Anyone knowledgeable on battery cable lug crimping?

[FigureItOut]

I did a search, and read every thread I could find on the topic. The threads mostly degenerated into solder vs. crimp debates, and had lots of posts like "I'm not an expert but I like this cheap eBay model...."

While those are helpful to some, I'm looking for something a bit better. I want to tool up to make cables in 6AWG to 4/0. Current project is a complete rewire of a '67 Impala. I'm using an American Auto Wire kit but it didn't come with the bigger battery cables. I actually took this job specifically to pay for a crimping tool.

Future uses would be for repairs, and also doing some high current accessories like inverters, winches etc. I have a project coming up where the customer wants high current Anderson type connector at the back of his truck, then has several trailers with different equipment he'll plug into it.

Anyway I'm researching the best way to do this and it seems like I need to make sure I get lugs and terminals that have the 2- letter die spec printed on them, and a corresponding crimper, in order to get the best results. But I see plenty of apparently good quality lugs and terminals that don't follow this standard, so I'm getting confused.

Right now I'm leaning towards the FTZ 94285, but I'm also considering getting an AMP Rota-Crimp 600850 if I can find a used one around $500.

So do any of you guys make cables like this with a high degree of quality assurance and have any advice for me?

 

[geartow]

this is the style we use at work. I also own one because I found it at an estate sale for a $1

 

[FigureItOut]

I've looked at a couple V crimpers. I don't know what it is, I just don't like that style. Intuition tells me it can't be as good as a square or hex crimp, but I know that the V crimp is used in very demanding applications.

 

[pi_guy]

It depends on wire size and connector and location of crimp.
I have four or five different types of large lug crimpers, and some times a hammer and a pin punch is the best.

 

[FigureItOut]

It depends on wire size and connector and location of crimp.
I have four or five different types of large lug crimpers, and some times a hammer and a pin punch is the best.

So what crimpers do you have and what applications make you choose one over another?

 

[Lelandwelds]

I used one of these for decades for thousands of welders. Three crimps per machine. DLO has a nicer jacket if you are getting crazy. Welding cable is available in two different strandings. One is slightly more flexible.


I once had a customer fish his welder out of the lake using my crimped cable.


Do you really feel electricity will flow better out of one shape of crimp compared to another?

 

[doctordirt]

I use a hydraulic crimper similar to: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MVFIGPS/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Sorry I do not know how to create hyperlink.

 

[snooter]

Generally they say a 12 ton hydraulic press however i went with a 9 ton for the simple reason the dies on this chicom tool were marked (some chicom knockoffs are not) and i had no application for 4/0 cabels (most auto cabels are far smaller than 4/0)..my dies in fact stop at 3/0 so if you want that large i would recommend the 12 ton press....you can search the fleabay for a 12 ton press.....

I would urge you to buy the highest quality lugs you can find...also have you ever seen connections on a car soldered???....uh no and reason is vibration.with a proper crimp you will never need solder...i dont care if you have weatherpak or packard 56 crimps..you do not need solder..

Yes....a proper and correct crimp style is and was absolutly critical for a low resistance connection...GM spent much time and money on the perfect crimp....VW was no different..in fact i would luv to have a VW factory crimp tool..darn hard to find...VDUB fan boys lust after that tool..bottom line you want the best battery crimp you can have..hydraulic press is a must


Custombatterycables.com....go read

My lug hydraulic press..u do need need a huge cash outlay for a press..chicom will suffice...

 

[ca90ss]

I think you're on the right track with either the FTZ or Rota-Crimp. I use a greenlee K09-2Gl but it's hard to get into tight spaces as it's about 38" wide when fully open but otherwise makes a good crimp. Stay away from the cheap hydraulic crimpers, I haven't seen one that had correctly sized dies.

 

[FigureItOut]

I think you're on the right track with either the FTZ or Rota-Crimp. I use a greenlee K09-2Gl but it's hard to get into tight spaces as it's about 38" wide when fully open but otherwise makes a good crimp. Stay away from the cheap hydraulic crimpers, I haven't seen one that had correctly sized dies.

