Terminal Crimper, What do you use?

[FMROB]

Sorry if this doesn't exactly fit under this topic, however this is a question about tools for site work.

What do you all use to crimp larger 6 awg, 4 awg, and 2 awg insulated terminals, i.e. ring, butt, fork, etc. Ive searched high and low and haven't found a good solution that doesn't mangle the insulation (nylon or vinyl) around the terminal.

I have plenty of tools and crimpers for non-insulated, just looking for the larger insulated style.

Thanks, Rob

[RFguy]

Maybe this?

http://www.waytekwire.com/item/535/CRIM ... 8AWG-2AWG/

I always solder my crimps afterwards, so it would probably work for me. I tend to use non-insulated and heatshrink on the larger terminals.

[Bill_G]

Maybe this?

http://www.waytekwire.com/item/535/CRIM ... 8AWG-2AWG/

I always solder my crimps afterwards, so it would probably work for me. I tend to use non-insulated and heatshrink on the larger terminals.

The dies look right for insulated crimps. I use the bare terminals with my big Greenlee crimpers, and heat shrink if it's speced out.

[FMROB]

Great find on the waytek site, thank you. I tend to like to use the non insulated and heat shrink as well on most of the jobs. It does add some time to the install, but there are some instances where I like to use the insulated terminals. Always been a hard to find crimpers for that large of terminal.

While I'm on the subject, any good sources for the heavy duty heat shrink with the glue inside for use on site power connections?

Thx, rob

[Bill_G]

ULine is a good online catalog store with tons of adhesive lined heat shrink. But, marine stores are also carry it, and believe it or not, so does Harbor Freight.

[FMROB]

Wow, is the stuff from harbor freight decent?

What's the website for uline?

[Bill_G]

Yeah. The Harbor Freight heat shrink with adhesive actually works. Comes in an assortment kit.

On Uline - doh! - That's our plastic bag maker. I meant Newark. They have all the diameters and quantities you'll ever want.

[RFguy]

While I'm on the subject, any good sources for the heavy duty heat shrink with the glue inside for use on site power connections?

I use the stuff from Waytek as well. They have red and black. I use the 1/2", 3/4" and 1" sizes. Very thick and shrinks well, adhesive inside.

22230 HD Heatshrink, 1/2, Black, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22230/1- ... hrink-3-1/
22231 HD Heatshrink, 1/2, Red, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22231/1- ... hrink-3-1/
22232 HD Heatshrink, 3/4, Black, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22232/3- ... hrink-3-1/
22233 HD Heatshrink, 3/4, Red, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22233/3- ... hrink-3-1/
22234 HD Heatshrink, 1", Black, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22234/1- ... hrink-3-1/
22235 HD Heatshrink, 1" Red, 12" Lengths http://www.waytekwire.com/item/22235/1- ... hrink-3-1/

[FMROB]

Bill,

I was gonna say, I googled it and wasn't having much luck, lol. I will check out waytek a little closer.

Rob

[Bill_G]

Well, if you ever need anything for shipping and warehousing, you know where to go now.

[fineshot1]

We use this Greenlee crimper

http://www.greenlee.com/products/CRIMPE ... t_id=19104

[Bill_G]

I have a Greenlee K111 ratcheting crimper that works great for #4 and #6 up in the rack in tight spaces. $200 depending on the store. Looks like it might do insulated crimps without mangling them too badly.

[Birken Vogt]

I am not a fan of the insulated crimps for anything larger than #12. I only use high quality tools and I have still seen them heat up or start to heat up too much for my taste when loaded near capacity. The longer barrel uninsulated is all I use. Cheap Chinese hex crimpers will crimp the dickens out of them even better than those strong arm things and then heat shrink if necessary for the application, usually there is enough room it is not.

[Bill_G]

I am not a fan of the insulated crimps for anything larger than #12. I only use high quality tools and I have still seen them heat up or start to heat up too much for my taste when loaded near capacity. The longer barrel uninsulated is all I use. Cheap Chinese hex crimpers will crimp the dickens out of them even better than those strong arm things and then heat shrink if necessary for the application, usually there is enough room it is not.

Yep. That's why I bought the ratcheting crimpers at an electrical supply place. I've had the big mama-jamas for a long time, and did all the long barrel uninsulated terminals / heat shrink for everything. Then we started replacing Quantar systems with racked GTR's, and Motorola wanted a strand of 4/4 cable to the top of each rack for A & B power. That's a single cable about the diameter of 7/8ths Heliax with four strands of THHN black insulated #4 plus an uninsulated #6 ground. Heavy stuff. And they wanted it to sweep out of the overhead cable tray in nice smooth curves to the charger distribution breaker panel and the GTR rack top panel. We had to cut back the main cable insulation to the cable tray, trim out the cord and ground, put big heat shrink on the cut, and drop the four strands #4 in perfect arcs at both ends. All four strands and the separate #4 green THHN ground cable had to have matching curves. He got really picky about it, and made us redo several racks in the beginning.

The big crimpers were just too cumbersome. The smaller ratcheting crimpers let us land each strand the exact length we wanted without killing our hands. We've done +30 sites now, and most of them have at least four racks. A couple have a dozen racks. Wanna shake my hand? (big grin)

[Birken Vogt]

Sounds like you could have used the electric ones

[Bill_G]

We have the battery powered compression crimpers required for clamping to the grounding halo, but it's heavy and bulky. Not a super friendly tool. I prefer the ratcheting ones for individual lugs.