Ratchet Crimpers

[JohnW2]

anyone know?

No. I was going to ask, now you have your adjustable self-releasing pliers, how do you know how to set them - trial and error/practice?

As I've said, that's the question! I've already established by 'trial and error' that the setting they came with is unsatisfactory (at least, for blue and red crimps) - since I can wiggle the conductor about inside the crimps in most cases. I fear that many people seeing BAS's frequent recommendation and acquiring such a tool will simply use it as it comes - which, in the case of the one I've just received, would presumably be bad news. Whether the other extreme setting represents 'over-crimping', I haven't got a clue.

So what's the answer? - I'm not sure that 'experience' is necessarily an answer, because I can't quite see how one would know whether one was getting experience of the right or wrong setting!

Kind Regards, John

 

[333rocky333]

Just wondered whether anyone has succesfully crimped 4mm with yellow thro crimps
I have a Newlec branded crimper but find they just pull off, yet all other sizes are ok and 0.75 flex is fine in the red crimp lugs

 

[JohnW2]

Just wondered whether anyone has succesfully crimped 4mm with yellow thro crimps. I have a Newlec branded crimper but find they just pull off, yet all other sizes are ok and 0.75 flex is fine in the red crimp lugs

FWIW, I've just tried a couple (4mm² with yellow crimps) with my newly-acquired toy (TLC's finest cheapo budget crimper, packaged as 'Mercury' brand, as frequently recommended by BAS!), set to it's 'maximum squash' setting - neither could be pulled off by hand and, indeed, no movement could be detected by tugging/pushing. When I got a bit more scientific/violent, one pulled out with 27 'kg force' and the other with 35 kg - i.e. about 265 N and 343 N respectively - which I suspect is not too bad (even though it tells one little about the quality, and lasting properties, of the electrical connection).

Kind Regards, John.

 

[stillp]

As I've said, one gets what one pays for, so I wouldn't expect much of these cheopo tools. If one guess that both wholesalers/distributors and retailer have probably added something around a 100% mark-up, and bearing in mind that they will have been shipped half way around the world, I doubt whether the manufacturer of these TLC ones gets much more than about £2-£3 per pair - what can one expect for that?

Well, you're entitled to expect that it is fit for purpose, and has adequate instructions. If it doesn't you should send it back and demand a full refund.

 

[JohnW2]

Well, you're entitled to expect that it is fit for purpose, and has adequate instructions. If it doesn't you should send it back and demand a full refund.

Theoretically true. They certainly come with no instructions, and whether it is 'fit for purpose' is what I'm trying to work out!

As I intimated before, what does worry me is that, particularly given the lack of instructions, I fear that people may well buy one of these tools on BAS's recommendation and then use it 'as it comes' when they get it. As I've said, in the case of the one I've just received, when I did that it definitely did not produce satisfactory (or safe) crimps.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

So John, would you, say, recommend a quality make like CK (other makes are available!!)?

Edit: My Wee Beastie!! (OTT/no good for shrouded crimps I know!!)

Wee Beastie

• Scoby_Beasley
• 22 Nov 2012
• 1

 

[stillp]

Well, you're entitled to expect that it is fit for purpose, and has adequate instructions. If it doesn't you should send it back and demand a full refund.

Theoretically true. They certainly come with no instructions, and whether it is 'fit for purpose' is what I'm trying to work out!

As I intimated before, what does worry me is that, particularly given the lack of instructions, I fear that people may well buy one of these tools on BAS's recommendation and then use it 'as it comes' when they get it. As I've said, in the case of the one I've just received, when I did that it definitely did not produce satisfactory (or safe) crimps.

Kind Regards, John

Sounds like a breach of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, particularly since a loose crimp might lead to a hazard. have you asked the supplier for the instructions? If they can't supply them, you really should report them to Trading Standards.

 

[JohnW2]

So John, would you, say, recommend a quality make like CK (other makes are available!!)?

I would only recommend a crimper if I had the means of properly evaluating its performance - which I don't. However, I certainly believe that one generally gets what one pays for, so my expectations of the 'budget' versions are certainly not very high!

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Sounds like a breach of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, particularly since a loose crimp might lead to a hazard. have you asked the supplier for the instructions? If they can't supply them, you really should report them to Trading Standards.

In the case of the tool I've just bought, there is no doubt that, with the 'default' factory-set setting ('as supplied'), they often produced loose crimps - in fact 4 of 10 initial tests with red and blue crimps (with 1mm² and 2.5mm² conductors respectively) resulted in loosness that I could definitely feel, with two or three others I was suspicious about. When I re-set to it's 'maximum squash' setting, I could not feel any definite looseness in any of half a dozen test crimps.

This clearly is not satisfactory (potentially dangerous). Since he's the one who is always recommending this tool, maybe BAS would like to follow it up (particularly the absence of instructions)? I somewhat doubt that TLC (the 'supplier') would be able to provide any instructions, since the manufacturer's website (see here) makes no reference to any. Indeed, the on-line 'Specification' only consists of length and weight Screwfix sell what looks like the identical product, but with dfferent coloured handle grips - has anyone tried those?

Kind Regards, John

 

[stillp]

Don't be shy John - you've bought an illegal product. You should demand the instructions, not expect BAS to ask for you!

 

[JohnW2]

Don't be shy John - you've bought an illegal product. You should demand the instructions, not expect BAS to ask for you!

As I'm sure I don't need to point out, I'm not known for being shy - but nor would I recommend this product!

It's not the 'asking for' (or 'demanding') instructions which is the issue. I will ask TLC (and, if that fails, the manufacturer) for instructions, but I think it pretty certain that they will say that there aren't any. It's the hassle of what to do after that which I could do without

More practically, if BAS is going to continue recommending these things (whilst they don't come with instructions), I think he probably should at least warn people of the need to make sure they are 'set correctly' (however they are meant to achieve that!) before attempting to use them for crimping house-wiring conductors - particulaly if (as if often the conext) those joints are going to be inaccessible.

Kind Regards, John