I'm looking at that Greenlee and I see it's UL listed for several manufacturer's terminals. The tech sheet gives part number ranges for each manufacturer. If I can find one of those that includes all the terminals I'll likely use, that may be the way to go. Though my method will never be subject to audit, or need any traceability/documentation, I feel it's best to follow the process used in those cases as closely as is reasonable.

 

[snooter]

I'm looking at that Greenlee and I see it's UL listed for several manufacturer's terminals. The tech sheet gives part number ranges for each manufacturer. If I can find one of those that includes all the terminals I'll likely use, that may be the way to go. Though my method will never be subject to audit, or need any traceability/documentation, I feel it's best to follow the process used in those cases as closely as is reasonable.

For personal, hobby use you do not need a greenlee...chicom stuff is surprisingly accurate and makes wonderful battery lug crimps...if you are working in a nuclear power reactor yes i would spend the money on the greenlee...for a dam car battery lug it does not make sense...

 

[HenryAZ]

Take one of those cheap hammer crimpers, and turn it into a hydraulic crimper:

 

[mikegt4]

I have a FTZ, it makes excellent crimps. They are expensive but worth it. I got tired of replacing battery cables every few years on my vehicles, tractor and dozers, the cheap Chinese replacement cables that everyone sells just don't last. My FTZ has paid for itself. I am fortunate to live near a very large auto electric parts supplier who stocks every conceivable crimp fitting at reasonable prices. At the time that I purchased my FTZ I found this company had the best price and I am a satisfied customer.
http://www.kljack.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=ET50116&catlist=260

This is an excellent reference
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

 

[redwrench60]

Take one of those cheap hammer crimpers, and turn it into a hydraulic crimper:

That’s exactly what I do with mine like that. Depending on what I am doing I’ll hammer, crush in a vise, arbor press or hydraulic press. A big enough lug gets two or three crimps evenly spaced.

 

[Jason280]

You can do that above, or simply put it in a large vise.

 

[FigureItOut]

For personal, hobby use you do not need a greenlee...chicom stuff is surprisingly accurate and makes wonderful battery lug crimps...if you are working in a nuclear power reactor yes i would spend the money on the greenlee...for a dam car battery lug it does not make sense...

Did you read my post? Not personal hobby use, and I have zero interest in a no name crimper of questionable quality. I'm looking for a tool engineered for reliable, repeatable crimps. The Chinese hydraulic ones you speak of are not accurate, though it's possible the one you happened to get works well for the terminals you buy, I'm not going to be satisfied with guesswork on this.

I can't fathom why some posters encourage others to lower their standards of quality when they're specifically asking how to RAISE quality, have a suitable budget, and sufficient cause to do a job well.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

^^^ I have a set similar that I picked up at a yard sale for C$20.00. Glad I saw this thread as I now have the knowledge to use them properly.

Got this link from previous poster;
https://secure2.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

 

[FigureItOut]

I have a FTZ, it makes excellent crimps. They are expensive but worth it. I got tired of replacing battery cables every few years on my vehicles, tractor and dozers, the cheap Chinese replacement cables that everyone sells just don't last. My FTZ has paid for itself. I am fortunate to live near a very large auto electric parts supplier who stocks every conceivable crimp fitting at reasonable prices. At the time that I purchased my FTZ I found this company had the best price and I am a satisfied customer.
http://www.kljack.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=ET50116&catlist=260

This is an excellent reference
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

Thanks for the links. That marine how - to guy is pretty good, I read everything he writes about crimping and wire termination. Do you have the ratcheting or the non - ratcheting version of the FTZ tool? The writer of the article you link specifically says he doesn't recommend the ratcheting version for marine use. My use isn't marine, but I still wonder why he says that. My understanding was that a controlled cycle crimp is always better.

^^^ I have a set similar that I picked up at a yard sale for C$20.00. Glad I saw this thread as I now have the knowledge to use them properly.

Got this link from previous poster;
https://secure2.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

Just as an FYI, crimpers that are nearly identical visually can give you vastly different results. Not to say the ones you got aren't suitable, just be aware of that and use your best judgement and evaluation as to what level of confidence you place in the job they do.

