How Pros Use Crimp Connectors, how to use crimp connectors, the right way

[@markcastrovinci6074]

I’ve been using crimping tools for over 50 years. I never knew all this stuff. I wish I had KZbin and the Internet back in the seventies. Thank you.

[@kylepardueish]

I can't imagine how hard life was before the internet lol

[@markcastrovinci6074]

@@kylepardueish Well, I’m not trying to say life was hard. That would be a real boomer thing to say. It’s more like today is so much easier where problems are more readily solved with the information available. Especially with KZbin.

[@eddyboelens8388]

Indeed, I used it for 50 years to. And never a problem. But this time they now always comment

[@brucerogermorgan2388]

Yeah, me too. Very interesting. Thanks.

[@BitSmythe]

*THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO I’VE SEEN IN ALL OF MY KZbin YEARS!* It’s short, to the point, no annoying “music,” properly focused, narrator not concerned with just hearing his own voice, informative, accurate. I’ve been using crimps professionally for 50+ years and you’re simply spot on. *_Well done, mate!_*

[@MichaelApproved]

Why is music in quotes?

[@KStewart-th4sk]

Can't say that i agree. Some of the crimps he showed looked amateurish with way too much wire sticking out to the point of interfering with the threaded screw he would be attaching the wire too. I have never been satisfied with the type of crimp those cheap crimpers accomplish. When i see "pros" in the heading i expected to see ratcheting crimpers and an explanation why they are better. In the case of an insulated terminal, they will do 2 crimps at the same time, one to the bare wire, and the other to the insulation of the wire. I have ratcheting crimpers made by Panduit, Thomas & Betts, AMP, insulated, non-insulated, as well as for different types of terminals. Not only quality ratcheting crimpers but another thing to consider are better quality terminals as well. I also have Weidmuller crimpers for ferrule connectors.

[@BitSmythe]

@@MichaelApproved Because it’s copied crap, not entertaining at all.

[@Patrik6920]

..i agree, not very professional demonstration at all. but in a pinch it will work...atlest for awhile....

[@Patrik6920]

@@KStewart-th4sk ..the ends of the wire shall ALWAYS! without exceptions be visible EDIT: 4:02 its an actuall image how it should be, with the wire sticking out.

[@bishopp14]

Well I actually learned something! I've been crimping non insulated connectors incorrectly for years! I (like you said) always made it a point to put the indention over the split side. Great video!!

[@justmyself1000]

Agreed! I’ve been doing it wrong as well. I’ve been crimping wires longer than this young man has been alive and I’ve been doing a couple of things wrong! Thank You!

[@bishopp14]

​@@QuietlyContemplating Correct.

[@scottsandmeyer1832]

Same here, I always thought the non indented crimp looked too wimpy and loose.

[@brucerogermorgan2388]

I was doing that wrong too. Glad to learn something new, even at 75! You can teach an old dog new tricks.

[@davidquirk8097]

Not bad, I'm glad you included the caveats regarding professional crimps. I work on railway systems and have worked on military systems in the past and in both cases the crimps have to be made using the correct specification of crimps using only the crimp manufacturers tools which must also have a valid calibration certificate. It makes crimping an expensive past time with individual crimp terminals costs just shy of £1 (GBP) each for small ring terminals and crimp tools running around £150-£300 plus annual calibration charges. Your guide is great for the amateur user and provides a good basis for doing the job and shows how to avoid the common pitfalls. TE Connectivity have some great information on their website regarding the correct shape of the finished crimp (mostly telling you why you MUST buy their tooling to go with their crimps...) and also information that points to why their crimps are so costly. Whenever I have to use a new type of crimp and tool I like to do a dummy run and then section the crimp to check that the conductor and crimp appear as a solid mass

[@davidblyth5495]

Both rail and military systems have low tolerance for poor reliability I've seen the results of inadequate bonding. Your comments are worth being taken to heart by those who wish to do this work

[@rusle]

@@davidblyth5495 In addition Mil spec crimp do also crimp around the insulation of the wire (for smaller AWG). This is done to remain the strength of the wire. So a mil spec terminal need a different tool than the one you can buy at the local shop.

[@davidblyth5495]

@@ruslethe cost of failure on weapons systems is very high, so it's critical to ensure reliability and dependability

[@M0UAW_IO83]

Yup, all of that plus there are standards for testing crimp integrity which include pulling on test crimps with a specified force to ensure it doesn't part.

[@neilfromclearwaterfl81]

David - My Dad was a WW2 Wire Chief and on a field connection exposed to weather or under water he would use a modified Western Union with a square knot that would be soldered and then be wrapped with Bulldog Natural Rubber Tape coated with rubber cement which would then be vulcanized in place. No crimp to corrode, heat up or fail and no chance for water infiltration. In the more modern era for field connections he would still use the modified Western Unions soldered and wrapped tightly with only one or two layers of the Natural Rubber Tape and then Marine Shrink Wrap them. For connections inside equipment or vehicles he'd use non-insulated terminals, pin crimp, solder and then seal the crimp to the insulation on the wire with Marine Shrink Wrap. Yes neatness and technique counts so you don't wick excess solder up under the insulation or have a cold solder. He would hate the new low temperature Solder Stick Non-Crimp Connectors that rely on solder that melts at the same temperature as the shrink wrap as the only thing maintaining the electrical bond. On the pressure weld crimps indeed you should use the matching crimps and crimpers to get the best air tight pressure weld when you set them. Best!

[@dougbriggs6797]

When stripping I rotate the wire 90 degrees for the second cut which helps insure the insulation is completely trimmed. Excellent and concise video especially for newcomers.

[@markm3.16]

Exactly. My father taught me as a kid make your cut in the jacket, back off turning 90°, make a 2nd cut, loosen your pressure and pull back the unwanted portion of the jacket, then pull it off by hand while twisting keeping the wire strands nice and tight.

[@ness-ee]

Isn’t this how he said to do it in the video?

[@dougbriggs6797]

@@ness-ee No. @1:59 he says to cut twice but does not demonstrate or explain to rotate the wire.

