Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #32
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    It occurs to me that someone with a bit of talent in the mechanical engineering field could adapt one of those hammer crimpers to a small hydraulic jack and be able to put the pressure on more evenly and certainly. You would need a solid 'U' frame to put it all in, capable of taking the pressure of the jack, and you would need to be able to fasten the crimp tool solidly to it (can't have it shifting sideways).

    Alternately you might get better results with the application of a long lever. Believe it or not, hey make log splitters all three ways (hammer, lever, hydraulic) and the application is similar.

    For the average person I'd say having them done by someone with the right equipment is best. How many times will you have to make cables? Is it worth the investment in a crimper? That's what you have to ask yourself.
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  • NorthGuy
    NorthGuy Solar Expert Posts: 1,913 ✭✭
    #33
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    It occurs to me that someone with a bit of talent in the mechanical engineering field could adapt one of those hammer crimpers to a small hydraulic jack and be able to put the pressure on more evenly and certainly.

    Good idea. Hydraulic press would be the best. Once you put the wire into the crimper, it's easy to hold the whole assembly by the wire keeping your hands about a foot away from the crimper.

    I don't have a press, so I used a sledge hammer. It takes 4 or 5 hits to crimp 4/0 wire.
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  • 2manytoyz
    2manytoyz Solar Expert Posts: 373 ✭✭✭
    #34
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    I've used the hydraulic press at work, in conjunction with the anvil crimper.

    press2.jpg

    press.jpg

    Subjectively, I can't tell any difference in the quality of the compression of a 10 ton press vs. multiple hits with a 5 lb mallet. The compression indentations appear to be roughly the same depth into the copper lug.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #35
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    The press won't 'hit' at the wrong angle and bounce off, and the pressure applied is bound to be more consistent than a hammer blow.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #36
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    It occurs to me that someone with a bit of talent in the mechanical engineering field could adapt one of those hammer crimpers to a small hydraulic jack and be able to put the pressure on more evenly and certainly. You would need a solid 'U' frame to put it all in, capable of taking the pressure of the jack, and you would need to be able to fasten the crimp tool solidly to it (can't have it shifting sideways).

    Alternately you might get better results with the application of a long lever. Believe it or not, hey make log splitters all three ways (hammer, lever, hydraulic) and the application is similar.

    For the average person I'd say having them done by someone with the right equipment is best. How many times will you have to make cables? Is it worth the investment in a crimper? That's what you have to ask yourself.

    Do you think there would be a market for it? I am game, have the machine shop, should be a simple matter to build a frame and method to keep the alignment.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #37
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Do you think there would be a market for it? I am game, have the machine shop, should be a simple matter to build a frame and method to keep the alignment.

    Commercially such units are already made. I was just saying someone might be able to adapt one of the hammer blow units with stuff they already have to make a more precise press-type crimper. Some cars even have small hydraulic bottle jacks these days. A bit of frame weld-up and you're good.
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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #38
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    Hard to beat this price:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-wire-crimping-tool-66150.html#
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  • 2manytoyz
    2manytoyz Solar Expert Posts: 373 ✭✭✭
    #39
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire
    Cariboocoot wrote: »
    The press won't 'hit' at the wrong angle and bounce off, and the pressure applied is bound to be more consistent than a hammer blow.

    But the 5 lb hammer isn't applying the pressure onto the lug, the anvil is. The anvil piston travels inside a piece of box channel, and is always perpendicular to the lug, no matter the angle at which it's struck. None of the compressions come out different.

    If the piston on the anvil was used without the body of the anvil, the impacts would certainly be applied at whatever angle it was being manually held.
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  • 2manytoyz
    2manytoyz Solar Expert Posts: 373 ✭✭✭
    #40
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Hard to beat this price:

    http://www.harborfreight.com/hydraulic-wire-crimping-tool-66150.html#

    That's the product the OP was initially referring to. I have one as well. It works fine for smaller crimps. Larger lugs won't fit in the largest dies.

    dscn7181.jpg

    dscn7182.jpg

    dscn7184.jpg

    dscn7186.jpg
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #41
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    Robert, you simply have not spent enough time hitting things with hammers. :D
    I can tell you Amazing Tales of Apprentices who couldn't manage to hit anything other than their thumbs! :p
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,657 admin
    #42
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    And a Journey Man learned the hard way to never get within swinging distance of an Apprentice with a hammer.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • KnowledgeSponge
    KnowledgeSponge Solar Expert Posts: 173 ✭✭✭
    #43
    Re: Crimping Terminal Lugs onto 1/0, gauge copper wire

    Want to Ace Hardware (thx Robert) and bought the tool. $16.99 plus 6% food stamp stipend

    Got the job done and still have both thumbs.

    Tested the setup and was able to pull 1500watts through the inverter and maybe more (surge) without so much as a blink.
    It seemed exactly identical to plugging it into a grid powered outlet.

    I'm not thrilled with the air gaps left however.

    Seems this method creates a triangular crimp that leaves considerable air gap
    at the points of the triangle.

    I may solder fill the crimps today.
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