 

[PNWguy]

I once had a customer fish his welder out of the lake using my crimped cable.

You win the Internet today. Congratulations!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Just as an FYI, crimpers that are nearly identical visually can give you vastly different results. Not to say the ones you got aren't suitable, just be aware of that and use your best judgement and evaluation as to what level of confidence you place in the job they do.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll be looking closely at them. My guess is they are at least 40 years old and made in the US. If I remember I'll take pics tomorrow and post here. I bought them and some other tools from a retiring HD mechanic.

 

[ca90ss]

For personal, hobby use you do not need a greenlee...chicom stuff is surprisingly accurate and makes wonderful battery lug crimps...if you are working in a nuclear power reactor yes i would spend the money on the greenlee...for a dam car battery lug it does not make sense...

I think I paid about $10 more for my German made Greenlee during a Zoro sale than the Chinese FTZ goes for.

 

[ez-duzit]

Been using the same pair of AMP Rotacrimps for decades. There is nothing better.

 

[pilotmotor]

this is what we use to make repair crimps on the railroad. https://www.ebay.com/itm/THOMAS-BET...934605?hash=item2aa5104a0d:g:NnEAAOSwI2VawVus

 

[mikegt4]

Thanks for the links. That marine how - to guy is pretty good, I read everything he writes about crimping and wire termination. Do you have the ratcheting or the non - ratcheting version of the FTZ tool? The writer of the article you link specifically says he doesn't recommend the ratcheting version for marine use. My use isn't marine, but I still wonder why he says that. My understanding was that a controlled cycle crimp is always better.

I have the non ratcheting (like a bolt cutter), the one in this link.
http://www.kljack.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=ET50116&catlist=260

Note that the seller lists it under their own part # but the manufacturers number is also listed: FTZ-94284.

I have made up a bunch of 2/0 cables, which are about 1/2" diameter, and the crimper handled them without any problems.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Here is the crimper I bought used. About 24" handles. Any info would be great. The sticker on the handle is unreadable and there is no marks on the tool. The jaws of the crimper are color coded so I will check in the previous link I posted as I saw some with color coding.

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[FigureItOut]

Here is the crimper I bought used. About 24" handles. Any info would be great. The sticker on the handle is unreadable and there is no marks on the tool. The jaws of the crimper are color coded so I will check in the previous link I posted as I saw some with color coding.

View media item 82168
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There's a company called Quick Cable, give them a call and ask if you can email them some pictures to see if they can identify it as one of theirs. I think it might be. And if it is, they have an updated die set that'll make that work superbly with the current standard.

 

[Specs]

I used one of these for decades for thousands of welders. Three crimps per machine. DLO has a nicer jacket if you are getting crazy. Welding cable is available in two different strandings. One is slightly more flexible.


I once had a customer fish his welder out of the lake using my crimped cable.


Do you really feel electricity will flow better out of one shape of crimp compared to another?

This tool is worth its weight in gold. You dont like propane torches and flux, the solution is crimp tool, you do need to make sure you lay wire down flat so when you crimp, the wires dont bind funny... OFC is VERY important for battery cables, go welding cable, 0/1 or 0/2 wiring to commit to big three...

 

[texasprd]

I have a FTZ, it makes excellent crimps. They are expensive but worth it. I got tired of replacing battery cables every few years on my vehicles, tractor and dozers, the cheap Chinese replacement cables that everyone sells just don't last. My FTZ has paid for itself. I am fortunate to live near a very large auto electric parts supplier who stocks every conceivable crimp fitting at reasonable prices. At the time that I purchased my FTZ I found this company had the best price and I am a satisfied customer.
http://www.kljack.com/default.aspx?page=item+detail&itemcode=ET50116&catlist=260

This is an excellent reference
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/battery_cables

^^^^ This, on both links! I got my FTZ crimper from the same supplier. As mentioned, the pbase site is an excellent reference. I built my new cables for my Dodge Cummins with 1/0 and 2/0 cable using the FTZ crimper - no problems, and have virtually no voltage drop.

 

[Luciferi]

I bought the one from kljack, it is not very good. Can't find any positions it will crimp without deforming the terminals. Always have to rotate and crimp a second time even out the deformity. I use as a last resort when I can't use a hammer crimper. I should of not got cheap and bought a better crimper.

