Battery Cable Crimper

[JWC86]

I do a lot of electrical and own probably a dozen sets of crimpers. However I’m not set up to crimp anything bigger than 10ga.

When ever I need to have a heavy gauge crimp done I just go to the local car audio place and have them do it for me. It’s only a coupes times a year at most.

I figure it’s about time I get the tooling to do this myself but I have no idea where to start and did t find much searching here.

I have 6 crimps to do with 8ga cable right away but I would like something that can do battery cables if(when) needed.

Searching Amazon I see some units with swappable octagon shaped dies. Some hydraulic and some just hand operated.

Looking for a middle ground in price/quality. Don’t use it enough to justify going with the best but don’t want junk either.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

 

[mogandave]

If you have a propane torch you can get the solder on terminals.

The Lenco welding crimps work pretty good,

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...kVR0Fp_UiOl2UanNdiYhIcJ-LCejzK1BoCF0cQAvD_BwE. Good enough for a few times a year

 

[mogandave]

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Spee...kVR0Fp_UiOl2UanNdiYhIcJ-LCejzK1BoCF0cQAvD_BwE. Good enough for a few times a year

Pretty much like the Lenco. The Lenco works a lot better with a press than an hammer.

 

[Ole Slewfoot]

That was first google result, there are many flavors, and a press or vise will be smoother if available for sure.

 

[RichWolfson]

This one looks handy as well at half the price if you have a good vice. https://www.speedwaymotors.com/American-Autowire-500665-Crimping-Tool-Battery-Cable,373883.html

 

[kabinenroller]

For battery cables I use this tool. I do not use a hammer, I use the tool in my press, it works better and I can control the amount of compression easier.

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

 

[qqzj]

Why not get a harbor freight hydraulic one? Those look pretty nice

 

[finn]

I use a hammer crimper. I wanted a hydraulic tool, then reality set in and I returned to my senses and realized that for the amount of crimps I will make in the rest of my life, the $12 (at the time) hammer tool would be perfectly adequate.

I have used it maybe 8 or 10 times in the past ten years.

It works fine.

 

[Walkers]

Don’t waste your time with the HF hydraulic tool. Unless, of course, you like hydraulics that leak after a short time, and dies made out of unhardened(able) alloys.
I have one like the Lemco, works great with a hammer or vise. I buy bags of eyelets off eBay.
Avoid doing battery cable with solder. It ends up being a high resistance connection and will fail. I learned this when I started my welding company, took about a years for 20 of them to fail and need to get cut out in the field.

 

[blazemaster83]

I install battery systems in big boats and use these at least once a week. I like them because you can dial in the setting you want, if your lugs are sligtly smaller or bigger than they should be (two 4/0 lugs from two manufacturers will be slightly different sized). Also, in tight spaces like a boats bilge, I can work my way up to the size I need in a few strokes rather than 1 hard stroke. These do 8 awg up to 4/0 awg.

Sky High Car Audio Crimper

Sky High Car Audio - Elevate Your Ride with Premium Car Audio Solutions. Explore a world of top-quality car audio systems and accessories. Experience crystal-clear sound today!

skyhighcaraudio.com

You can buy the same ones from lots of electrical stores, but they are twice the cost for literally the same thing. Also, yes the harbor freight hydraulic crimper *****. You need to change out dies, and they dont last.

 

[AdAstra]

These big cables are probably the most important, since they are more likely to start fires if they fail.

Pick a good UL listed lug that you can get easily and at a fair price, and then get the official crimp tool.

Unlike the other big guys, FTZ makes top tier lugs and also sells an official tool for ~$130, if that’s in budget. Can also look for used tools.

Greenlee might be only exception to my "manufacturer’s tool only" rec, because Greenlee does the legwork to be UL Classified with almost all the major quality lug makers.

 

[mogandave]

Don’t waste your time with the HF hydraulic tool. Unless, of course, you like hydraulics that leak after a short time, and dies made out of unhardened(able) alloys.
I have one like the Lemco, works great with a hammer or vise. I buy bags of eyelets off eBay.
Avoid doing battery cable with solder. It ends up being a high resistance connection and will fail. I learned this when I started my welding company, took about a years for 20 of them to fail and need to get cut out in the field.

I took over managing a fleet of about twenty-five trucks (mostly R-Models) and about ten pieces of gas and diesel powered equipment back in the ‘80s, about half of which would not start.

Replaced all the suspect clamps with solder-on clamps and 90% of the problems went away. Never had one go bad.

Crimps have become more popular than soldering because it’s faster, easier and low/no skill, not because they’re better.

That said, I’ve only ever crimped/clamped welding cables, primarily because corrosion is not a significant issue the way it is with batteries.

 

[Wrench97]

For auto/small boat these work > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017S9EINA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[TobeyA]

For auto/small boat these work > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017S9EINA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I use these also.