[@ness-ee]

@@dougbriggs6797 oh I just used my brain to logically determine that two cuts whilst twisting the wire like he did meant that the twist was 90°

[@rsporsche]

I would also have crimped the non-insulated terminals with the divot on the seam, but now you mention it it makes more sense to do it the other way round otherwise the divot might just push between the seam and deform the terminal

[@supernat1978]

I've always done it the wrong way too. And thinking back, it splits a stranded wire down the middle, which could introduce more friction and heat. I guess it makes more sense this way.

[@TrailToughTrailers]

The BEST video recording of info I have seen on YT in a long, long time. Full of great info, quick pace, no BS and right to the point(s). I wish everyone would follow this guy's example! He should win an award...

[@darylp2010]

Correct crimps are critical for long-term reliability. I had to do some non-critical crimps recently in a fully-equipped workshop. I had high quality crimp lugs and ratchet tool, however, I didn't know what all the tool positions were for. Checking the stamping on the lugs was an eye-opener too. Next time I'm at the workshop I will review all of James tips.

[@truegodofthunder]

Clear, concise and easy to understand. Also, the only crimping video I've seen which explains where to place the divot on non-insulated terminals. Thank you!

[@justaguy4real]

very much agree with you. I was thinking that about that too lol, and then there he answers it. Several questions were answered on the fly... ---Dude, this is one of the best most well explained video instructionals I've ever heard/seen. You answered the questions as I was thinking them. This is how teaching and training should be; you are the epitome of what works. Great job, and if your other videos are this good and thorough, you've got another subscriber in me for sure. *to everyone else, take heed to this guy's tutorial, its superb and I am a very tough judge about giving out kudos like this.

[@pcofranc]

Awesome short focused video. I've been working with crimps for 30+ years and didn't know about the non-insulated part of the tool and was never sure how much of the jacket to remove or that wire need to be visible. I also have the ratchet style but don't use it much but I'm going to after watching this video. I would add that in some cases when crimping wires of different sizes solder can be helpful as a proper crimp may not exist

[@Soupie62]

Solder on crimps is- controversial. The official line is that, if you apply a crimp to a wire with solder on it, it will "creep" and the wire can eventually come loose. I've seen crimped earth wire rejected, for this reason. Personally, I crimp the wire, THEN add solder. This ensures there is no solder between the crimp surface, and the wire.

[@horacesawyer2487]

@@Soupie62 makes sense! Solder usually always has a bit of a lubricant component to it, doesn't it? Flux or the tinning itself. Definitely can see it would creep ever so slightly in vibration or other movement situations.

[@nicomilanes3710]

Three comments here by pcofranc, Soupie62, and horacesawyer2487, advocate for soldering crimped connections. Do NOT attempt to solder a cold weld joint as is the goal of the crimp process, unless explicitly instructed to do so in the manufacturer's instructions. A company policy does not overturn the authority of the manufacturer; however, a contract might, but that's another story. The purpose for which we use crimped connections is for a faster and "safer" method of securing an electrical connector for establishing good connectivity. A crimp is the process of forming a cold weld between two metals or a connector metal and stranded wire. Applying heat for the process of soldering to a crimp returns plasticity to the joint, releasing the cold weld formed prior and introduces new factors that do not preclude failure. "Safer" in quotes because the performance of the connector is not being referenced but instead "how safe is it for the technician to install," wherein a molten alloy of metal and flux is generally going to take more time, allowing more opportunity for the technician to make mistakes and harm themselves or other components near the work pieces. Regardless if the work performed is subjected to inspection scrutiny following IPC-WHMA, J-STD, MIL-STD, NASA-STD, Advisory Circulars, or whatever, do not mix bonding processes. If you want to solder the connection, then do so without introducing additional extraneous variation to your procedure. This clearly hit a nerve. Sorry if this sounded condescending.

[@noneyabus1]

@@nicomilanes3710 I have noticed something about soldered connections as well. If the connection is used in a way that the wire is moved a lot, it tends to break right where the soldered and non-soldered part meets. In stranded wire, it is designed to bend and can handle a lot of bending. Comes in handy where something is moving the wire or even vibration. The solder makes a part of that wire stiff, no longer able to bend. When it bends often enough, it breaks. Worse yet, it may only be a partial break and results in arcing, intermittent connections etc etc. I used to put a small amount of solder on the end of the wire that is sticking out near the connection point to whatever equipment I am hooking to, the o-ring or blade end if you will. After having to replace some of these due to the wire breaking, I decided not to solder them anymore. It is rare that one breaks now. The wire just flexes as it was designed to do even tho it is crimped. While a little solder *may* make for a better electrical connection, it makes it weaker mechanically. I might add, if one crimps the wire correctly, the electrical connection is as good as it will get without solder. A good crimp tool will practically squeeze the air out from between the individual strands of wire and it is almost solid. A really good crimp tool will make it solid. There are videos here on you tube that shows cutaways of a properly crimped wire. For large wires, I have a crimp tool that is put in a vice. Just wanted to add that tidbit of info.

[@PeteKiefer]

James; well done. Concise and informative. I’m a retired journeyman electrician. I wish all the years of training videos I’ve watched where as well done as yours. I want to double down on what you say about the professional grade tool - that’s the way to go. The cheap tools should be avoided. Good work, Pete

[@neilfromclearwaterfl81]

Most of those really cheap crimpers are just Crimper Shaped Devices and little else. Often those devices that mimic real tools are not designed by engineers but graphic artists so would better be viewed as tool art and nothing more. Yes there are some tools where its less critical like pliers and wrenches where close enough will do for light work however for electrical work you want a real tool capable of making a strong and safe connection Best!

[@BAK87]

Usually these kind of videos are stretched out, wrong and dangerous, this may be the exception. Well done!

