[Maine Sail]

Proper Crimping = STRONG!

Hi all,

I'm in the process of writing another article for my web site and thought I post a couple of photos that might be an eye opener for some. While I was not surprised by this I'm going to guess some will be.

I used an adhesive lined heat shrink butt connector and a two lengths of 10ga marine grade UL listed tinned wire. To make the crimp I used a pair of Ancor Marine ratcheting crimper's that are specifically designed for crimping heat shrink connectors. The crimpers are model #702010 and can be seen here: Ancor Heat Shrink Crimper

I wanted to show how strong properly executed crimps are, for the many who doubt the strength. I decided the best way to show the strength would be to hang a couple of my anchors (my Rocna and my Super Max) from the crimped butt connector. These two anchors weigh in at close to 70lbs..

I think the photos speak for them selves.

The Crimp:

The Connection:

The Strength:

 

[TSOJOURNER]

That's impressive! I'm a believer. Thanks for posting the photos.

 

[Maine Sail]

Ok, I stepped it up!!!

I just went out to the barn and dug out a couple more anchors!

This photo shows the same crimp as above but this time with FOUR anchors a Rocna 33, Super Max 35, Spade A-80 (15lbs) and a Fortress FX-16 (10lbs).

This crimped connector is holding about a 93 lbs. of static load!

P.S. You can not execute a proper & strong crimp with cheap crimper's hardware store grade crimper's...

 

[Valiente]

Halekai, seeing the state of tidyness and readiness in which you keep your boat made me think you were a "details guy", but this is experimental data of the first order. Thanks for broadening my perspectives.

 

[k1vsk]

I think it's important to note that strength of the connection and it's electrical properties can be mutually exclusive. Certainly, doing both doesn't hurt but simply looking at the strength of the connection is not a good indicator of anything, particularly the integrity of the electrical bond or it's water resistance.

 

[sailaway21]

halekai,
It's really winter, isn't it? (g)

I've said elsewhere, but will repeat again, I've pulled sixty pound submersible well pumps out of the well from a depth of 150' on the pump wire, 12Gg., alone. The motor leads are attached to the pump wire via sta-cons and shrink tubing similar to that seen in halekai's photos. And that pulling involves dynamic loading of the splice, not just static loading. And those sta-cons are crimped using just Klein pliers.

I can see why some might prefer the clear shrink tubing, but I prefer the heavy wall black myself. You'll not find the heavy wall at WM or any other marine outlet I've seen.

If you are looking for quality at a good price, you can find the crimp sta-cons and the heavy wall black, as well as the clear, at a well-drilling supply house. The clear often comes in packs of three pre-cut pieces with three sta-cons and will run you about $2.50 retail per pack. The heavy wall black comes in 1 foot lengths or longer at about $4 the foot, retail. Prices do vary widely depending on supplier, so it's worth checking. Sta-con's can be bought for about $5 the hundred.

If you want to make a splice of similar nature, but not use heat, you can purchase "re-usable" shrink tubing that is silicone impregnated. Not all well-drilling supply houses carry it. It has the appearance of the normal shrink tubing upon completion, but does not require shrinking to fit. While initially quite sceptical of it, I found it works quite well, although I've never re-used it. At the cost involved in pulling a pump, it's just not sensible to gain such experience at a customer's possible expense.

Bear in mind that these splices I make are on submersible pumps and they spend their life completely submerged with anything from ten feet to two hundred feet of water over them. I pull them out every day after thirty years of submergence and still doing fine. I'd be lieing if I didn't tell you though, that you can make as good a splice with a sta-con and three wraps of Scotch 88 electrical tape. It will be significantly longer and takes practise and skill to properly execute. It's what we used to use before shrink tube came along.

A great post and practical demonstration, halekai! Now quit fooling around and get the driveway shovelled out! (a vbg)

 

[camaraderie]

Halekai ...How about a dynamic test with Sway tying said wire around his neck and jumping off something about 8 ft. high?

 

[lharmon]

Thanks for the great lesson. Pictures are worth a thousand words and you have drummed the need for crimped splices into my head. Now I have to buy the crimpers.

Thanks for a great post and taking the time to share.

LH

 

[Maine Sail]

Pictures are worth a thousand words and you have drummed the need for crimped splices into my head. Now I have to buy the crimpers.LH

These are the crimper's I use. These crimper's are designed specifically for use with marine grade heat shrink terminals. They will not damage the heat shrink and will yield a very, very strong, cold formed, crimp. This pair is distributed by Ancor Products and are called the "Single Crimp Ratchet Tool" Part No. 702010. I paid about $55.00 for this crimper at Hamilton Marine in Portland, Maine.

Use these:

Not crimper's like these:

 

[sailingdog]

Halekai-

What you really want is the Ancor 702015 Double Crimp tool, not the one you're using. The main difference is that the 702015 has two sets of crimping jaws, one for the wire and one for the insulation strain relief. The one you are using, the Ancor 702010 only has a single set of jaws.

 

[badsanta]

IHARMAN, how do you like that max anchor???

 

[Maine Sail]

Halekai-

What you really want is the Ancor 702015 Double Crimp tool, not the one you're using. The main difference is that the 702015 has two sets of crimping jaws, one for the wire and one for the insulation strain relief. The one you are using, the Ancor 702010 only has a single set of jaws.

SD that's exactly correct! I'm using a single crimp tool that's specifically designed for heat shrink fittings! There is NO need to use a double crimp tool on heat shrink terminals and Ancor specifically makes or sources this tool specifically for crimping the heat shrink connectors so you don't damage the heat shrink with the sharper edges of the double crimp jaws.

I DO own a double crimper and use it for non-heat shrink connectors as it's dies are designed specifically for non-heat shrink insulated terminals.

Here's my set of double crimper's:

The smooth, well machined, jaws of my "heat shrink" crimper's (read no ripping the heat shrink):

The crimp:

The crimp after heat shrinking:

And again, the evidence shows that I used the right crimper!:

Yes I can buy the proper heat shrink dies for my "double crimper's" but swapping dies is a PITA..

 

[Maine Sail]

Actually

IHARMAN, how do you like that max anchor???

Actually that Max anchor pictured is mine not IHARMAN's..

My honest assessment is that it's slightly better than a CQR but still far behind the much better performing anchors like my Rocna, Spade or Manson Supreme. For the price I'd have to say go for a Rocna or a Manson Supreme!

 

[artbyjody]

Did you actually do the same test using a soldered connection with the heat shrink applied likewise - I surmise it is not necessarily the crimp giving strength as much as what the heat shrink contributes....just curious as the heat shrink bonds to the wire's insulation and therefore provides strain relief....

 

[sailingdog]

Halekai-

I think cabin fever is setting in...

 

[Maine Sail]

Did you actually do the same test using a soldered connection with the heat shrink applied likewise - I surmise it is not necessarily the crimp giving strength as much as what the heat shrink contributes....just curious as the heat shrink bonds to the wire's insulation and therefore provides strain relief....

I did not because any soldered connection installed on a boat, to comply with ABYC, must first be affixed mechanically before being soldered. So if I crimped a non-insulated terminal, then soldered it, then used adhesive liend heat shrink it would only add to the strength.

The reason I'm not showing soldered connections in my article is that 99% of the soldered joints I've run into on boats were made incorrectly. Soldering is a learned art and crimping is an easy skill that can be learned in about an hour.

Here's what the ABYC has to say:
"Solder shall not be the sole means of mechanical connection in any circuit.”11.16.3.7."

"Solderless crimp on connectors shall be attached with the type of crimping tools designed for the connector used, and that will produce a connection meeting the requirements of E-11.16.3.3.” 11.16.3.8."

 

[Maine Sail]

Halekai-

I think cabin fever is setting in...

No doubt! We partied a little to hard last night with some friends and this is how I worked off my hangover today. Oh, and I cleaned the barn too..

 

[artbyjody]

Here's what the ABYC has to say:
"Solder shall not be the sole means of mechanical connection in any circuit.”11.16.3.7."

The heat shrink is a mechanical connection as well and therefore would abide by the ABYC rules... Whilst in the Navy as an Electrician - never did we crimp wire - we soldered them with the heat shrink applied...Think you are missing out on the comparison (Soldering is not that difficult and takes maybe more than an hour - to learn to do properly but not difficult by any means)..Since the thread does state - "Crimp versus Solder).....none the less good work...

 

[Maine Sail]

The heat shrink is a mechanical connection as well and therefore would abide by the ABYC rules... Whilst in the Navy as an Electrician - never did we crimp wire - we soldered them with the heat shrink applied...Think you are missing out on the comparison (Soldering is not that difficult and takes maybe more than an hour - to learn to do properly but not difficult by any means)..Since the thread does state - "Crimp versus Solder).....none the less good work...

Jody,

When doing my research for this I spoke at length with the tech department at Ancor Products. I asked, and they told me, that heat shrink is NOT considered a mechanical connection under ABYC standards. I know how to solder, and have done a ton of it, but most folks don't do it right and from what I see tend to lack the capacity to fully understand soldering for what ever reason.

 

[artbyjody]

Jody,

When doing my research for this I spoke at length with the tech department at Ancor Products. I asked, and they told me, that heat shrink is NOT considered a mechanical connection under ABYC standards. I know how to solder, and have done a ton of it, but most folks don't do it right and from what I see tend to lack the capacity to fully understand soldering for what ever reason.

Then riddle me this then? How is crimping not a single mechanical connection? Because it is crimped at two ends - it is still a singular device holding them together... thus technically a single mechanical connection - no more or no less than a soldered joint.... While tech support may say something (I doubt they fully understand ABYC anymore than most)- I would err on the side that if you did the crimp without the heat shrink - less results because technically the heat shrink provides a secondary mechanical connection (where it counts by bonding to the insulation)...

That is my opinion tho...and I'll leave it at that ....