 

[Jack_K]

The problem with the cheap hydraulic crimpers like the harbour freight one is that the dies are basically random sizes which do not suit any terminals correctly.

 

[turner66]

Temco TH0006 crimper

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HJXHX1K/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[pbon]

I am just a DIYer, but have found solder works for battery cables. I try to put a dent in the terminal and then flow a lot of solder. But these cables would not be yanked on — they would be carefully routed by me. I might try compression fittings — much more expensive but easy to use and I don’t do this very often.

 

[dnschmidt]

For battery cables I use this tool. I do not use a hammer, I use the tool in my press, it works better and I can control the amount of compression easier.

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

This is the one I've got as well. If used with a hammer the trick is to give it a really good solid wack once. Put the crimper on a concrete floor and take about a 24oz ball peen hammer and give it a very solid wack. As others have stated a press of vice works better but the hammer method isn't that bad. Just don't do a Happy Gilmore tappy, tap.

 

[wandrur]

For battery cables I use this tool. I do not use a hammer, I use the tool in my press, it works better and I can control the amount of compression easier.

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

This is what I have, and I am impressed with how securely it crimps and how easy it is to use.

 

[jpaw]

On the bench I use an inexpensive hammer die in a vice.
In tight area repairs I have always just put the lug in a pair of channel locks heated and filled it just past half way with solder, made sure it was nice and hot, put the wire in and squeezed. In 30+ years I have never had an issue doing it this way.
If I was building cables even semi regularly I would invest in the proper tooling.

 

[welder4956]

For auto/small boat these work > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017S9EINA/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I use a similar crimper that came with a cable cutter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L23DLDF/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[finn]

I took over managing a fleet of about twenty-five trucks (mostly R-Models) and about ten pieces of gas and diesel powered equipment back in the ‘80s, about half of which would not start.

Replaced all the suspect clamps with solder-on clamps and 90% of the problems went away. Never had one go bad.

Crimps have become more popular than soldering because it’s faster, easier and low/no skill, not because they’re better.

That said, I’ve only ever crimped/clamped welding cables, primarily because corrosion is not a significant issue the way it is with batteries.

I worked in Product Development for a major engine and truck manufacturer. When the discussion inevitably turned to soldered vs crimped connections, the answer from the sparkies was always to go with crimping. it’s a lower resistance connection because the cold weld created in the crimping process smashes through the oxide layer that forms on the outside of the wire strands. Soldering just bridges the wires, creating a higher resistance joint.

Crimping also reduces wire fatigue at the end of a solder joint, and is faster and more controllable in production.

 

[laser3kw]

I am getting ready to do some battery cable work. I am looking at the 16 ton, long handle, blue colored import on Ebay. You can get the whole kit with 13 dies for $50~. The dies will hex crimp from 8 awg up to 4/0awg(?)
This will have the giddy-up to do more than you need. I looked at custom cable builders and the brag about using 10 ton units.
Be careful what cable you use. The "welding cable" type jacket is not good in oil or petroleum environments - no matter what they say.

 

[dchawk81]

I use a similar crimper that came with a cable cutter:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L23DLDF/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I have basically the same thing, just from a different vendor.

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

I have 2 different crimper tools. One is the hammer type and a bolt cutter type tool with rotating dies. Both will do 8ga to 4/0. Got the bolt cutter type from Caterpillar tools years ago

 

[Retired dozer fixer]

By the way. I always crimp and soldier heavy battery cables. Then use heat shrink tube to seal. Makes a good job better

 

[laser3kw]

it’s a lower resistance connection because the cold weld created in the crimping process smashes through the oxide layer that forms on the outside of the wire strands

another reason to have big tonnage - better ability to compress wire and lug into an almost solid form.
PS use "tinned" lugs - they offer another degree of corrosion resistance. After assembly of battery cable and connection terminal, smear on a coat of NoAlOx / Noalox (Ideal industries). Again, another layer of corrosion resistance. And, yes, NoAlOx is approved / recommended for copper use - I checked after hearing about it's use on copper.

 

[laser3kw]

Then use heat shrink tube to seal. Makes a good job better

This ^^^^^ too!

 

[JWC86]

Thanks everyone! Way more response than I expected. I will sort through it all.

And yes after many years of being a “pro solder” I’m now in the camp that believes soldered connections don’t belong anywhere on automotive or motorsports applications unless a couple inches of the wire from the solder joint can be potted.

 

[blue-5]

I bought one from amazon a few weeks ago. It was by gfstop. Hydraulic w dies for $49. I did the job fine. I was crimping 4ga and did about a dozen crimps w no problem

 

[lugnut71]

Been using this for 30 years ,works very well, was expensive back then and still is. I just bought a second one used on ebay few months ago

 

[WisJim]

I've done a bunch of crimping of heavier cables #4 to 4/0 for solar and small wind installations and for electric vehicle conversions, and did research on soldered vs crimped connections. Soldered connections aren't recommended for most non-electronic situations, especially for large cables carrying lots of current. As previously mentioned a proper crimp will cold fuse the connection which will conduct and hold up better than a soldered connection.