 

[ez-duzit]

...I use as a last resort when I can't use a hammer crimper...

Hammer crimper creates extremely poor, high resistance connections.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I used one of these for decades for thousands of welders. Three crimps per machine. DLO has a nicer jacket if you are getting crazy. Welding cable is available in two different strandings. One is slightly more flexible.

When I worked for an RV shop we made hundreds of battery cables with one of those and a hammer. Never had a problem.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

There's a company called Quick Cable, give them a call and ask if you can email them some pictures to see if they can identify it as one of theirs. I think it might be. And if it is, they have an updated die set that'll make that work superbly with the current standard.

Thanks, will do.

 

[rustbucket5]

we use a hammer crimper at work but i use it in a vise not with a hammer. wayyy more consistent and accurate. we mainly make 6 gauge and 4 gauge and it works great for those sizes. the larger ones im not sure about

 

[Roberts210]

I've crimped a lot of steel wire, and the principle is similar but not exactly the same. I use copper sleeves, and a Nicopress crimper. These are USA made, from the National Telephone Supply, and they ain't cheap. I also use a go/no-go gauge to make sure the sleeve is crimped correctly. Properly done the copper flows around and into the wires under extreme pressure when crimped.

 

[FigureItOut]

Thanks for the suggestions and info fellas. I'm going with the 4255R from Quick Cable. It's a US made tool and within the budget at $250. Other than being US made, a big factor was that I can get any kind of battery terminal, lug, splice etc that I could possibly ever want, and the cable, and Anderson style SB connectors, all made by the same company. There are industry standards of course, but it inspires a lot of confidence when terminal and crimper are made by the same company and engineered to work together.

As a bonus, Quick Cable's main vendor, centurytool.net, has a lot of great stuff and pretty good prices.

 

[Lelandwelds]

You win the Internet today. Congratulations!

Why, thank you, Nancy! I took up this internet thing late in life. I had to Google the phrase.

“You Win the Internet” (or alt., You Win an Internet) is a popular catchphrase used in image boards and discussion forums to express great approval of another post or to convey sarcasm at someone else’s extreme stupidity.

I also had a customer nearly dragged to his death by my crimps when his welder was stolen while he was welding. Another customer used my crimped lead to destroy about $20 k in installed windows. He drove away and left his cable on the scaffold.

Just for your personal amusement.

 

[Lelandwelds]

Hammer crimper creates extremely poor, high resistance connections.

You made a spelling error. I think you meant superior, easily repeatable connections

Thanks for the suggestions and info fellas. I'm going with the 4255R from Quick Cable. It's a US made tool and within the budget at $250. Other than being US made, a big factor was that I can get any kind of battery terminal, lug, splice etc that I could possibly ever want, and the cable, and Anderson style SB connectors, all made by the same company. There are industry standards of course, but it inspires a lot of confidence when terminal and crimper are made by the same company and engineered to work together.

As a bonus, Quick Cable's main vendor, centurytool.net, has a lot of great stuff and pretty good prices.

Anderson connections are something different but for battery cables more expensive does not equal better. Those crimper depend on choosing the correct die and using a combined wire and lug with a thickness that falls within a specified range. It does not deliver a particular pressure against the wire. It operates through a mechanical range and delivers a pressure against the die halves. Great out in the field.

The hammer type delivers pressure directly against the wire and lug. You can not choose the wrong die or lug for a particular wire. You can not over crimp. You take a four lb hammer and use the 20000 lb anvil standard in every garage. Easy. Repeatable. Cheap. Superior.

 

[ez-duzit]

...Superior.

You're only fooling yourself and perhaps a few others who don't know better. Fortunately the OP recognized this.

The hammer crimper is a cheap DIY workaround that produces vastly inferior crimps which cannot be relied upon. Perhaps OK to get you home in an emergency.

 

[JHenke]

Try the Jeep Forum

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f8/making-battery-starter-cables-correctly-691172/

Tons of good information.

 

[ez-duzit]

...Tons of good information.

Except for the soldering part.