Crimping tool

kje

kje

100 W
Joined
Apr 7, 2012
Messages
176
Location
Oslo, Norway
Crimping tools is expensive, but I`ll try to find a cheaper one. Is there crimping tools that can handle both insulated and uninsulated terminals?

If I buy Tricrimp for crimping Anderson Powerpoles http://www.powerwerx.com/crimping-tools/tricrimp-crimping-powerpole-contacts.html (without the die sets), can I use this crimping tool to crimp ring and spade terminals as well?

By the way, will a ring terminal 3.7 x 7.5mm / 0.145" x 0.295" (Inside Dia*Outside Dia) http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-12-AWG-R...258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ba5c4e72 fit with a M8 stud battery terminal? http://www.ebay.com/itm/360363130970?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
 
I would buy the Tricrimp and just use it for crimping powerpoles.

Buy a separate inexpensive crimper for your spade terminals.

I've worn out 2 Tricrimps with well under 1000 crimps total. Both still sort of work, but the results are not consistant like when they were new. The contacts get badly stuck in one of them and in the other you need to use the 15A spot to crimp a 30A contact to get enough crimp force.
 
I use this tool for crimping Anderson Powerpoles, insulated, non-insulated terminals, and everything else. Works for me.
Ace Crimping Tool (3017696)
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1378670
pACE-1127140dt.jpg

kje said:
X
By the way, will a ring terminal 3.7 x 7.5mm / 0.145" x 0.295" (Inside Dia*Outside Dia) http://www.ebay.com/itm/14-12-AWG-R...258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35ba5c4e72 fit with a M8 stud battery terminal? http://www.ebay.com/itm/360363130970?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
Click to expand...
M8 is 8 millimeters. 3.7mm Inside Diameter ring terminal will not fit. Go to a local hardware or electrical place and buy ring terminals that fit your stud.
 
marty said:
I use this tool for crimping Anderson Powerpoles, insulated, non-insulated terminals, and everything else. Works for me.
Ace Crimping Tool (3017696)
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1378670

M8 is 8 millimeters. 3.7mm Inside Diameter ring terminal will not fit. Go to a local hardware or electrical place and buy ring terminals that fit your stud.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the info. :) I saw this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ809uTlENE&list=PL9205924E2D13B9D6&index=29&feature=plpp_video and got the impression that the Ace Crimping Tool you link to is not so good?

I ordered a wrong crimper; a RJ45 network cable crimper. Can I use this for crimping Anderson Powerpoles, insulated and non-insulated terminals?

Or should I order this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/260998033844?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619
 
An ordinary crimper such as the ratcheting one can do andersons. Practice makes perfect, and it's slower, but it's possible. Buried somewhere years ago, Ypedal had a video about how to use a generic crimper. You do want a tricrimp for mass production.

In words, the technique is like this, Use the crimper to crimp the barrel into a V shape, then rotate 90 degrees, and crush the v closed. Lastly, if needed, rotate again and get the final crimp to a more or less square or round shape that will fit into the housing. My cheapie crimper has several different shaped slots, so I use one part for making the V, another for squeezing the V shut into a round shape. 12 bucks at home depot. The crimpers have very long handles so I get lots of force on them. It helps that I have forearms like Popeye too.
 
That looks like a great deal, if it works. I have been crimping and soldering Andersons (Sermos) for about 40 years now and I still get "out of shape" when I am not doing them regularly. I use the Harbor Freight crimper but it is not racheted. Practice makes perfect.
otherDoc
 
You can crimp the powerpoles with anything you want, including a hammer, but there's really no point unless you use the proper tool because the connections cannot be relied on. They can also be quite a pain to get to sit into the housing correctly if the crimp is wacky.

The Tricrimp is the cheapest, consistent, reliable ratchet crimper. It just has a limited service life. The genuine Anderson tool is $220+ and is even better I'm sure, but out of the price range of most hobbyists.

If you choose to use some shitty generic tool, my advise would be to solder the wire into the contact, after you crimp. That way, you're less likely to have the wire pull out unexpectedly and you can improve the electrical connection too. Be careful where the solder flows, or the contact may not sit in the housing correctly.
 
Thank you. :) What dimensions in millimeters are the three 15, 30 and 45 amp Anderson Powerpoles?
 
If you choose to use the Andersons, I love them, might I suggest that you use the 45 amp terminals exclusively for anything that takes over 20A and use some decent high strand count wire as well. I only use the 30A terminals for charging @ 12A and the 15A for nothing. Thus far I have had zero problems with these or the 3.5 barrels I use on the motor phase wires in near 9K miles with my BMC v2s running at 66V and a 45a controller. Plus get the correct tri crimp tool http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-accessories/tricrimp-crimping-powerpole-contacts.html for the job so you don't have to screw around with things. I thought I did a good job crimping things only to tug on one of the wires and have the terminal pull right off. Good luck on yer project.
 
I just wasted $36 on a tiny order of 30A power poles
Soldering failed because it doens't fit in, had to grind it down
Crimping failed mostly
Even if the crimping worked, which was twice, I can still pull it out with minimal force.
I shorted my pack thanks to these power poles. But it still works so thank god.
 
I have several tools, the one i use the most is the tricrimp, it is not the strongest but it's very easy to crimp with, i finish the job soldering and not even one contact has ever dropped so far. If you do not plan to solder i recommend the andy-crimp http://www.qsradio.com/Powerpoles.htm it is way stronger.
 
Sorry you had problems.

The cost of not having the right tool.

When soldering, don't get any solder outside the barrel or it won't fit.

When crimping, don't flatten the barrel or it won't fit in the connector.

But you already found this out.

If you don't have the right tools some connectors will work out better than others. PowerPoles with the right tools are quick and easy.
 
floatingdog said:
I use crimper pliers similar to the following on 15 and 30 amp Andersons. I get nice crimps that slide right into the housing. My technique, which I learned here, is to put the seam of the blade tube face down in the U shaped portion of the crimper. When finished, there is a nice divot on the side opposite the seam and seam is still tightly closed.

http://www.powerwerx.com/crimping-tools/powerpole-crimping-tool-15-30-amp.html#more-reviews
Click to expand...
Exactly how I was taught. Works perfectly. Yes - "When finished, there is a nice divot on the side opposite the seam and seam is still tightly closed."
I use this tool:
Ace Crimping Tool (3017696)
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1378670
pACE-1127140dt.jpg

Use the crimps marked non-insulated for Andersons and other non-insulated terminals.
Use the crimps marked Red, Blue, Yellow for Red, Blue, and Yellow insulated terminals.
 
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