 

[lugnut71]

It works amazing, just used it on some 8ga. Lawson demonstrated it years ago by crimping a 1/0 battery cable end and then cutting it in half to show just how well of a connection it makes.

 

[rlitman]

Don’t waste your time with the HF hydraulic tool. Unless, of course, you like hydraulics that leak after a short time, and dies made out of unhardened(able) alloys...

I bought my no-name (same as HF) 10 ton hydraulic crimper for $15 (shipped) on eBay in 2017 (I just pulled up the invoice). I've done about 30 crimps on wires from 6AWG through 2/0, and it hasn't started leaking yet. The dies have a chrome finish that's ugly as sin, but that same chrome would show up even the slightest deformation, and they're clearly unblemished.

As for the incorrect comments about die sizes, charts that match metric to AWG cross sectional areas are easy to find.

...Unlike the other big guys, FTZ makes top tier lugs and also sells an official tool for $100-200, if that’s in budget. Can also look for used tools...

+100 to FTZ Powerlugs! These have a wider contact area so you can double crimp them, have a closed front end so they're weather-tight, have the best plating I've seen, and are beefier than anything else out there. I cannot find anything better (and I've looked quite a bit).

I am getting ready to do some battery cable work. I am looking at the 16 ton, long handle, blue colored import on Ebay. You can get the whole kit with 13 dies for $50~. The dies will hex crimp from 8 awg up to 4/0awg(?)
This will have the giddy-up to do more than you need. I looked at custom cable builders and the brag about using 10 ton units.
Be careful what cable you use. The "welding cable" type jacket is not good in oil or petroleum environments - no matter what they say.

I bought the 16 ton hydraulic crimper for $32 in 2019, because I had the need to have 4/0 capacity on-hand. But the 16 ton is just more unwieldy to use, so I hardly use it. If you're sure you won't need more than 2/0, stick with the 10 ton that has the C jaw instead of the 16 ton that has the cross pin.

Skip the grease or no-alox and use marine grade double wall heat shrink. Any grease will interfere with the adhesive shrink liner's bond to the insulation, so if you do grease don't waste you money on the better heat shrink. And (I'm sure you know this, but just for others reading), NEVER apply ANYTHING to the strands before crimping. The crimp MUST start out DRY.

Also, don't try to finish a hex (or square) crimp in a single crush. Hex dies will pinch off ears on each side, giving you something that looks like lugnut71's post above mine (his aren't that bad, but a hydraulic die can crush that down to foil). The right way to hex (or square) crimp is to close the jaws until the fitting has spread to the point it is about to be (but isn't yet) pinched. Then release and rotate the hex jaws one face and finish. You'll get a perfect hexagon with no crushed ears sticking out. Those ears are a weakness in the crimp, and will cut into your heat shrink. More modern crimping systems use oval crimps to compress in a single step, but they're more sensitive to die sizes.

 

[cannuck]

I use a Greenlee set because there are a few on the shelf at "Day Job" shop most of the time.

 

[1320]

I have one of these and have used it half a dozen times with good success.

I paid $25ish for it a few years ago and would probably skip it if I had to pay the $63 it seems to cost now.

3 Point Crimper - EZRED

No need for pricey long handle crimping tools and replacement jaws. This tool does a 3 point crimp all at one time and it crimps up to 4/0 AWG cables. The B7946 is a new versatile wire crimping tool. Tight work areas are not a problem for this small hand held crimper. Can be held with a...

ezred.com

 

[mogandave]

I worked in Product Development for a major engine and truck manufacturer. When the discussion inevitably turned to soldered vs crimped connections, the answer from the sparkies was always to go with crimping. it’s a lower resistance connection because the cold weld created in the crimping process smashes through the oxide layer that forms on the outside of the wire strands. Soldering just bridges the wires, creating a higher resistance joint.

Crimping also reduces wire fatigue at the end of a solder joint, and is faster and more controllable in production.

That’s hilarious. A good solder joint connects at the molecular level, and is corrosion resistant.

Crimps would be better for aluminum, and in high heat applications.

 

[AdAstra]

That’s hilarious. A good solder joint connects at the molecular level, and is corrosion resistant.

Crimps would be better for aluminum, and in high heat applications.

You're at odds with the overwhelming consensus of engineers across every industry.

Industries with no cost concerns (nuclear, military, aircraft, spacecraft) absolutely crimp all of their connections whenever they can. Solder only when crimping isn't an option for another process-related reason.

 

[ERG80]

Crimp.

Terminals for Terminators

The military demands the best when it comes to electrical terminals.

www.assemblymag.com