Opinions of bootlace crimps

[333rocky333]

Hi I am not a spark but watching a lot of YouTube videos and seeing more and more of these being used can I have your opinions of them ?
Thanks

What type of cable are they using them on.
There is a regulation regarding fitting multi stranded wiring into certain type terminals now.
Most ferrules i think would be too short for consumer units, you would likely need the longer ones

 

[333rocky333]

I'm a little surprised that no-one seems to have mentioned any 'downside'. In general, we try to avoid 'unnecessary' joints/potential points of failure, but the electrical connection between ferrule/crimp and the conductor is an electrical 'joint' and potential source of 'poor connection'.

Kind Regards, John

I would say it increases the chance of a better connection due to holding the cores together rather than splaying out each side of the screw on some types of terminals.

Is it any worse than a Bare Lug , they have been around donkeys years, generally held on with just 1 indent on cables larger and usually carrying umpteen times the current of even the biggest ferrule I have seen 25mm².
Do not recall ever seeing a proper bare lug fail and likely better now crimp tool technology has advanced a lot, with Hexagon type crimping etc

 

[SUNRAY]

I use hundreds (to thousands) a week on multistrand wire within control panels.

If your going to use them then get an automatic crimp and do not use the cheap multi crimps, plyers etc.

I was in a similar position and buying some sizes of ferrules up to 50,000 at a time but rarely less than 5000, when building large panels it's very easy to get through a couple of thousand in a day.

Personally I find these; https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/crimping-dies/848420/ much easier to use than the square or hex auto crimpers especially on double ferrules where the shape of the crimped pin has to line up with the insulation so the ferrule sits in the terminal nicely.

My opinion?

Usually a complete waste of time and money and usually only used by pretentious little idiots on You Tube.

They do have their uses, and particularly useful when factory fitted on pre-stripped cables where the copper strands would just get messy.

Have seen badly fitted ones where the wire just pulled out of them.

Slightly harsh but I agree in principle about pretentious little idiots on You Tube. Ferrules are a must for stranded wire in control panels and by default the field wiring that goes with it.

If you use them then strip the wire so that when fitted it goes flush with the end of the crimp and no further, a slight twist after stripping will prevent strands getting caught and sticking out the insulated part.
There is a youtube electrician suggesting making the copper stick out the end of the crimp by a couple of mm but IMO he's talking garbage.

If you get and use any double crimps (which are a must if more than 1 wire enters a terminal then strip the wire even longer and twist both together so they stay together evenly when inserting into the crimp.

Just never use them on solid core cables.

Yep flush and no further, get the right length ferrules.
Personally I rarely twist the strands unless they're going into an oversized ferrule and never in a correct size double ferrule. I find stray strands are more likely if twisted.

Never, never, never to be used on solid wires or for that matter T&E style stranded either.

 

[JohnW2]

I would say it increases the chance of a better connection due to holding the cores together rather than splaying out each side of the screw on some types of terminals.

Sure, it's all swings and roundabouts. What you say is true but, in the other direction, it's not impossible that there will be an imperfect electrical connection between conductor and ferrule.

Kind Regards, John