Ratcheting Crimpers and Connectors

[wilf]

Hey everyone, my name is Will. I've been a member for a while and a lurker for even longer but this is my first post. Hope you can help me out.

Crimpers:
A friend of mine damaged the connectors for the aftermarket oxygen sensor on his car. He bought a replacement connector that looks like this:

I'm looking for a ratcheting crimper I can use for this and a variety of other connectors. The crimper will be used almost exclusively for automotive wiring and absolutely must be reliable. A compatibility range of 8-24 AWG would be ideal, but 12-22 is acceptable. I'm looking to spend $80 at most, but if that's unrealistic please let me know.

Connectors:
I am also looking for a source for small/compact non-insulated connectors for connecting 2 or 3 wires. Regular **** splice connectors are okay, but if there is anything more compact out there that would be preferable. I have in mind parallel splice connectors like this

but I'm not sure how they compare in terms of size, reliability, easy of use, etc.

Quick Disconnects:
Lastly, I'm looking for a product that falls somewhere in between quick disconnect terminals and weather pack connectors

in terms of price and quality. The former is often difficult to connect/disconnect, but the latter is costly.

Sorry for all the requests! Any piece of advice, however small, is greatly appreciated. The crimper is really the most important and urgent of the three right now.

 

[zmotorsports]

These are the ones that I have for the open barrel sensor connectors. They don't ratchet but for these connectors you really don't need the extra leverage as they crimp quite easily.

http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MC93150/OPEN-BARREL-CRIMPING-TOOL/?source=igodigital

Mike.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

Here ya go, right in your price range too.

I use the same thing, but only have a single die set for it. The real deal ratcheting crimpers can be very pricey. This cheapy one has never given me troubles, and is great.

As for the terminals, I'll have to look up what I use. You can get them in 1-15 or so pin counts, many different gauge pins, and you can buy silicone seals for them for wet conditions. You can get the housings as free hanging or panel mount too. Prices are very reasonable as well. I get them through Digikey, but every time I have to order them I have to look them up again since I can never remember what they're called.

 

[Alchymist]

For reliability you need the crimper designed for that particular terminal. Crimpers for that style vary between manufacturers, and you really should have the correct ones.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

OK, these are the connectors I use. I've been using them for at least a decade it seems, no issues.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Connectors:
I am also looking for a source for small/compact non-insulated connectors for connecting 2 or 3 wires. Regular **** splice connectors are okay, but if there is anything more compact out there that would be preferable. I have in mind parallel splice connectors like this

but I'm not sure how they compare in terms of size, reliability, easy of use, etc.

I use AMP (Tyco Electronics) Uninsulated Solidstrand **** Splices but they also make a Parallel Splice which is what you have in your picture. They are available from large electric supply houses (Digikey, Newark, Mouser, Allied)

Quick Disconnects:
Lastly, I'm looking for a product that falls somewhere in between quick disconnect terminals and weather pack connectors

.

That is called a "Faston" because it can be installed quickly on a tab previously on a motor/solenoid. While they do sell male tabs for wire ends and ones that are enclosed in vinyl, they are not very robust and are certainly not weather resistant.

Also part of the Amp Solidstrand line are "Knife Disconnect Splice". (This picture is NOT of a Solidstrand uninsulated splice, but it does show how the go together and come apart.) I have not used them but they look pretty robust.

Obviously these need to be taped or have heat shrink applied.


As for weather-resistant mutli-termination connector, good and cheap are mutually exclusive. The best ones are gold plated. At a minimum, make certain they are tin plates. Pins (either solid or split) that make an interference fit into a split socket, so there is lots of "wiping" action are the best. Silicon dielectric grease help slow down corrosion a lot. (Yes, I worked in the auto electronics area, but not specifically on connector.)

 

[theoldwizard1]

OK, these are the connectors I use. I've been using them for at least a decade it seems, no issues.

+1 !

Mate-N-Lock have been around forever. Many configurations.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

For fast on style I use these guys.

They have them in 3/16 and 1/4, and these are pretty beefy connectors. I also have other sources as well for smaller sizes, but that's for home audio connectors.

Waytek has a few other things that I like, such as these bags of heat shrink for cheap money.

 

[crewchief888]

These are the ones that I have for the open barrel sensor connectors. They don't ratchet but for these connectors you really don't need the extra leverage as they crimp quite easily.

http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MC93150/OPEN-BARREL-CRIMPING-TOOL/?source=igodigital

Mike.

same ones i have....

 

[wilf]

Thanks for the replies, guys, they're helpful. Especially the mate-n-lok suggestion. I've seen those connectors before but never knew what they were called.

I anticipate needing (or greatly benefiting from) a ratcheting crimper in the future, it's not just for my friend's O2 sensor. I sometimes need to do a dozen or so connections at once, so a ratcheting crimper would help. I have in mind this one made by "Mountain"

but I don't know if it's garbage or not. It has an attachment for "open barrel" terminals which I thought would suffice for the O2 sensor connector. I was thinking, even if the chances of it holding up are only moderately high, I'm willing to take the risk since this particular sensor is not vital to the health and performance of the vehicle. What do you guys think? Is this crimper worth trying out? I imagine it's similar in both design and quality as the Tool Aid one.