[@horacesawyer2487]

Who would have thought so much must go into to fastening a wire to a connector! But it's great stuff. All makes perfect sense and should be done. What an outstanding video this gentleman has made for all of us. Excellence in packing the most information in the shortest time, graphics, and pointing for explanations. All my questions were answered when I re-ran it and thought about it. The comments are gold too. : )

[@tookitogo]

Oh, this only scratches the surface! Crimping is a precision metalworking technique, with tolerances far tighter than most people think. For smaller connectors (like the 0.1” headers commonly used in electronics) the actual crimp tolerances are often in the range of a few hundredths of a mm!!

[@justaguy4real]

Dude, this is one of the best most well explained video instructionals I've ever heard/seen. You answered the questions as I was thinking them. This is how teaching and training should be; you are the epitome of what works. Great job, and if your other videos are this good and thorough, you've got another subscriber in me for sure. *to everyone else, take heed to this guy's tutorial, its superb and I am a very tough judge about giving out kudos like this.

[@kellygb9278]

I agree & I appreciate you sharing the knowledge, but please slow down on the hand waving, a bit hard to take - Thanks

[@jobaecker9752]

Excellent video on what I would have thought is a very simple task. ...A simple task I've been doing wrong for decades now... WOW!

[@bsimpson6204]

From a guy who has cripped many thousands of joints, this is good advice. If you're going to do serious work, intest in a serious crimper

[@jamese9283]

How do you tell the difference between a serious and a cheap crimper?

[@flyingsodwai1382]

@@jamese9283 Well obviously the price difference. The off brand or store brand offerings are suspect. Stick with Klein or Ideal and you are safe. Snap-on or Mac if you like paying for bragging rights. Allen Bradley if you need serious Nasa level precision. Be warry of tools from across the pond, AWG and IEC60228 are not exactly the same so the crimpers might not be just right.

[@jinc1636]

believe me buddy u know if u knw

[@jinc1636]

and bart...pull my finger👉💨

[@hhiippiittyy]

@@jamese9283 Get one from a reputable tool company. Klein is a good bet. Fluke or Knipex. Check forums for electricians. If you care to afford it, get something made in Germany. I had a simple Milwakee stripper-crimper for years and it was great.

[@Flashahol]

I often use the crimper to hold the connector, else double check your wire is inserted correctly before crimping. Excellent video and gets my stamp of approval!

[@LordOfTheThreeWorlds]

By making a wire crimping video about wire crimping and not yourself says a lot about you. Really appreciate it

[@campbellmorrison8540]

Here I thought I knew all about crimping, Ive been doing it for years. I didn't know to crimp the back of a split non insulated type. Learn something every day :)

[@robertnoble3733]

The best terminals (from AMP or whatever they call themselves this year) have an additional metal sleeve under the insulation. With this type of terminal, the proper crimper (AMP/Whatever TetraCrimp) also crimps the insulation barrel, which forms/squeezes the additional metal sleeve around the insulation jacket, forming a strain relief.

[@jerrodkeating7700]

TYCO/AMP actually makes both styles. The connectors with the metal sleeve that grips the insulation are PIDG. Those without the extended metal sleeve to grip the insulation (as seen in this video) are Plasti-Grip. The trade off is that while PIDG may hold on to the wire better, they are only rated for 300V since the internal metal sleeve is closer to the exposed edge of the insulating barrel on the wire end. Plasti-Grip are rated for 600V since the internal metal sleeve is further recessed.

[@007commentator3]

Thank you, that was extremely helpful. And without any annoying fuss or noisy background music.

[@ianbelletti6241]

You had too much conductor sticking out of the bolt side of your crimps. That amount of conductor will affect the screw connection. Also, try to avoid crimping these connectors to solid wire. They tend to not bind well with the solid conductor causing them to slip off too easily. One last thing, you violate the listing of these crimp connectors by drilling out the holes for use with bigger bolts. Get the correct connector for your application rather than modifying them.

[@My-Pal-Hal]

Ah yes. KZbin is a Lawsuit Waiting To Happen 😂 I think that was what you're trying to say. ... from an aerospace guy

[@BigKelvPark]

@@My-Pal-Hal You probably would be using PIDG amp terminals with the correct tool rather than those cheap and nasty things. lol

[@My-Pal-Hal]

@@BigKelvPark Well, I'm an old aerospace guy. So I learned long ago, about getting stuff right the first time 😂 And some the stuff you see on KZbin is just Scary !!! ... we're doomed A decent pair of Kliens is about all you need around the house though 😏 🖖

[@cristianstoica4544]

This was intentional. But for other reasons. It was bound to happen that we will notice and some of us (hopefully many) will comment on it. The side effect would be to drive up the engagement factor for the almighty algorithm.

[@ianbelletti6241]

@@cristianstoica4544 I'm a professional electrician and had to correct the one mistake that he made and add information that he missed but is important. Occasionally I run into situations where I have to crimp a connector to solid wire and I've found it to be a pain in the ass because no matter how hard you try to get a good crimp there's a high failure rate on solid wire. The drilling of the connector for a bigger bolt is another common mistake by the inexperienced.

[@Apismeliffera]

Re stripping insulation @ 02:04. I always strip the insulation from the opposite side of the tool. The force needed to pull the insulation off is less. The tool you show, works well for this purpose when you use the right size hole. I worked as an assembler in an electrical and electronic factory for years. They always bought AMP brand terminals. We were supplied AMP brand crimping tools. Never had one of my crimped on terminals pull off the end of the wire. Like you said, the right tool for the job.

[@willswanderings6912]

So do I. It makes more sense to use a flat surface up against the flat edge of the cut insulation. Why try to pull the insulation off with an angled surface that is going to have a natural tendency to try to ride up over the flat edge of the insulation, which will result in the insulation not being all the way off?

[@russellstephan6844]

Oh God! This is like starting an oil ritual thread on *_any_* motohead forum... After four decades of riding street bikes hundreds of thousands of miles, dirt bikes for thousands of hours, cars and trucks owned for multiple decades, power equipment run forever, and welding and power cable construction, with never a wiring fix/modification/improvement failure, I can tell you what works for me. I remove the little plastic ferrule with a heat gun. The wire is lightly crimped to the terminal, the wire and terminal are soldered, and two to three layers of heat shrink tubing are used to provide the necessary stress relief of the joint. If the application needs to be weatherized, the first layer of heat shrink tubing will be of the self-gluing kind. This is what works and works well for me being provided as only information, not as a declaration of the *_only_* way. Obviously, if what works for you, works, fantastic! Although, given the number of used items I've bought and repaired over the decades, most don't do what works either way...

