Using A Crimping Tool....

[mosaix]

Prior to using it in anger I've been doing some experimenting and can't seem to get it right.

I'm attempting a through crimp on 1mm sq cable. I'm using a red butt connector and a ratchet crimping tool. However a good tug pulls the wire out, that can't be right.

How much insulation should I strip back? How far into the connector should I insert the cable? It seems difficult to judge.

Any tips?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[JohnD]

you will probably find the butt crimp has a little "dent" in the middle, you push the wire in until it hits this dent.

your pliers should have asymmetrical jaws, so they squash the metal part more than the insulated sleeve. I haven't got mine to hand and may not be explaining this well.

I think Adam posted a link with a good guide in it. If you do a search on Ratchet crimps you may find it.

 

[mosaix]

Thanks John.

I'd noticed the dent and assumed the the wire had to extend that far.

Does the insulation go into the metal tube as well?

When the butt crimp goes into the pliers how can I judge its position before I apply pressure?

Questions, questions - sorry.

 

[333rocky333]

With a butt crimp
Strip to no more than half the length of the crimp about 10mm only
Otherwise the wire in the other end will not go in enough
If roughly, both wires stripped 10mm the same,they should meet in the middle, but not essential.

The copper will go in the metal tube and the insulation butt against the metal
The insulation will now be about 5 mm within the red tube

The crimpers sometimes only crimp one way round , depending on model

Look at the slot for the reds,

there is sort of two levels
when closed one level will be nearly closed this part will crimp over the metal tube

The other level is similar but about 5mm open wider than the above
This level crimps the red plastic to the cable insulation.

Now place crimper over crimp so each level is positioned as above
Now crimp

You should see a heavy bar crimped over the metal section and a lighter bar crimp over the insulation section

With practice you will find the edge of the tool is usually about 1mm in from the end of the crimp

It is essential though that the right part ACTUALLY crimps across the metal tube.
Which sometimes means you have to turn the cable and crimp round to crimp the other end if you understand,
Depending on the tool you cannot usually crimp both sides without doing that

The lighter crimp on to the insulation insulates the end and helps restrain the cable and will id the cable so you can tell that you crimped that one IF IT COMES OUT
Now go crimping!!

 

[viewer]

Thanks Rocky. Now I understand. Also thanks to mosaix for asking the question. I'd come to the conclusion that I just couldn't crimp, but was too embarrassed to ask why!
V

 

[baz1968]

Some ratchet crimps have an adjustment wheel on the side, if your crimps are still "loose" try increasing the tension of the crimps.

 

[333rocky333]

Thanks Rocky. Now I understand. Also thanks to mosaix for asking the question. I'd come to the conclusion that I just couldn't crimp, but was too embarrassed to ask why!
V

Crimp one with the tool reversed you will see the difference.
Also crimp one without a wire in to get the principle look down the tube

If the crimper jams or traps your finger
There is a little release lever near the handle, FIND IT you may need it.
Otherwise it hurts.

 

[333rocky333]

Can you still get 1mm

Crimping 1mm cable , never tried it.
nearest crimp is 1.5mm red

However yellow is 6mm but used for 4mm by some

blue is 2.5mm

 

[Spark123]

From the info for tyco on the CPC website, red covers 0.25 to 1.65mm, blue 1.01 to 2.63mm and yellow 2.63mm to 6.64

 

[mosaix]

Rocky - many thanks for this. I will persist.

 

[lazygit]

I have found that you get better results (wont pull out) if you first look down the end of the crimp, and make sure the seam of the metal cylinder is directly above the cable when you feed it in.
If you crimp with the seam on one side it doesnt form as well and the wire pulls out.
Regards

 

[empip]

In a previous 'Crimp' topic, 'Driller' offered this useful PDF from Tyco :-
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=478759#478759

8)

 

[davelx]

You can see here the difference between the crimp on the metal tube and the crimp on the insulation. Note also the embossed "2" indicating the size of the die.

 

[mosaix]

In a previous 'Crimp' topic, 'Driller' offered this useful PDF from Tyco :-
//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=478759#478759

8)

First, thanks to everyone who has replied - most helpful.

Regarding the link. Ref 3.4 in the document seems to make a distinction between 'wire barrel' and 'metal sleeve'. It implies that the wire barrel grips the wire and the metal sleeve grips the insulation.

The butt crimp seems to have a wire barrel alright but what is the metal sleeve?

 

[333rocky333]

They I think are expensive crimps , compared to the cheap ones we normally use

The inner tube may be copper for the cable and the metal tube is too grip the insulation better to stop it all pulling out.

The crimping principle is the same

Military use etc, I think have a higher spec and this also relates to the ,strength needed to pull the wire out from the crimp , these are possibly made to conform to that.

Try the SWA website they may have something on the R + Y + Blue crimps your using

JUST LOOKED
Them TYCO ones, there good enough for Class One NUCLEAR application !!!