Crimping Tool For Battery Cables

[trackwelder]

Yesterday I had to repair a six gauge battery cable on the riding mower and did a terrible job trying to solder it. I have never been any good at soldering ends on cables and always make a mess. I'm am looking for crimpers for 6 gauge and larger wires. I would like a pair that can crimp cables in place and for bench work as well.

I want to buy something to last so quality is a must. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Kielbasavw]

Trick.... Flux the cable and inside connector. Cut pieces of solder drop into connector. Hold with pliers, heat connector till solder melts, then stick cable in. Works everytime.

 

[pete379]

Trick.... Flux the cable and inside connector. Cut pieces of solder drop into connector. Hold with pliers, heat connector till solder melts, then stick cable in. Works everytime.

x2 did this many times -- first time making battery cables for a class 8 truck !

 

[organ]

What kind of terminals? Ring? Those are easy to solder! If you want to use a crimper under the hood you're probably gonna want a hydraulic one... and those ain't cheap.

 

[Brownsfan]

I have this one. It's not the best but it works. I got it with a 25% off coupon. I've had it for a couple years now. There are much better ones out there but they are expensive. http://m.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=Hydraulic+crimpers

 

[GTA Matt]

I bought these a few years ago. Did some shopping around and I think I managed to find them for around $28 shipped. I had my doubts but they actually work great, especially on smaller 4-8 gauge wire. For bigger wires, I prefer the method described above.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHY7SOA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Brownsfan]

I bought these a few years ago. Did some shopping around and I think I managed to find them for around $28 shipped. I had my doubts but they actually work great, especially on smaller 4-8 gauge wire. For bigger wires, I prefer the method described above.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHY7SOA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Wow that looks just like the HF one. Just a different color case.

 

[Alchymist]

I have this one. It's not the best but it works. I got it with a 25% off coupon. I've had it for a couple years now. There are much better ones out there but they are expensive. http://m.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=Hydraulic+crimpers

Looks identical to the one I got off Amazon for $39.00, except mine had a yellow case & chrome plated dies.

 

[Sine Swept]

I got the same one. It works best if you use the same wire / lugs consistently so you get the best fit on your connections. I use the closed ended lugs covered with some heat shrink.

 

[Ign]

The OP wants quality, but here's the CHEAP hydraulic crimper mega-thread
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278262

 

[kunkernator]

We use a style similar to this on a daily basis at work.

http://www.amazon.com/Forney-57637-Lug-Crimping-Tool/dp/B003X51S00/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439664282&sr=8-3&keywords=battery+crimper

Works excellent! You just hammer on it, and it crimps. Any size battery cable, automatically adjusts, and no dies that need changing out.

 

[Sine Swept]

Then in GJ fashion I also picked up a pair of these:

http://www.princessauto.com/en/detail/15-in-ratcheting-terminal-crimping-tool/A-p8592099e

 

[trackwelder]

We use a style similar to this on a daily basis at work.

http://www.amazon.com/Forney-57637-Lug-Crimping-Tool/dp/B003X51S00/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1439664282&sr=8-3&keywords=battery+crimper

Works excellent! You just hammer on it, and it crimps. Any size battery cable, automatically adjusts, and no dies that need changing out.

I just ordered one. Still looking for a crimper that can be used on the job in a engine compartment . Back to searching, thanks.

 

[kunkernator]

I just ordered one. Still looking for a crimper that can be used on the job in a engine compartment . Back to searching, thanks.

Glad I could help somewhat. As for tight quarter, I would listen to the other guys, I dont have much advice on those.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Trick.... Flux the cable and inside connector. Cut pieces of solder drop into connector. Hold with pliers, heat connector till solder melts, then stick cable in. Works everytime.

This really is the easiest way. I use a pair of locking pliers to hold the lug. Fill lug with solder, Flux the cable, use a torch to heat the lug until the solder melts, hold the cable in the lug until the solder hardens. It will wick solder up into the cable, so I don't typically tin the cable. I do Anderson connector lugs the same way.

 

[ez-duzit]

Never solder. Proper crimping, alone, is the preferred method for reliability.

The hydraulic crimper shown previously will do the best job for the money. An Amp crimper like mine now costs ~$700. The hammer-one is the least reliable.

Here is a good how-to.
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables&page=2

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Never solder. Proper crimping, alone, is the preferred method for reliability.

The hydraulic crimper shown previously will do the best job for the money. An Amp crimper like mine now costs ~$700. The hammer-one is the least reliable.

Here is a good how-to.
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables&page=2

I generally agree, but for a lawnmower or other non-critical application soldering is perfectly acceptable.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Never solder. Proper crimping, alone, is the preferred method for reliability.

Really? I was always taught that Crimping was the cheap/half *** way out (only surpassed by the "bolt on type), and Solder or Compression Type was the Correct, preferred way to do a quality terminal.

I was gonna reply...the correct tool here it to order an assortment of Solder Slugs...correctly sized slugs with the proper amount of solder for a given wire size.

Not saying your wrong ez-duzit...this just went against everything I ever heard... now I need to educate myself on this further when time allows...

 

[ca90ss]

Crimp and then heatshrink, never solder them. I bought these last 30% off sale, with tax and shipping they were about $200.
http://www.zoro.com/greenlee-crimper-wdie-8-40-awg-25-12-in-l-k09-2gl/i/G2084205/?q=G2084205
I'd stay away from most of the cheap hydraulic crimpers, most of them come with metric dies that aren't always a good fit for standard sized lugs.

 

[Alchymist]

Here's the one I bought from Amazon - worked fine on some #6 and some # 8 just the other day. These were insulated terminals.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHY7SOA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[ez-duzit]

Really?...

Really!

Even where soldering is allowed it must be crimped, so that solder isn't the only thing holding it together.

 

[mg283680]

Electrical connections should never use flux. Fact.
Also, even if soldering a joint should be crimped. You need a mechanical bond since solder has no strength.

 

[bob15]

Crimp the cable first....then solder, with no flux. You should be using Rosin Core solder.

This works well for heating larger terminals:

This small Smith brand silversmith set works even better for heating:

 

[Alchymist]

Here's the one I bought from Amazon - worked fine on some #6 and some # 8 just the other day.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KHY7SOA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Alchymist]

OK, who duplicated it? Fess up!

 

[firworks]

Electrical connections should never use flux. Fact.
Also, even if soldering a joint should be crimped. You need a mechanical bond since solder has no strength.

You definitely need flux. It's just important not to leave it all over everything and clean it up properly. Without flux you would likely not even be able to get the wire to bond to the connector or the solder. That's why most solder has a flux core such as Rosin. However, if you leave flux residue on the wire or connector it can cause corrosion which is why if you use flux paste / liquid flux rather than a flux cored solder, it should be cleaned afterwards. For a lawn mower that sits in non controlled environments all year it probably doesn't matter. There are much bigger issues that will cause failure long before the flux, but for more delicate / important jobs it can make a difference.

 

[mikegt4]

This guy's web page has a lot of good info for crimping battery cables, at least if you are looking to do a quality job using quality tools.

http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables