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Hydraulic Crimping Tools & converting to AWG?

6K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  eko_eko 
#1 ·
I'll have a small project that needs four #2AWG lugs crimped, and while I could order to cables from genuinedealz, I though maybe by no Amazon would have a hydraulic crimper that had AWG not mm2 dies.

Nope.

The mm2 dies always are too loose for AWG wires. The worst being maybe #6AWG where about 13.3mm2 is expected to crimp tight in a 15mm2 die?

Now, I can see that if our "SAE" crimping cups are thicker walled than the mm2 ones in China are, the finished crimp could still match up. And I appreciate that lugs and dies (the tool) should come from the same matching source, in the best of worlds.

But I'm wondering if those "loose" mm2 dies could be made a bit tighter, converted to AWG sizes, by simply grinding a little bit off their mating edges, so that the dies "overbit" and simply crimped down a little tighter than they were designed to? Making them right for AWG die sizes.

I know, nuisance time with a grinder. But I've go the grinder, and only need to grind one die, once in a long time, so there's not a lot of extra work to just do each one when and as needed.

Not totally mad?

I don't mind ordering in crimped cables...I'd just like to have the tool in hand, on site, for the times when ordering in would just hold a project up by a week.
 
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#4 ·
If a bit of grinding will do it, why not? How about a Swage-it tool? I've done large electrical crimps with one of those. The #8 hardened bolts on those can exert lots of pressure, more than the metal can take before it extrudes and probably as much as any $250 crimper.
 
#7 ·
Dunno. Also remember that you need to allow for the thickness of a "standard" lug itself, not just the wire. And every maker seems to just say "Use our lugs with our tool" rather than discuss whether there are any standards.

So you take a dull chisel and a maul...(G)
 
#8 ·
I've never been able to justify buying one of those expensive crimpers just to do an occasional cable end either. Sometimes you just have to make something functional and forego "perfect."
 
#10 ·
I've used the nicopress swage tool on electric cables and it works pretty well, but not a "perfect" crimp. The bench mounted one at your local West Marine is quick and easy, especially of you bought the wire or lugs there. They might get a little upset of you brought your own parts in to do it.
 
#13 ·
Shoving a copper brad, or a piece of extra wire, into the wire bundle before crimping it would do just as well, with less cutting & fiddling needed. And either more math ( to add specific mm2) or less precise crimping.(G)

Elevator motor cables are soldered onto their lugs, and those are way bigger than anything we play with. Apparently "elevator solder" must be the magic difference.(G)
 
#14 ·
I usually solder them anyway. To me it's a kind of "tinning" if nothing else. I wouldn't trust solder of any type (silver/tin, etc.) for any strength as it would quickly melt if the cable heated up. The toughest thing is sealing the cable ends to keep moisture out over time. There doesn't seem to be any kind of wire insulation that effectively protects the wire for years either. The rubber coating on marine wire and TW type wire all seems to let enough moisture through to corrode internally over long periods of time. THHN in some kind of conduit where possible is probably the most moisture resistant but THHN is not as flexible'fine-stranded as marine rated wire. For the big cables that run through bilges and around corners, flexibility is more important. Too bad they have that lousy rubber insulation that lets molecular moisture in.
 
#15 ·
Bear in mind that even with the best sealing, moist air already has been in there since it was manufactured. And wire strands, rough edges, etc. can put pinholes in the insulation. So...there's tinned wire.

Some types of rubber/vinyl sealant also are just not going to stick to some kinds of very good insulation, like Teflon. Or PVC that's bleeding plasticizers. But good crimps, good sealant, good wire, and the Creeping Crud doesn't seem to get in unless you really encourage it.

I'd like to "do it right" but I think sometimes we overthink and obsess about just how precise a "good enough" electrical connection has to be. Somehow, I don't think Mr. Edison or Mr. Tesla lost much sleep over that.
 
#18 ·
AWG and mm2 cable sizes just don't match up. The existence of conversion charts just "proves" a certain amount of mismatch in crimping diameters and tensions is perfectly normal and acceptable, at least to some.

I like it best when a manufacturer hints that crimps will only work if you use THEIR tool and THEIR crimp, because no one else knows the correct gauge of metal to make the crimp with, or how to form and plate it. (Ahuh, sure.)
 
#19 ·
Bought a hydraulic wire crimper from Harbor Freight. There was slight size issue with one of the dies but not enough to worry about. Don't have it near me but seem to remember it went down or up to '0' gauge wire. Used it in rewiring my boat and it has worked through the refit and is still working fine.

Not fond of HF power tools, have burned up a number of them in short order but the Wire Crimper/Swager seems to fit the needs of the one boat rebuilder: Hydraulic Wire Crimping Tool
 
#20 ·
My HF hydraulic crimper left "ears" on crimps. I started rotating it 1/6th of a turn once an earlet started to form and then crimping again. It took four or five rotations to get a clean crimp.

The crimps ended up looking pretty good, but their "00" kit only really goes down to 2AWG.
 
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