Question about crimping terminals onto 1/0 gauge

[edouble101 314]

I can definately tell who the electricians are in this thread. Proper crimping is key to any connection. Only then can you follow up with solder.

I am no electrician but I am learning. I do solder EVERYTHING. I honestly enjoy soldering and having the piece of mind that all of my connections are solid.

[Julian 641]

A crimp will always be better than solder, tin + lead = not very conductive. I don't know how people fail to crimp properly, I have had crimps in my car that had been there for years and never came undone... Unless you really wanted them to, and when I said you wanted to you REALLY wanted to get them off you could.

[Duran 387]

I can definately tell who the electricians are in this thread. Proper crimping is key to any connection. Only then can you follow up with solder.

X2

[scottxgtr 9]

crimping 1/0 with a hammer is vague. before i got a vice, i used a large flathead screwdriver that had a broken tip. ground it so it had a nice flat wide point pounded it in the center on the terminal with a 3lb mini sledge. is it as pretty as the hydraulic crimper? no. but that terminal was on there good.

once i got a vice i started pressing a piece of 1/4 solid steel into the center of the terminal in a similar manner as described above. works just as well just less noise and risk of bodily injury.

if i could come across one of those crimpers for $30 id probably splurge on it, if i had a project coming up.

[ShagggDiesel 25]

I usually just borrow the guy from Julians display picture to beat my terminals with his man-hammer until I'm satisfied.

[threedd97 0]

crimping 1/0 with a hammer is vague. before i got a vice, i used a large flathead screwdriver that had a broken tip. ground it so it had a nice flat wide point pounded it in the center on the terminal with a 3lb mini sledge. is it as pretty as the hydraulic crimper? no. but that terminal was on there good.

once i got a vice i started pressing a piece of 1/4 solid steel into the center of the terminal in a similar manner as described above. works just as well just less noise and risk of bodily injury.

if i could come across one of those crimpers for $30 id probably splurge on it, if i had a project coming up.

Sounds like a good idea. I might look around for one of those hydraulic crimpers. If it's under $100 I would consider buying it.

One like this maybe: http://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-Battery-Cable-Wire-Crimping/dp/B002WFP2NQ

Did you notice we both live in Biloxi?

Edited October 29, 2010 by threedd97

[Beandip 3]

The way i see it a proper crimp is OK in my book, same goes for a proper solder. both are more than strong enough to withstand anything you are going to do with that wire in a car audio situation and even if a solder only connection could possibly be less conductive than crimping i bet the difference will be minuscule. especially seeing how they solder everything in a circuit board.

a crimp/solder connection is the best of both worlds and generally that is what i do, but if it were a crimp only or solder only connection i wouldn't worry about it as long as it was done right.

not my pic, but this guy did a solder only connection on a 4 gauge lug, its strong enough to lift a vice off the table and that is way more stress that cable will see in an audio application.

Edited October 29, 2010 by beandip

[Bob345 39]

I say crimp than solder. That's the way I've always done it. Make one of the best conections

[scottxgtr 9]

Did you notice we both live in Biloxi?

not until you mentioned it. not like living in biloxi is something to brag about either. haha

[lostdaytomorrow 0]

Solering is a bad idea in our car audio applications with large gauge wire (1/0 awg and larger).

A proper crimp for 1/0 awg and larger wire requires an expensive tool. You need a hydraulic crimper with properly machined dies. Most of the hydraulic crimpers available in the U.S. that are under 200 bucks have shitty dies which don't crimp 1/0 or larger correctly. The dies are made for solid core wire, and not multi-strand wire such as the wiring we use in car audio.

The military (Namely, MILSPEC) and NASA both utilize crimped connections only with no solder. They also both use hydraulic crimpers exclusively. This is for a good reason.

My suggestion on crimingr large gauge wire (without spending 2 grand on a real hydraulic crimper with proper dies) is a BFH (Big pucking Hammer) and one of those anvil-type devices available from weldingsupply.com for about 10 bucks, and then hang from your ring terminal with all of your body weight. If the ring terminal doesn't budge after hanging on it, it's good enough for government work.

[Julian 641]

I have used hydraulic crimpers with great success... The ones sold at harbor freight will crimp up to 4/0

[Beandip 3]

One reason the military or NASA doesn't solder is it takes time and time = lots of money.

I can hang off my solder connection so I guess it's good for government work...

For car audio either solder or crimp or maybe both..when done right it will be more than capable to do the job.