[@DelticEngine]

I do likewise in removing the plastic ferrule, soldering and then using heatshrink tubing. If you have the soldering skill then this is the best way to go. Even 'proper' crimps where the wire is deformed and there is a gas-tight seal in the crimp go bad over time. Moisture capillaries its way towards into the joint and the physical action of corrosion starts to make it less gas-tight and start to fail. Only soldering prevents this from happening. Some car manufacturers do this kind of thing as standard to ensure a solid and reliable connection for the life of the vehicle.

[@BTW...]

@@DelticEngine Only soldering wicks up the conductor creating a stress fracture failure point. Quality crimp lugs actually crimp down on the insulation aside the electrical connection point. If the 'ratchet' crimper has identical die profiles for connection and insulated ends it's junk, probably sold to motor mechanics who don't know better.

[@scruffscrofula]

An incredible information load. One of the best videos I have ever seen on KZbin!

[@davebing11]

One of the best videos on crimping that I have ever seen! Professional crimpers are often $300 to $500 each and for only one family of connectors. Its not unusual for a shop to have several thousand dollars invested in crimpers. To get repeatable reliable crimps usually require the crimp mfg crimpers.

[@solarsynapse]

The stripper should be for stranded wire as they are slightly larger than strippers for solid wire. If you must use a solid stripper on stranded, move to the next larger size to avoid damaging strands.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

A reputable pair of strippers (e.g. Hozan) will clearly mark which part of the jaws should be for solid or stranded wire of a particular gauge.

[@jameslmorehead]

You crimp non-insulated terminals on the back side if the seam of the terminal's barrel have been soldered or welded. If you deform either of these joints, you greatly weaken them. If you have a non-soldered or welded barrel, then the crimp indent goes on the seam to ensure the tightest connection. And those 12 in 1 pliers are worthless. Spend the $30 to 40 to get a decent pair of strippers and a ratcheting crimper. The head on the crimpers does not need to be one of those swap-able type. Just a simple indention works, even on insulated terminals. Just add a small piece of heat shrink, which should be done most of the time anyway for strain relief. For the non-insulated terminals, look at using double insulated heat shrink. The LDPE lining gets into all the small spaces and makes the connection much less prone to failure.

[@Rondogardener]

To connect two wires end to end, I use an oversized tube connector and run the bare-ended wires past each other until they have a bare end exposed at each end of the connector and then double each end back so the ends are not exposed. Then I crimp the wires as recommended and make sure that the doubled "knots" in the insulated tube are also crimped. This virtually eliminates the wires coming apart.

[@FirstTry379]

You did a great job explaining that. I have seen a lot of bad crimps and don't really blame the average DIY person because the information out there is vague and misleading on how to do it correctly.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

Good job! I'm not a fan of crimps but they really are a necessary evil and very dependant on the quality of both the tool and connector.

[@dougaltolan3017]

A properly made crimp is a cold weld, far superior to soldering or screw terminals.

[@solarsynapse]

Nichrome wire won't solder, and if it did, the solder would melt.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@solarsynapse Correct, nichrome and kanthol aren't well suited for soldering as far as I know.

[@dougaltolan3017]

@@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259 Ahh, heating elephants.. Crimp (cold weld), or spot weld. Esoteric solders can be used, along with esoteric fluxes and cleaning.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@dougaltolan3017 Yes, I think we're talking about brazing. Spot welding seems to be applicable as well, probably more common.

[@mermaid10x]

Personally I hate those hard plastic insulated crimps so I prefer to use heat shrink over non insulated connector. I’m not building airplanes etc but it works for my purposes because I can see exactly how good the crimp is before I cover it. My favourite crimps are the splicing non insulated ones for joining wires together. If done properly the wire will break before the crimp fails.

[@alexanderSydneyOz]

And if one was building aeroplanes, or anything critical, you *definitely* would not be using these connectors! They are weak and prone to coming apart.

[@grundegrimstad4703]

A trick to avoid frayed strands: Pull the insulation only half way off the end of the wire. Then rotate the little bit of insulation with your fingers several times until it screw itself off the end. Then you´re left with a beautiful, straight bundle of wires that doesn´t fray back when you try to press it through a tight hole.

[@rikin6912]

This is also good info...I do this when ...I remember 😂

[@Supercharged111]

I don't like to crimp onto twisted strands. To me they feel like they don't compress as easily and the crimp doesn't get as firm a hold as if the strands were just left in their natural state.

[@baka-baka-baka-baka]

Fam, don't forget to crimp the insulation too! That insulation often serves a purpose, and it can pull out of the crimp's sleeve if the right forces are applied, especially if it has some amount of elasticity (ex: silicone insulated wires). Then shorts are possibles. I also wish the dot codes were explained. I was wondering about those. Thank you for explaining these things. Crimped connections can be REALLY good, but they do come with "operator error" type caveats. Other possible topics worth covering in a comprehensive crimping vid: * Solid core wire * Watertight terminals * Soldering of crimped terminals * Mechanism of crimps and WHY they are good (like how good crimps can cold-fuse or cold-weld wires in the crimp) * Dot codes * Terminal types besides red/blue/yellow terminals, ex: PCB headers and powerpole. * Different lug (terminal connection) types: ring, spade/fork, butt, splice, disconnect, pin, PCB header, etc. IMO, _flanged_ spade/tongue/fork terminals don't get enough love! (That's where there's a little bend at the end of the fork tines that help lock it in place, so it's more secure than a normal fork/spade, without the inconvenience of a ring connection.) * Practices for residential power wiring. (Here in the US it is possible to use crimped connections for this, but it comes with caveats about using UL-listed terminals and compatible devices (supposedly). Then there are those really cool "grounding pigtails" that use stranded wire and have a ring terminal and ground screw on one end, and a flanged spade terminal on the other end. I tried providing a link, but I think KZbin rejects my comment if I put links.) * Use cases: when crimping is or isn't appropriate and why

[@mkuehn5450]

you're confusing the cheap color coding with proper heat shrink / glue strain relief. with those cheap connectors, i usually throw away the plastic and crimp then solder the joint. it's about keeping air and corrosion off of connections, plus ampacity, the ability to carry an electrical load. strain relief is nearly an entirely different video.

