proper way to use ring terminals....?

[k2exoman]

This may be a dumb question, but i think it is a valid one.

What is the proper way to use ring (or spade) terminals as far as connecting the terminals to the wire.

I have been told most people crimp them, i have tried this from two approaches.

Using pliers (as a crimper) to pinch the open end around the wire, leaving the back end uncrimped, and crimping the entire wire receptacle flat.

Both techniques seem to allow the wire to be able to wriggle out of the terminal with minimal effort!

How do you reccomend connecting the wire? Do people solder or weld?

Is there a special crimp tool I am missing?

This question is specifically in regards to wiring the ground on an amplifier where the terminal is a high quality ring terminal with a sealed receptacle for the wire (not a pair of flimsy wings as on some terminals).

Please advise...

Thanks..

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[nVRuckus 5,000+ posts]

This may be a dumb question, but i think it is a valid one.
What is the proper way to use ring (or spade) terminals as far as connecting the terminals to the wire.

I have been told most people crimp them, i have tried this from two approaches.

Using pliers (as a crimper) to pinch the open end around the wire, leaving the back end uncrimped, and crimping the entire wire receptacle flat.

Both techniques seem to allow the wire to be able to wriggle out of the terminal with minimal effort!

How do you reccomend connecting the wire? Do people solder or weld?

Is there a special crimp tool I am missing?

This question is specifically in regards to wiring the ground on an amplifier where the terminal is a high quality ring terminal with a sealed receptacle for the wire (not a pair of flimsy wings as on some terminals).

Please advise...

Thanks..

I like the closed end rings like these

I get a plumbers torch and solder and fill them with melted solder and dip the wire into it and allow it to dry then heat shrink it.

but yeah there is a 0ga crimper that looks like bolt cutters with a crimp attackment. People often use table vices and hammers to crimp though.

 

[btlking 10+ year member]

If were talking large wire. I get a hammer and beat the shit out of it.

x2

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Get a crimping tool that will do up to 10 gauge. 1/0 use a vice and a hammer...

 

[CJW 10+ year member]

Vise and then take a center punch and hammer it down into the middle of the crimp. The wire should hold that way.

I've never done the solder and dip method. I may have to try that sometime.

 

[BoomBoomBoy 10+ year member]

There are special crimping pliers made especially for mechanically fastening connectors of all types (butt, fork, ring, faston). They usually work for a range of wire sizes (10-24). The upper jaw has a protruding punch and the lower jaw has a matching die. Once you insert the connector into the pliers, and the wire into the connector, you apply force to the handles and the result is the pliers actually pierce the connector into the wire. This makes for a pretty sound connection. Usually the wire will break before the connection fails.

I myself prefer soldering and heat shrinking connections.

http://www-public.tnb.com/contractor/docs/stakon.pdf

 

[Boulderguy 10+ year member]

There is a specialized jig some shops use that has a sliding rod that rests against the terminal crimp area. Put the assembly on the ground & hammer the rod, which effectively crimps the terminal.

Kinda like a mini-dull-guillotine. You can improvise with a filed-off chisel but it's a balancing act. Nothing sucks like swinging the hammer & having the wire slip out just before impact.

I hammer & solder the wire tips.

 

[supa_c 5,000+ posts]

Vice's are useless for crimping large terminals. Not everyone has a torch and solder so this is the method i use even though i have a torch and solder //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/tongue.gif.6130eb82179565f6db8d26d6001dcd24.gif

Get a large( and i mean large) slotted tip screwdriver and a hammer, stick the wire in the terminal, place the screwdriver tip on the terminal top and pound away.

Not only is it more effective, its faster and eaiser.

Without the screwdriver the terminals just get crushed and the wire comes out. Vice grips/robogrips/plyers are also useless and are not as effective

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

hammer and anvil... i use a 5 lb sledge

 

[Supergumby5000 5,000+ posts]

i use a giant pair of vice grips. does the job just fine.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

if u think vice grips works... u should see what u can do with a 5lb sledge

 

[wolfman1966 10+ year member]

Crimp, Hammer, then Solder.

 

[SPL140.2 5,000+ posts]

personally i prefer the vice and hole punch method, i used to use the hammer punch crimper for welding slugs but after time the wires do come loose, the do make long large crimpers for 0 guage but what a pain. Vice and hole punch FTW unless you can afford the hydraulic or electric crimpers //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[BoomBoomBoy 10+ year member]

On really large ga wire 4 ga and >, I fill the barrel of the connector 1/2 way with solder and insert the stripped end of the cable into the connector while still applying heat from the torch for approx. 15 seconds. This allows the stranded end of the cable to become heated preventing a cold soldering joint. Never had a failure.

 

[Radioflyer97 10+ year member]

Standard crimps are good up to 12awg...after that it's just a PITA.

i found that a good pair of vice grips will crimp things up to 8 awg terminals without a problem. start with a lighter grip and release. turn the screw to a slightly tighter grip and clamp again. repeat with progressivly stronger tension on the grip until the terminal is completely squished.

not nearly as fun as the hammer, but it saves your concrete if you don't happen to have a vice.

a note about the hammer approach: using electrical tape to hold the non crimped terminal to the wire while hammering will keep the terminal held to the wire while you pound away.