-spec connections.
https://dmctools.com/products/crimp-tools
Hal
https://dmctools.com/products/crimp-tools
Hal