[@baka-baka-baka-baka]

​@@mkuehn5450 No confusion here. What's proper for strain relief is circumstantial (and yes, it can be a complicated subject). Depending on what you mean, I might not even talking about strain relief. Rather, I am specifically talking about a feature of the color coded crimp-on terminals that are intended for use with insulated wires. The color-coded crimps have a wide end and a narrow end. The narrow end has the metal smashy bit in it and the ring/spade/plug/pin/etc comes out of the narrow end. The wide end is... empty. The wire is inserted into the wide end, with the exposed conductor travelling all the way through and barely out of the other side (narrow end). When stripped to the correct length, pushing the wire in will cause it to stop when the insulation meets the metal smashy bit (and it does not go into it, only the exposed conductor goes through that). So the insulation occupies the wide side of the connector, and the bare conductor occupies the narrow side. The matching/corresponding ratcheting crimp tool will have a die in it (usually with 3 sizes of crimp cut into the die) that is asymmetrical: a narrow side and a wide side. The narrow end of the connector is supposed to go into the smaller/narrower side of the die, and the wide end of the connector is supposed to go into the bigger/wider side of the die. When the crimper closes on the connector, it crushes BOTH ends, thus fusing the exposed conductor to the metal in the narrow end of the connector, while also pinching the insulation with the connector's plastic sleeve. If we do not have a ratcheting crimp tool, then we can accomplish the same thing by crimping the narrow side and the wide side individually. Either way, the wide end of color-coded crimp connectors is definitely supposed to grab the wire's insulation and prevent it from travelling away from the connection. This function of "prevent the insulation from moving away from the connection" might be strain relief (depending on who you're asking), but it isn't as broad as everything that strain relief might be. Examples: strain relief also refers to the little rubber mold near the plug-end of various cords, whose purpose is to avoid the wire from being bent too tightly while it is plugged in and thus reduce the amount of damage caused to the metallic conductors by repeated metal deformation while the wire is moved. In residential electrical work, at least in the US, strain relief could (for example) refer to the screw-down clamp connectors that we are required to install on metallic junction boxes wherever NM (Romex) cable enters such a box. These transfer any tension (pulling) on the wire away from the connections in the box, and into the connector and box itself, and possibly into the structure that the box is fastened onto. (Also, if the wire comes loose, it is less likely to end up having its jacket+insulation shredded from being scrapped against the sharp sides of the knock-out, possibly while energized.) Insulation retention, bend restriction, tension transfer: these are all distinctly different functions that I've variously seen described as "strain relief". (Sorry if that's a bit too much explanation. But I at least wanted to explain why I am intentionally avoiding the term "strain relief": it's because that term can mean so many different things to different people.) I do wonder what would cause corrosion problems such that you would feel the need to put solder over a crimped connection. Battery terminals? Marine air? Industrial chemicals?

[@ceeweedsl]

@@baka-baka-baka-baka Very good. I didn't think about crimping the hard plastic onto the wire insulation. But I always substitute heat shrink for that plastic anyway. It seems that you are coming from a building electrician's perspective in climate friendly environments but these connectors are often used in automotive and exterior (pump box for example) conditions and corrosion resistance is important. We live on a tropical coast and I coat any screw terminals in boxes in no-ox or grease as well. The typical AC wire used is stranded here and it is not unusual to open a ten year old box and find some of the copper strands corroded away. I should probably start using spade lugs and heat shrink on them.

[@baka-baka-baka-baka]

@@ceeweedsl My experience is a pretty mixed grab-bag of things, including some building electrical. But yeah, mostly (if not entirely) in friendly climate. I am aware of the problems posed by coastal air and I am glad that I haven't had to deal with that. Smothering everything in grease (e.g. silicone/dialectric) sounds like something I would do in that situation. Indeed, sometimes I do that anyways, just to be properly overkill for things that need to be very permanent and last a long time. I like stranded wire a lot, but it is probably a lot more vulnerable to corrosion. That sounds tough. Perhaps there is a silver lining in that corrosion can at least be mitigated, though at some cost of effort+components+supplies.

[@alhampton1211]

The actual squeezing process should be accomplished by first inserting the connector into the crimper device so it can be held firmly (with your hand) in the squeeze position. Then, you can insert the wire tip into the connector exactly where you want it, then simply squeeze the handle. If one inserts the wire into the crimp, and then applies the crimper tool, there is much more opportunity to inadvertently allow the wire position to be altered, resulting in an improper crimp result. This process is even more useful when having to make a crimp in a close quarter area.

[@general5104]

Been there, done that. Excellent advice.

[@k.b.tidwell]

I agree completely, and when you're crimping large cables like the 2/0 on heavy trucks and equipment, maneuvering all of the moving pieces into the correct spots can be a trial if you don't place the terminal in the tool FIRST and then insert the wire. With heavy wire often you have to orient the ends for correct alignment on the equipment because if the wire is shorter you a lot of times don't have enough "twist" to compensate for misalignment, so making sure the terminal stays angled how you want it is important.

[@michaelking3812]

Great vid very concise , The most important part of the whole process is the ' tug test' , We MUST prove that the cable is firmly crimped in the ferule on every crimp, most crimp tools wear with time and don't always function as good as when they where new .

[@TheCynysterMind]

Wow for once I can see a tutorial that is actually CORRECT for a change. Well done.

[@dellalderman8011]

Nice video. No frills straight to the point. I have been doing it wrong all along. Thanks for the right way. Amazing what you can learn just by reading the instructions "on" the tool!!!!

