Battery Cable Crimp Question
The ring connectors that connect to my battery are the type where you can see the cable strands on the ring side of the connector. If I wiggle the cable, the strands on the ring side move. My unde...
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Before acquiring a hydraulic crimper, I thought I could get away with using a vice and a carefully positioned die to make a good crimp.
It certainly looked fine. I couldn't pull the wire from it. Therefor it must be fine, right? Good job saving money right?
A year or two later. Hmmmmmm. Why is this voltage lower than expected. Wait a minute, Why is this ring terminal hot? Lookee here the electrical tape is all squishy and messy.
Who the F made this half ass crimp?
Oh it was me, back when I was too cheap to acquire the proper tool.
I had a similar failing with the expansion joint and a cold chisel method, and that SOB was one purdy looking crimp, until it too failed.
About those Automotive parts store premade cables?
Well think again. Those lugs are just crushed steel over copper wire with a hole drilled through both of them. Here are some I cut off after finding that current was avoiding this ground wire. They are sticking to a magnet.
After crimping on some copper lugs to this cable, it shared current equally with its SAE 4awg twin. And 4 gauge SAE is not the same as 4awg gauge either. It is thinner.
Open ended ring terminals with plastic coverings, especially on the battery itself, say all there needs to be said about the workmanship and its intended longevity.
It certainly looked fine. I couldn't pull the wire from it. Therefor it must be fine, right? Good job saving money right?
A year or two later. Hmmmmmm. Why is this voltage lower than expected. Wait a minute, Why is this ring terminal hot? Lookee here the electrical tape is all squishy and messy.
Who the F made this half ass crimp?
Oh it was me, back when I was too cheap to acquire the proper tool.
I had a similar failing with the expansion joint and a cold chisel method, and that SOB was one purdy looking crimp, until it too failed.
About those Automotive parts store premade cables?
Well think again. Those lugs are just crushed steel over copper wire with a hole drilled through both of them. Here are some I cut off after finding that current was avoiding this ground wire. They are sticking to a magnet.
After crimping on some copper lugs to this cable, it shared current equally with its SAE 4awg twin. And 4 gauge SAE is not the same as 4awg gauge either. It is thinner.
Open ended ring terminals with plastic coverings, especially on the battery itself, say all there needs to be said about the workmanship and its intended longevity.