Oldwizard, thanks for the lead on those splices. The knife ones sure look interesting. I must admit though you completely lost me at the mention of gold/tin plating and solid/split pins. I've always heard gold plating was a gimmick and that copper was a superior conductor. And I don't think I've ever seen a gold plated OEM pin. Are they normally tin plated? And what is a solid or split pin/socket?

Sorry for my ignorance but the only access I have for information is the internet which you know can be wanting and/or inaccurate.

 

[wilf]

Also, forgot to ask all of your input on open barrel splice connectors such as these:

How do they stack up to closed barrel **** splices? Especially in automotive use?

 

[silver2000]

I bought one of these http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002RIA44/?tag=atomicindus08-20 which I read online was a military grade crimping tool, the name escapes me but it is sold under another name, but the price was obviously a big turnoff. Keep looking on CL locally and such, I bought mine 7 years ago paid $75 and it is an amazing tool and the crimps are perfect every time. Took me a while to find the tool but worth it since it appears that ti will last forever.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Oldwizard, thanks for the lead on those splices. The knife ones sure look interesting. I must admit though you completely lost me at the mention of gold/tin plating and solid/split pins. I've always heard gold plating was a gimmick and that copper was a superior conductor. And I don't think I've ever seen a gold plated OEM pin. Are they normally tin plated? And what is a solid or split pin/socket?

Sorry about that ! I worked the software development end of EFI for one of the Detroit 3 for over 30 years, so I plugged and unplugged hundreds of PCMs.

First, gold IS the best conductor, period. It will not oxidize, so even low voltage/low current signals will get through a connector. You will probably only see gold "flash plating" on a PCM connector pins and even then only on a few pins (possible crank and cam position). Most OEM pins/sockets are tin plated.

30+ years ago, PCM pins were hollow and had a slit on the sides so the flexed when you inserted them into the socket. The socket barrel was not solid and in fact was a slightly smaller diameter than the pin with a split on the side.

The picture below shows pins and sockets for Mate-N-Lok. You can see how the pin is hollow and split as is the socket barrel. The little "wings" sticking out are barbs so the pin/socket can not be removed from the plastic housing (without a special tool). These features are why Mat-N-Lok have been around FOREVER !

Pins and socket barrels have gotten a LOT smaller in 30 years, especially on PCMs. Pins now a days are solid, but the socket barrels are still split with an interference fit (they must flex to let the pin in). The interference is important. It is why some electronic things magically start working after you unplug and replug them.

One thing that pisses me off is that the bean counters got involved with connectors. 30+ years ago, all socket barrels were "packed" with silicon dielectric grease. As mch as tech may have disliked the grease, the grease solved/prevented many problems. Bean counters "thrifted" it.

 

[Thunderbisciut]

I usually stick with the tinned connectors and tinned wire for auto use. Bare copper oxidizes way too fast, and while silver and gold connectors offer superior conductivity, unless you drop a lot of coin the plating tends to **** and just comes right off.

This is where I shop for battery cable, eye lugs, adhesive lined heat shrink, etc. I've been using these guys for at least a decade it seems too.

A note about the mate and lock pin tool, the ones that I've owned have a very very narrow wall. Sometimes the locking tabs bite into the housing a bit, and if you try and insert the tool you will bend it. Be sure to push the pin in as much as you can before inserting the tool, this will make sure that the locking tabs are free from the housing.

Concerning the "U" splices you pictured Wilf, I like those better myself. With a nice crimper you get the nice rolled arch crimp with them. The only issue is that you can overload them and you may get a few stray stands of wire outside of the crimp. Of course if you use them within their rated range you shouldn't have an issue.

I don't have any experience with that crimper myself. You'll probably be using the open barrel jaws 95% of the time if you're like me. One thing that won't do properly is weatherpack connectors, or other connectors that have a crimped on seal. Not an issue if you never use them, but though I'd mention it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Also, forgot to ask all of your input on open barrel splice connectors such as these:

How do they stack up to closed barrel **** splices? Especially in automotive use?

Well, the OEMs don't use splices !

Individual wire splices are a minimum of 1½ twists and then wrapped in friction tape. The harness is wrapped in harness tape (black plastic electric tape with no adhesive) or convolute tubing. If you want more "mechanical strength", use 2½ twist and then use marine (adhesive lined) heat shrink. I'll bet an 18 gauge wire done that way will lift 25 lbs.

This techniques works well up to about 12 gauge. From about 10 down to about 4 you need some kind of splice. 2 and below, I would use split bolts and friction tape.

If you are making harness that are going to be exposed the the weather, save yourself a headache. Use "marine" wire. It is copper that has been tin plated. If it gets wet (and it will) it will not corrode/oxidize.