[@obviouslytrollmster1532]

@3:15 i completely forgot about this, haven't used either style terminal for years, i kept getting the weirdest/wrongest crimps after i went through a 25 pack...i found your video lmfaoooo.

[@radiorob]

Well done. Precise and concise. When doing non insulated terminals I remember my electronics instructor saying "Saddle the Seam"

[@R3dRicky]

As someone who has been taught this and has to do this over hundreds of times for relaycabinets for railways you have explained this well. It is really important to get this right in applications I work on these connectors have to last over 20 years and deal with daily vibrations from trains passing by.

[@antelopeslr5000]

If you want consistency when terminating terminals like these, get yourself a Daniels DMC HX4 tool with a Y501 die set. I highly recommend them. Expensive? Hell yes, but they are the bomb! As an Avionics Technician, I’ve used them for 25 years in the Defence Aerospace industry and I doubt you’ll find yourself a better crimping tool for the job.

[@Roq-stone]

Yep, I've been crimping along, but I agree with your suggestions. I will change my style. I learnt from you dude. The last two points are golden.

[@FJBsaidcornpop]

I won a 700 cordless crimp tool, because I would never pay that much for one nor would I need it really but let me tell you, if you are crimping a lot of wires it's the only way to go. Perfect everytime and you are not wearing your hand out. You can get different dies for it for different wires. Its a keeper for sure, all my brothers borrow it all the time, need to start renting it out to them. LoL

[@fortuner123]

Excellent. Informative. Fast. No waffle. Well done.

[@gatotirawan2228]

This is a very good and clear video, but please pay attention so that the wire strand stick out in from the wire barrel for only 1mm. Otherwise it will get pinched when screwing on the terminal and make uneven contact on the screw which lead to screw loosening and heat build up.

[@gatotirawan2228]

And for better result please use ratcheting crimper to avoid "half crimped"

[@youtubular007]

Thank you. Best instructional video ever. You need to be the model for how all other training videos are made.

[@guffermeister]

Dont twist the strands. They go in straight. By twisting the strands you introduce high spots and the crimps don't grip well and won't have the mechanical pulling stength. Also can affect the electrical conductivity through a smaller contact area if the crimp isn't done very tight.

[@HDL_CinC_Dragon]

I was looking for this comment. Never twist the strands!

[@jamescole3152]

Unless...... there is always an exception.

[@HDL_CinC_Dragon]

@@jamescole3152 if there's an exception to this rule, I've never heard it.

[@CheefKritic]

Thanks for this. I've always twisted the strands to make connections. Never again.

[@TheContiGT]

Needed this before some modifications to my bike wiring. Straight to the point and no nonsense. Subbed

[@danielboughton3624]

Note that this does not cover all cases. Shrink wrap connectors require a different die set as do small computer pin connectors. These standard plastic covered connectors are common but are not the only game around. Automotive pin connectors for a harness have a separate die as well that folds the 2 parts of the pin separately. Non-ratched multi-purpose crimpers are generally junk. There are some pro versions that are alright but the cost of ratchet crimpers plus dies are competitive in price with pro non-ratchet versions. Better ratchet versions will be adjustable and not all die sets are created equal.

[@johnpowell5433]

Quick, clear, and concise. Great video.

[@hardlyb]

Good video. FYI, the reason the divet goes on the side opposite the joint is that it's quite a bit stronger on that side. There are open-barrel crimpers which make a crimp that looks a bit like using an uninsulated crimper on the joint side, but it's a very different process. You can also find uninsulated crimps which don't have a joint, so you won't need to worry about how you're crimping.

[@dubmob151]

If the divot was on the seam side, it would cause it to open up and not hold securely, it needs to be done on the solid side so the seam remains closed -

[@leapnlarry]

Your videos remind me of chrisfix videos. Good job, im surprised your videos dont have more views. Larry

[@richardbarns9484]

Great video. Clear, concise, to the point and full of good information.

[@thomasdsmith7678]

40 years as an ASE Master and no one ever showed me the proper use of the guides on the crimper tools, or the two different crimper positions. Thanks..

[@Chris_at_Home]

I worked a job doing electronics wiring in nuclear submarines in the mid 1970s. We used uninsulated lugs with a a crimp tool with a peg that was crimped on the back side opposite the barrel seam. We slide labeled spaghetti over the wire before we crimped them and slid the spaghetti over the barrel of the lug.

[@thanapatrachartburut513]

Yes . This is what everybody should see.

[@james_gatlin]

👌🏼

[@wrylife57]

Exactly the video I need to reconnect broiler element on my range. I bought the cheap crimper tool ($11 & looks exactly like the one in this vid) but I only have three wires to connect/crimp and can't justify a more expensive tool. Fingers crossed it will do the trick. At least now I know how to do it correctly.

[@brettski74]

The SN-28B crimper that you show is for a completely different style of crimp connector that has open tabs that fold over and into the wire being crimped. You wouldn't use that on the crimp connectors you showed here. It's possible you can change the dies out for a more appropriate die. Other than that, nice crimps.

[@colinellicott9737]

Best vid I've seen on this, Thx. Would add one point, the insulated crimp should have a second crimp of the insulation on to the insulation. This provides a strain relief, not a seal of any kind. Thx again.

[@markae0]

Your teaser photo of four crimps is not explained in the video. I was expecting an explanation of what was wrong with the crimps in the photo teaser.

[@james_gatlin]

Your right, it would have been useful to show examples of incorrect crimps, it was indirectly explained, first one is to small, second is crimped on the wrong side, and the third it to large, its just a thumbnail though, thanks for the comment, future videos will elaborate more

[@clmn6712]

In my years of working on machinery I have crimped thousands of terminals and whether it's an insulated or non-insulated terminal I always use the non-insulated crimper to set the wire tight and securely in the terminal. I have also had to teach more than one 'professional' that it does matter and you can't use the non-insulated crimper upside down.

[@graham2631]

Good coverage of the proper technique. Personally, l hate insulated connectors for two reasons, there 10x the cost of non-insulated ones. More important, it's too easy not to use enough force and have a loose connection. I believe non-insulated and shrink-wrap is best.

