0 gauge terminal install

[Mboyle1145 10+ year member]

Whats the best way to attach ring terminals to 0 gauge wire for big three? Bench vise? Soldering? Both??

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[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Unless u have professional crimpers like the big 3foot ones solder them

 

[UnderFire 10+ year member]

Depends which style of terminal you're using.

 

[av83 10+ year member]

Solder.

 

[Mboyle1145 10+ year member]

Solder it is

 

[neo_styles 10+ year member]

Exactly why I just bit the bullet and got the crimpless terminals from Monster. Though I've heard some people have success with a table vise

 

[cdc351jeferson 10+ year member]

hammer and chisel to fold in the ends and smash the split down looks clean then used a blow torch and solder and melter a shiz ton of solder on it solid good connection pics of it in my build log . if you search my name

 

[Mboyle1145 10+ year member]

I think Im going to use the table vise and also solder just to make sure. Just going to be a pain.

 

[neo_styles 10+ year member]

Problem with a poop-ton of solder is you could end up having it wick under the insulation which causes risk for breakdown earlier in life of the cable. I would say tin the bare wire before you add the solder and then use only enough solder to make the wire bond with the terminal. Takes a little more finesse, but if you're OCD like me, the payoff is worth it.

Keep in mind, I'm used to soldering on microprocessor stuff, so it's all smaller scale.

 

[cdc351jeferson 10+ year member]

mine went fast once you do it once it works and not hard to do

 

[inferno1985 10+ year member]

i just use a vise, i smash each side seperately because ive had bad luck with trying to mash both side of the split on the terminal at once, especially 0 guage terminals, there like hardened steel.. so smash one side flip it sideways 90 degrees smash it from the side a bit then flip at another 90 degrees and smash it again then do that to the other side of the split on the terminal, never tried soldering,

 

[cdc351jeferson 10+ year member]

i just use a vise, i smash each side seperately because ive had bad luck with trying to mash both side of the split on the terminal at once, especially 0 guage terminals, there like hardened steel.. so smash one side flip it sideways 90 degrees smash it from the side a bit then flip at another 90 degrees and smash it again then do that to the other side of the split on the terminal, never tried soldering,

yeah even hammering eac hside seperatley and using a blunt chisel to pinpoint the smashing i used a torch heated connetor real hot melted a ton of flux in the wire and just kept feeding solder in there fills the whole wire and terminal up so its a real good connection . youll never be worried about that being the weak point in your system

 

[Julian 10+ year member]

I always use a vise with a pipe on the handle so I can crank down on it super hard.. Just be careful I destroyed my cheap vice, I would either get the Harbor Freight crimpers (they will fit 1/0 terminals) for 50$ or use a vice AND solder. A mechanical connection is far superior to solder, but used in conjunction it's the best.

 

[UnderFire 10+ year member]

Wow, you guys make it hard on yourselves, Lol.

I just use one of these Hammer crimpers, http://www.atlweldingsupply.com/assets/images/hammer%20on%20lug%20crimper.jpg

Or if I'm in a hurry I just grab a hammer and a big wide chisel and smash the middle down.

Using Copper lugs only, not the dinky little cheapo's.

 

[inferno1985 10+ year member]

Wow, you guys make it hard on yourselves, Lol.
I just use one of these Hammer crimpers, http://www.atlweldingsupply.com/assets/images/hammer%20on%20lug%20crimper.jpg

Or if I'm in a hurry I just grab a hammer and a big wide chisel and smash the middle down.

Using Copper lugs only, not the dinky little cheapo's.

only make sense if your hooking up mass amount of 0 guage terminals lol.. myself only needed like 6 or some terminals, plus i needed a good workout anyways! LOL