[TUTORIAL] How To Crimp Heavy Gauge Battery Cables

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This video is a great tutorial to teach beginners how to crimp wire onto a lug and make a proper connection. Towards the end of this video we cut open a cross section of the lug we crimped in this video and compare it to a wire that was professionally crimped.

https://youtu.be/8Y7Y75TBsvg

Further considerations:

• Should I Solder My Lugs After Crimping?

In marine applications solder joints are forbidden and in most jurisdictions residential and industrial power circuits, soldered joints and lugs are not code. The reasoning is that if the conductor is overloaded, the solder would begin to flow and the juncture would overheat catastrophically. For parts subject to flexure and vibration, solder can wick into the strands past the crimp and the wire will eventually work harden and break just past the lug. In marine environments the dissimilar metals of the solder lead/tin/zinc to the copper just adds more issues. Best is a quality lug, quality fine strand tined wire, quality crimp, with adhesive lined heat shrink tube. Studies have shown that a proper mechanical crimp using a hydraulic tool can “cold weld” copper to the terminal, creating a superior connection compared to soldering.

• Do I Need Heat Shrink Tubing That Has Glue On Thie Inside?

Shrink tubing that has glue inside will provide a superior seal. We highly recommend this type of seal for marine applications or environments that have high humidity. It ultimately comes down to personal preference and evaluation of the installation environment, as well as how long you desire the connection to last. Terminations that utilize top-quality components will last the longest.