[@stoker20]

Last week I did a solderless connector. Carefully crimped all the way around with Waldom pliers, then I soldered at the tip of the wire. I heated the mashed plastic on the connector and it reformed itself into a like new unsmashed shape. Surprised the heck out of me.

[@tookitogo]

Never, ever combine soldering and crimping. Soldering does not improve a properly-done crimp, but weakens the assembly by wicking up the wire. Indeed, the insulation on most insulated terminals is polyolefin, the same material as ordinary heat-shrink tubing.

[@amittyagiat80]

Excellent video with pretty clear camera focus. Neat and clean with procedure explained for each type of wire gauges.

[@vwlowen]

With insulated terminals, I was taught to lightly crimp over the wire's insulation in addition to the full "hard" crimp over the metal part. I've always asumed it was to add s little extra support to the actual crimp but I've never found a video which does it. I guess I was doing it wrong for 40 years :)

[@tellyfaulkner3466]

I do that as well and for the same reasoning.

[@eekee6034]

I can think of 2 ways it might help, but I don't see either helping very much. It could make the insulation act like a light strain relief sleeve if the wire gets yanked sideways to the connector. It might make the insulation support the wire in tension, but I guess the insulation is always too elastic to help.

[@hernansantamaria6384]

Thanks ....vary valuable information...keep doing more like that....rookies like me appreciate it😊

[@bwvideo0905]

There is some good information here and a well done video. My background is in harness troubleshooting in luxury auto manufacturing and instead of ring and spade or speaker type terminals, the type terminals that lock into multi pin electrical connectors as in 100+ pin with terminals made by TE, Kostal, etc. In those the crimper almost always had to be manufactured by the terminal maker. But for the DIYer, the cheap stripper/crimper will usually work well. That's what i use for my boat and boat trailer harnesses. I will echo one comment that in the video the amount of copper protruding on the terminal side was too much, and will add that if there is any bellmouth on the crimp, it should be on the wire side, not on the terminal side. A bellmouth is to keep the crimp from cutting into the copper and helping to prevent cutting into the copper if the wire needs to move around. Thanks again for a good video.

[@peterpan7903]

The crimping pliers shown last are not intended for connectors with insulation. These pliers are used for other connectors that do not have these coloured sleeves. If you show something then it should also be shown correctly.

[@hhiippiittyy]

I've done a lot of crimping, and in my applications I find the non-insulated crimper works best for both. I also give the strands a slight twist.

[@d32b44]

FINALLY ! THANK YOU!! only vid I've seen that explaines where the gap should be

[@antoniorios3856]

Straight foward vid, this is so helpful. Also I have been using the wrong sizes for a while...oops

[@solo764u]

Thanx for sharing I fixed my light you saved me big $$$$$

[@flyingsodwai1382]

I am an industrial service electrician and I approve of this video 😜 . ( although to be persnickety there was to much conductor pushed past the barrel on the blue crimp. It'll have to be bent out of the way to not get under the washer on the terminal making it look all ratty and haphazard.) Great editing on the video though, keep up the good work!

[@sandersonstunes]

Back at an older job I had in manufacturing, small business making custom electronics, I was making these crimped terminals then I added a little solder to the tip of the copper sticking out the end there. This insured the wire would never pull out. We did other custom mods to cabling like adding hot glue strain relief to a LCD display cable that we kept finding the tiny pins getting pulled out. A couple times I had to splice USB cables to get the right connector on one end. It didn’t look pretty but it worked.

[@Weasel_NM575]

For the ppl saying this is a perfect example what to do well this is an example of what not to do when crimping terminals 🤷🏽

[@benjamindover7399]

Solder has always been my choice. It takes a little more time, but a well soldered connector never fails.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

Me too, whenever possible. I at least try pulling the terminal off the wire using a good tug and make sure the crimp is mechaniclly tight, not lose.

[@fatillacing4131]

I used to think that too but I've read that solder in a non-static environment can stress fracture with movement and fail and that a quality crimp is superior in those applications. Also a crimp can be done in the rain if necessary. Just some thoughts.

[@DelticEngine]

@@fatillacing4131 I've soldered automotive connections. The solder joint itself has never failed on me, although care is necessary as it's easy to make a bad joint. On occasion when I've found a failure it was not the actual soldered joint that failed. I also have well over thirty years of soldering experience ranging from surface mount electronic components of around a millimetre to jumper(booster) cables and battery terminals. Sometimes I both crimp and then solder. Also, some car manufacturers solder the crimp connections from the factory to ensure a solid and reliable connection over the lifetime of the vehicle.

[@chris_vandepeer]

Yep i always solder never crimp.

[@thisisyourcaptainspeaking2259]

@@fatillacing4131 Soldering seals the connection so it cant oxidize internally and doesn't release tension. Solder can release and fail if the current or temperature are high enough to soften the solder. This means it's likely to fail if the ring terminal is attached to a resistive element or hot surface. Notice these connections are often spot-welded.

[@LWRC]

This is by far THE BEST VIDEO on wire connectors, crimping, insulated and non-insulated terminals!!! The explanations are clear, concise and to the point. The camera work is clear and up close for viewers to see clearly exactly what you are referring to!!! Fantastic!!!!

[@randallvaughn9318]

Where I work we must use double crimp connectors. CE marking requires it . The last tool you showed is made for that. It crimps on the wire and the insulation.

[@MrConspark]

Great video, very good for beginners and tradies who may not have ever learnt this methods. As an auto sparky, having done thousands of these over the years, I'd recommend the ratchet crimpers, which aren't as expensive these days and save your wrists later in life 😁👍

[@flyback_driver]

2:23 I like to add a small amount of solder to the ends of the wires before inserting it into a connector. It prevents the wire from fraying and can still be formed by the crimping tool.

[@ironsmith9769]

i've never got a better crimp with a pro tool than i've got with knippex pliers wrench. i had several tools from stamped to forged to ratcheting and not only did i get a better crimp from the pliers wrench but the pliers wrench is also much more useful for other tasks.

