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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Crimps https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1084557435 Message started by woodsmith on May 14^th, 2004, 6:57pm

Title: Crimps
Post by woodsmith on May 14^th, 2004, 6:57pm

I have been reading about crimps on this forum and I have been left with a couple of questions. ??? ???

I have read that crimps are only suitable for stranded cable, but 2.5mm t&e and smaller is solid drawn. So does that mean they are only be suitable for 4mm and above?

Are they special crimps or are automotive crimps suitable for 240V?

I have used quite a few recently and hope the news isn't too bad.

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by supersparky on May 14^th, 2004, 7:00pm

tis fine.....every spark in the land uses em!
solid cable is fine if you use a rachet crimper, ive never had a problem...coper is a soft metal anyway

they are pretty much all ok for 240...ive never found any that are specificly 12v....maybe the heat shrink ones...over than that no probs...if there is then probrably 99% of houses and shops are buggered ;D

ss

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by woodsmith on May 14^th, 2004, 7:07pm

Thanks ss, I didn't fancy another day in the loft swapping these things over.

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by HandyMac on May 14^th, 2004, 9:50pm

IMHO crimps are a waste of time unless you've got a proper ratchet crimper. The sheds sell toy crimpers which don't ratchet, and frankly I think they are potentially dangerous in so far that they tend not to give a firm crimp on the cable. I'll bet there's thousands of have-a-go heroes out there who have used these substandard tools.

Andrew

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by supersparky on May 14^th, 2004, 10:07pm

they are crap....
every decent sparky will have a rachet crimper...not only faster but safer...
it was without doubt the best �25 ive spent in a long time...(at the time i brought them ;))

ss

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by HandyMac on May 14^th, 2004, 10:08pm

Hmm, mine cost about �19 as I recall.....

Andrew

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by supersparky on May 14^th, 2004, 10:11pm

yes but when and what make are they? what else can they do?
never judge something by price ;)

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by L.Spark on May 14^th, 2004, 10:42pm

wrote on May 14^th, 2004, 9:50pm:

leave that to them, for people like us who know better and want correct compression for each crimp size, a ratchet is the only way, and jsut like we done use them neon screwdrivers as voltage indicators, its the same, any good proffesional only uses the best!

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by L.Spark on May 14^th, 2004, 10:47pm

oh and 1 more thing, i have a newlec crimper, the best ratchet ive seen, i have 1 for 1.5mm up to 6mm, and another for the 10mm and 16mm crimps, but my mate wanted 1, so i found 1 about �10 was TLC i think, aposoultely crap, didnt crimp properly at all, so you do need to look out for which crimper as some ratchet crimpers can be just as bad as non ratchet, fancy that! ::)

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by securespark on May 18^th, 2004, 1:21am

Well, MY ratchet crimper was only a fiver AND it can make the tea and it's useful if your g/f's tired, so ner ner ne ner ner!! ;D

On the subject of crimping solid strands, my lecturer was of the opinion that yes, copper is a soft metal and to crimp enough to make a secure enough connection, the conductor is flattened, reducing the CCC.

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by L.Spark on May 18^th, 2004, 2:54am

hey secure spark!, nice to have you with us on this forum ;D - nice to hear your crimper does the biz ;)

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by Beanzy on May 18^th, 2004, 7:12am

Lecturer is right about the copper, except there's more metal in the area of the crimp, due to the connector increasing the CCC of the joint. Only thing is it's weaker where it's squished so will not put up with any movement, so need to ensure well secure either side of crimp.

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by woodsmith on May 18^th, 2004, 7:13am

Have we gone full circle here??? and Securespark is saying his lecturer told him

Quote:

yes, copper is a soft metal and to crimp enough to make a secure enough connection, the conductor is flattened, reducing the CCC.

Therefore crimps shouldn't be used on solid conductors :-/

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 18^th, 2004, 7:51am

No go ahead Woodlice me old mate, never ever had a problem myself and they are used in some pretty harzardous industries and have been tested to death.

If ya think ya may lose sleep over using them then as a double safeguard stick some heatshrink sleeve over the joint (both sides) and dont forget to heat it up and shrink it!! That's stop the B's coming out. And if ya completely worried then stick some damn fast setting araldite on the junction as a well and to make extra secure sink the whole lot in concrete, then ya could buy a second hand battleship and submerge the whole junction into that as well!! ;D

No, just "crimp and go". But as everyone says DO use a good quality RACHET crimping tool

Ray

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by woodsmith on May 18^th, 2004, 12:30pm

Thanks Ray, I've been so worried about this, no sleep and lost me hair through it, so your a life saver mate. I'm a bit worried about the battleship solution, won't that make the joint inaccessible ??? Oh no more hair loss..LOL

Keith (the owner of a proper, venerable, ratchet crimper)

Putting rabbit netting round garden today to keep your mates out. My little joke with FWL about getting a DAWG to keep the rabbits out has backfired. They have eaten all the vegetables and the bl00dy dog is useless.

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by L.Spark on May 18^th, 2004, 1:49pm

lol v funny Ray, you better go move ur wabbits along as 1 last thing for woodsmith ;) :D

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by rabbit_rabbit on May 18^th, 2004, 6:50pm

lol Keith / LS

We wabbits fear only one thing - the cunning little B of a sly fox, they are the Tony Blair of our wee world.

Veggies? love em especially when they are not mine curly kale makes me fart though so its only OK'ish.

Now carrots!! yummy and when they are a person dressed up as a carrot (Little Miss ..) well extra yummy (private joke that last bit lads sorry).

Keith - I have no hair - too many failed crimps I guess did it lol!!

Again I was only joking about woodlice mate..

Ray

Title: Re: Crimps
Post by L.Spark on May 19^th, 2004, 1:34am

hahahahah it's all coming out now! LoL ;D