Cable Crimper

[dmr]

I need a cable crimper, are the cheap ones, about £16 to £30, for sale on eBay and Amazon any good?

This sort of thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204379373740?hash=item2f95f5c0ac:g:yo8AAOSw3e5kmvTb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8JDagMI%2FkylUbMU3LB8k%2B%2Fz4UuCenNn04jXnbGWqlOe%2Fp91n0OWskzsooac08lhQgMrwMJFoH%2BRXLGGM0IzBtOAbATI91SgAYbsOt8AHr%2BYi8mFEy1oSlqYmuHC3aj0gd3UQyCVrZ1cjhi02z3LEguhgnIN8frBTIwLgEoL53lBic5AgG3yZeCEpGe6JbUBWui649kEe8y4GN6T%2FMzO5z4jP%2BWUFEaputypF1IuEI4NoNw%2BnFv%2BypET%2BclqUUuFO98PqMIiA%2FqPY8zysOFCPWLN4mZ1E7tqWqSD35%2FzZ55icZXuGV%2B1MOJYb2Z9qrPlHrA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMnIH8z-9i

 

This if my own occassional use, so needs to be adequate but is not going to be used everyday. Probably 35mm max.

 

I usually solder my big cables but am starting to feel like a threatened minority 🙂, and I need to redo the alternator cable which does run rather hot at times.

[PaulJ]

Ive got one the same.

Leaks a bit if you store it wrong way round  and the dies arent that accurate- I just use the size that works. 

But works fine and done many cables with it. Well worth the pittance it costs.

[jonathanA]

They are ok for the money IMO. I have a non hydralic professional big crimper  which is definitely better. But the ebay ones are fine and i find them handy for the smaller sizes and for in situ work. Some folks report they need to use a size down with the ebay ones.  Might be to do with the quality of the crimps ? 

Edited October 29, 2023 by jonathanA
Sometimes I crimp and then solder, usually if I'm making up big battery cables or butt jointing but dont tell the anti solder brigade....but

[David Mack]

I have one. Works fine. But as said you may need to use a die one size smaller than marked to get a good crimp.

[Slim]

29 minutes ago, PaulJ said:

Ive got one the same.

Leaks a bit if you store it wrong way round  and the dies arent that accurate- I just use the size that works. 

But works fine and done many cables with it. Well worth the pittance it costs.

I've got one as well. No issues regarding leaks but sizes are a matter of trial and error rather than claimed size. I tend to go one size under stated.

32 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

They are ok for the money IMO. I have a non hydralic professional big crimper  which is definitely better. But the ebay ones are fine and i find them handy for the smaller sizes and for in situ work. Some folks report they need to use a size down with the ebay ones.  Might be to do with the quality of the crimps ? 

More to do with Chinese millimetres. 

[GUMPY]

I have one, used it once, leaks fluid and the dies are crap.

I use my very old BICC manual one.

Better off finding an old style  non hydraulic one.

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/166077709084?

 

For occasional use to 16mm there is one that goes to 35mm but cant find it at present.

[blackrose]

Why would crimpers that only go up to 50mm2 need hydraulics? Seems like a gimmick to me especially if they leak. That would seriously annoy me.

 

My crimpers which also go up to 50mm2 are simple mechanical/non-hydraulic and don't require gym membership to operate.

Edited October 29, 2023 by blackrose

[nicknorman]

I got a big mechanical “notch” crimper that has worked fine. A bit heavy to store but then again the shape is conducive to storing under a bed etc. it certainly did 70mm^2 cable and I think would do bigger.

[GUMPY]

4 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

I got a big mechanical “notch” crimper that has worked fine. A bit heavy to store but then again the shape is conducive to storing under a bed etc. it certainly did 70mm^2 cable and I think would do bigger.

That's what my BICC one is goes up to 120mm.

[dmr]

26 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

I got a big mechanical “notch” crimper that has worked fine. A bit heavy to store but then again the shape is conducive to storing under a bed etc. it certainly did 70mm^2 cable and I think would do bigger.

 

We sleep in the back cabin so put the bed away every day, the small size of the hydraulic one is quite tempting. 🙂

This is a whole new aspect to the crimp vs solder debate 🙂

 

Maybe i'll just whack them with a big hammer.

[truckcab79]

I have a pretty identical one bought off Amazon.  Only used it a few times but it did a superb job. Used 35mm dies on 50mm cable.   Very easy to use and very neat and secure crimps.  Only issue I had is if you’re working on your own you need a vice or similar so you can put a bit of pressure on the wire pushing toward the insulation as you crimp, to stop it riding up.  Solved in my case and in the absence of a vice or a helper, by clamping it to a table leg with some heavy-duty spring clamps. 👍

[Onewheeler]

I've got one of the ebay ones. Works well but as others have said you usually need to go down one size in the dies. It's very annoying to make what looks a good crimp which can be pulled apart with a tug.

[Higgs]

If you go down a die size, it usually will leave some flash to be filed down. But even working at Bombardier, with all their calibrated stuff, some flash was common. Anyway, you don't have to bring the smaller die faces to meet, after a sensible amount of compression.

 

I also have one of those cheapo crimpers.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2023 by Higgs

[robtheplod]

13 hours ago, dmr said:

I need a cable crimper, are the cheap ones, about £16 to £30, for sale on eBay and Amazon any good?

