Crimping bootlace ferrules for RCBO neutrals

[f0rmula]

I want to cut, and put bootlace ferrules on, 8 RCBO neutrals. They're way too long at the moment. See below.

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• f0rmula
• 24 Apr 2013
• 2

I can find ferrules for a sensible price, but anything to crimp them seems to be £100+. Shortening these cables is worth a few quid to me, but I only need to crimp 8 ferrules, so I can't justify spending that kind of money. Are the £100+ crimps the only way to crimp bootlace ferrules? This price looks promising http://tinyurl.com/c7y6uvo

Also, if I can find a suitable way of crimping, what size ferrules would I be after? They seem to be specified in thickness and diameter, right?

http://www.cablecrimper.co.uk/product-info.php?ccs-pid243.html

Cheers

 

[Iggifer]

look here

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Ferrules/index.html

I think the Eaton ones are 4mm if I remember, if you just get the set for £33+vat you'll have a selection to try

Are the pigtails even bootlaced from the factory?

 

[Monkeh]

Get the promper crimping tool as linked above, and get a full set of ferrules. They're worth it, and adding a couple hundred of the usual suspects (0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5) to your kit costs very little. Obviously bigger is more expensive..

I tend to use un'insulated' more: http://www.toby.co.uk/content/catalogue/products.aspx?series=LN-xxxxxx

 

[f0rmula]

look here

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Ferrules/index.html

I think the Eaton ones are 4mm if I remember, if you just get the set for £33+vat you'll have a selection to try

Cheers. They look about 4mm.

Are the pigtails even bootlaced from the factory?

Well, they're not bootlaced, but they are pressed into a square tip, with what looks like a touch of solder (?) to keep the strands together. Threads on here suggest you can't just chop them as the terminals aren't designed to take stranded cable. I'd much rather not spend £40 if there's no need, but from reading on here it looks like I have to bootlace them.

 

[Chri5]

I can't see the point, and the tails from the makers don bother so why should you.

Cut back each, making sure there's slack to rejig the config (should you ever need), strip, tin with some solder and terminate.

 

[EFLImpudence]

You must not 'tin'.

Just fit the smallest uninsulated ferrule and 'squash' to prevent it falling off.

This will prevent the terminal screw tearing the strands and will 'crimp' when you tighten the screew.

 

[bernardgreen]

Cut back each, making sure there's slack to rejig the config (should you ever need), strip, tin with some solder and terminate.

NOT a good idea, solder is soft and deforms under the pressure of the screw. As the solder deforms the contact pressure reduces leading to the development a high resistance joint, overheating and failure follow.

The square ends of the tails are formed under very high pressure with the strands effectively cold welded together into a solid mass.

 

[Lectrician]

Ferrules like these do not have a crimp tool - You place the ferrule over the cable and stick it in your terminal. Doing the terminal up "crimps" the ferrule.

 

[ricicle]

Ferrules like these do not have a crimp tool - You place the ferrule over the cable and stick it in your terminal. Doing the terminal up "crimps" the ferrule.

If you're talking about the insulated ones Lec, I have a tool for crimping them...

 

[Spark123]

How about yellow pin crimps such as these: http://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/ptve6-13/crimp-terminal-pin-yellow/dp/9972153 ?

 

[f0rmula]

look here

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Accessories_Index/Ferrules/index.html

Picked up these crimps and the 4mm ferrules. Perfect job. Highly recommend those crimps. They feel really solid, and only £24.

I think the Eaton ones are 4mm if I remember ...

My cable strippers say they're 6mm, but I could _just_ about squeeze them into the 4mm ferrules, minus a couple of hairs. Very snug, but a great contact.

Thanks again.

 

[f0rmula]

And the results...

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• f0rmula
• 1 May 2013
• 3

 

[Monkeh]

Much nicer.

You should note that the diameter of stranded cable can't be used as a reliable indicator of CSA. Round strands cannot be packed together without a gap.

 

[Iggifer]

nicer than the job eaton did on the Neutral tail!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Much nicer.

But isn't 99% of the improvement down to simply shortening the leads?