[@jeffgrave]

Been an electrical engineer for 50 years, been doing this wrong! Thanks for the clarity.

[@wasserman63]

If you do professionally use an electrical tool to remove the insulation, it melts true it and prevents damage an the strands

[@general5104]

First off, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO. When you choose a crimp-on lug, the first thing you do is to look at the INSIDE of the insulated hole, opposite of the ring or slip in or splice. See how much METAL is there. (Some brands have 3/16" and some have 1/4".) Push your wire, before you strip it, up in to the insulated sleeve and put your thumbnail into the insulation, right at the edge of the sleeve with the wire shoved all the way in. Now, pull the wire out, keeping your thumbnail where it is in the insulation. Lay the wire up next to the lug you're going to use, with uour thumbnail touching the back of the sleeve. The distance between the end of the wire and the end of the hole in the lug, where the wire goes, is the distance you should strip the outside insulation. When you're getting used to a certain brand of lugs and wire, you should ALWAYS do this, so you will know the proper length to strip. YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE WIRE LAYING OUT ON THE SURFACE OF THE LUG FACE !!! It prevents even surface contact by screws or brass washers and could lead to corrosion failures down the road. You are right, you SHOULD see wire at the edge of the hole, but it should NEVER continue out of that hole. The strippers, you were using, have their use. They are excellent for cutting off screws. The tip radiuses (marked insulation), ISN'T for crimping the lug for the electrical connection. They are to be used AFTER the lug has been crimped onto your wire. The ones with the radiuses are to squeeze the cord strain relief, at the back of some lugs, like AMP terminals. They have thin metal in the plastic, that pinches into the insulation, helping the wire stay resilient. (Some cheaper lugs don't have that feature.) (The company I worked for, sent a small group of us to take a course, making us better using AMP connectors. It was taught by an AMP instructor.) The large radius, in the handle, holds the lug's butt-joint together, and the radiused pin shoves the back side into the wire, pressing it into a radius, giving it MORE SURFACE CONTACT with the wire, thus making the connection more efficient, and less likely to heat up. "Stakon" has the best luggers and cutters. Klein is the next best. Both are professional grade and will set you back about $25 or $30 for a pair, but you can deliver a super good crimp, every time. ( I completely wore out two pair, but it took 35 years to do it and thousands of lugs crimpes.) Thanks again for your video. I hope this helps.

[@Ali_ON3]

Thanks for great video 👍. Short and to the point.

[@poly_hexamethyl]

3:41 I second the advice of not using the cheapest crimp tools. I had one for years and could never figure out why I could never get a good crimp and always ended having to solder my terminals afterwards, since the wire could easily be pulled out otherwise.

[@stevenwu78]

thank you for your clear and detailed demostration.

[@garymeegan-b9x]

When using stranded wire before you insert your wire into the connector twist the wire end in the opposite direction which will make the wire end tighter giving you a better connection.

[@iankidd6654]

FYI solid wire should never be crimped

[@j.f.christ8421]

No, you don't twist the wire. Strip, insert, crimp.

[@Rubensgardens.Skogsmuseum]

Note: Don’t give the wire a extra twist before inserting it. It will cause the strands to cross over and break easier. Let the strands be like they are in the cable.

[@nerdful1]

mil spec instructor said keep the 'lay of the wires" as it was under the insulation.

[@kensmith5694]

@@nerdful1Yes, and this means they are twisted somewhat.

[@whatevernamegoeshere3644]

Mate, 3 sizes? What are you on about? In mm2, it goes like red is 1.5, blue is 2.5, yellow is 6 (it's usually listed as 4 to 6, there isn't one for 4mm2) Then it starts over and goes red is red is 10, blue is 16, yellow is 25, red is 35. After that they are generally uninsulated and you have to heat shrink them yourself, but honestly in those applications you need to be able to inspect your crimp very well and the pressure is pretty harsh so it couldn't be insulated anyway

[@tookitogo]

There are smaller versions, too! The Swiss manufacturer (Vogt) we use at work for these things uses: 0.14-0.5mm2: yellow 0.5-1mm2: red 1.5-2.5mm2: blue 4-6mm2: yellow

[@PE4Doers]

An 'Excellent' tutorial. Great job - thanks 🙂

[@Nudnik1]

Divet on non gap in both non insulated and insulated. I solder after crimp on critical connections in corrosive salt water areas. Thank you 👍

[@TheEvertw]

Excellent video. Especially the comment about not being afraid to pull on the connectors to check them. If properly crimped, you should not be able to pull them off by hand.

[@caffeinatedinsanity2324]

Also worth metionning. The quality of the terminals also matters a lot. I bought a kit once from Amazon, was a pretty terrible idea. I thought I crimped incorrectly because when I tugged on the wires, they would tend to slip off and no strand was damaged. However, I bought some proper quality ones from the hardware store, and once crimped, they held on tight. I even used a scrap wire to tug it to failure once, and it tore off some strands. I also went as far as to cut off the plastic insulation from some of these terminals (both the crap ans good ones) and there was a significant difference in the thickness of the metal. The Amazon ones were easily < 1mm, versus the good ones that were a little bit > 1mm. Too thin, what probably happened was that the metal springed back out of shape, and hence the reason why it had that rather loose grip on the wires.

[@ralanham76]

Very interesting comments, I've never made these for work only for hobbies. I've made plenty of RF cable connections. This is whole nother thing.

[@escargo0133]

I would recommend no more then 1/16 " wire protrusion to help prevent possibility of shorting or damage to conductors during installation.

[@georgeszilva1223]

I only use the non insulated crimp feature regardless of whether its insulated or not...much nicer result!

[@Atetus94]

Very good presentation :)

[@rjw7058]

nice tut, why on the insulated connector would you have the wire exposed beyond the plastic sleeve? would that not b a possible short circuit zone? also, where are non insulated connectors used? thnx

[@MatthewBerginGarage]

I only use T&B or equivalent uninsulated terminals. Insulated terminals look like crap. Use some heat shrink to insulate and make the connections look beautiful. Not the clunky plastic crap.