This sort of thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204379373740?hash=item2f95f5c0ac:g:yo8AAOSw3e5kmvTb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8JDagMI%2FkylUbMU3LB8k%2B%2Fz4UuCenNn04jXnbGWqlOe%2Fp91n0OWskzsooac08lhQgMrwMJFoH%2BRXLGGM0IzBtOAbATI91SgAYbsOt8AHr%2BYi8mFEy1oSlqYmuHC3aj0gd3UQyCVrZ1cjhi02z3LEguhgnIN8frBTIwLgEoL53lBic5AgG3yZeCEpGe6JbUBWui649kEe8y4GN6T%2FMzO5z4jP%2BWUFEaputypF1IuEI4NoNw%2BnFv%2BypET%2BclqUUuFO98PqMIiA%2FqPY8zysOFCPWLN4mZ1E7tqWqSD35%2FzZ55icZXuGV%2B1MOJYb2Z9qrPlHrA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMnIH8z-9i

 

This if my own occassional use, so needs to be adequate but is not going to be used everyday. Probably 35mm max.

 

I usually solder my big cables but am starting to feel like a threatened minority 🙂, and I need to redo the alternator cable which does run rather hot at times.

Used this for my battery cables, no issues and they work fine.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

10 hours ago, dmr said:

 

We sleep in the back cabin so put the bed away every day, the small size of the hydraulic one is quite tempting. 🙂

This is a whole new aspect to the crimp vs solder debate 🙂

 

Maybe i'll just whack them with a big hammer.

A big hammer you say? I've used one of these, which requires a big hammer to operate. Worked fine on up to 50mm2 cable so far. Even smaller than the hydraulic crimp tools.

[Tony1]

14 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

A big hammer you say? I've used one of these, which requires a big hammer to operate. Worked fine on up to 50mm2 cable so far. Even smaller than the hydraulic crimp tools.

 

That is also my weapon of choice for crimping. 

I will say though, I had to be rather dextrous, because for best results my technique was to hold the cable in the lug using two fingers (with a little bit of pressure so it didn't slip out), and I then used a third finger (from the same hand) to brace the lug against the cable. Holding the two things together seemed to produce good strong crimps. 

I did get a cheap hydraulic type but if I used the correct size die, the crimp would pull apart with minimal force. 

Using a smaller die means there is some flashing left on the lug as said above. With the extra hassle of having to remove the flashing, if I'm doing a job with lots of crimps, I find it quicker and easier to use the hammer crimper. 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

1 minute ago, Tony1 said:

 

That is also my weapon of choice for crimping. 

I will say though, I had to be rather dextrous, because for best results my technique was to hold the cable in the lug using two fingers (with a little bit of pressure so it didn't slip out), and I then used a third finger (from the same hand) to brace the lug against the cable. Holding the two things together seemed to produce good strong crimps. 

I did get a cheap hydraulic type but if I used the correct size die, the crimp would pull apart with minimal force. 

Using a smaller die means there is some flashing left on the lug as said above. With the extra hassle of having to remove the flashing, if I'm doing a job with lots of crimps, I find it quicker and easier to use the hammer crimper. 

 

I use the same technique. Definitely requires a full complement of fingers available to hold everything in place for the first hammer strike.

[dmr]

The terminal that is currently on the cable looks to have been done with a hammer, its almost flat so I cant easily get a rubber boot on, hence I was hoping to do a better a job. The alternator is exposed, right where we walk past the engine, so a rubber boot is required.

[Tony1]

1 minute ago, dmr said:

The terminal that is currently on the cable looks to have been done with a hammer, its almost flat so I cant easily get a rubber boot on, hence I was hoping to do a better a job. The alternator is exposed, right where we walk past the engine, so a rubber boot is required.

 

The hammer crimper thing does squash the lug a bit, but I've found I can still get the rubber sleeves on- the cross sectional area won't alter, and the rubber can conform to its slightly flatter shape. 

Using just a hammer would flatten everything quite a bit! 

 

 

[Higgs]

Over-crimping and shock can fatigue cable. 

 

 

[GUMPY]

14 hours ago, dmr said:

I need a cable crimper, are the cheap ones, about £16 to £30, for sale on eBay and Amazon any good?

This sort of thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204379373740?hash=item2f95f5c0ac:g:yo8AAOSw3e5kmvTb&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8JDagMI%2FkylUbMU3LB8k%2B%2Fz4UuCenNn04jXnbGWqlOe%2Fp91n0OWskzsooac08lhQgMrwMJFoH%2BRXLGGM0IzBtOAbATI91SgAYbsOt8AHr%2BYi8mFEy1oSlqYmuHC3aj0gd3UQyCVrZ1cjhi02z3LEguhgnIN8frBTIwLgEoL53lBic5AgG3yZeCEpGe6JbUBWui649kEe8y4GN6T%2FMzO5z4jP%2BWUFEaputypF1IuEI4NoNw%2BnFv%2BypET%2BclqUUuFO98PqMIiA%2FqPY8zysOFCPWLN4mZ1E7tqWqSD35%2FzZ55icZXuGV%2B1MOJYb2Z9qrPlHrA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMnIH8z-9i

 

This if my own occassional use, so needs to be adequate but is not going to be used everyday. Probably 35mm max.

 

I usually solder my big cables but am starting to feel like a threatened minority 🙂, and I need to redo the alternator cable which does run rather hot at times.

If you want the one in my garage you are welcome to it for the cost of carriage. DM if interested

[Chewbacka]

3 hours ago, Tony1 said:

.........

I did get a cheap hydraulic type but if I used the correct size die, the crimp would pull apart with minimal force. 

Using a smaller die means there is some flashing left on the lug as said above. With the extra hassle of having to remove the flashing, if I'm doing a job with lots of crimps, I find it quicker and easier to use the hammer crimper. 

 

To avoid the flashing problem, stop crimping when the dies are a mm or two apart, open the dies, rotate the crimp in the dies by a flat then complete the crimp.  Works for me.