Wire Ferrules?

[Lt.Dan]

Hey guys, I finally ordered some Ferrules so that the 4ga SO cable going into my inverter would stop getting smashed and messed up, as well as getting ALL of the wire into the terminal. My only question is, how the hell are you supposed to use these?

I ordered THESE from Amazon, and they arrived the other day, but they are PAPER thin. I'm guessing you do not actually crimp these on the wires? I tried crimping one just for the fun of it, and it would not stay on and it looked pretty rough.

Do you just slip it over the wire, then stick it into the terminal and hope the screw collapses the ferrule and grabs the wire?

Thanks guys.

 

[robby]

You need a Ferrule crimper.

 

[John Frum]

If the mechanical lug clamp surface is circular let the clamp "crimp" the ferrule.
If the mechanical lug clamp surface is flat then you should use a ferrule crimper.

 

[Bluedog225]

Dang. Another tool….

 

[JoeHam]

@Lt.Dan is correct. These paper thin ferrules do not hold a crimp and a ferrule crimper does not help. It’s almost like aluminum foil with tensile strength. They will not hold a crimp.

I just slip them on and tighten up the terminal screw. It definitely helps keep the terminal screw from pushing the wire out of the way while it tightens down.

 

[Bluedog225]

I thought chunky copper ferrules were available. No?

 

[robby]

@Lt.Dan is correct. These paper thin ferrules do not hold a crimp and a ferrule crimper does not help. It’s almost like aluminum foil with tensile strength. They will not hold a crimp.

I just slip them on and tighten up the terminal screw. It definitely helps keep the terminal screw from pushing the wire out of the way while it tightens down.

I don't think I would use them is they are that thin. I cannot tell you how many poorly made items I have gotten off of Amazon in the last two years.

 

[robby]

Dang. Another tool….

Yeah LOL. I have a huge hydraulic crimper that I bought when I was building my system and I have no idea when I will use that again.

 

[A.Justice]

I thought chunky copper ferrules were available. No?

All of the ferrules I have used require crimping. They're thick enough that there's no way I would be able to crimp it down with the screw inside of the terminal. The crimping dies I have push the ferrule into a square shape.

 

[robby]

I thought chunky copper ferrules were available. No?

Use to be, but now hard to find post Covid.
The only ones I can find are these.
eBay
Almost 2mm thick copper walls

EDIT:
Correction they are only .6mm thick.
The search continues....

 

[Bluedog225]

Cool. Thanks!

 

[Lt.Dan]

Damn, of course im subject to buying ferrules 10x the cost i thought, AND I have to buy another tool! Lol

 

[robby]

Cool. Thanks!

Dont thank me LOL I just looked at the eBay listing again and realized that it had 3 diameters listed and I used the wrong ones. They are only 0.6mm thick! Not as thick as I would like but on a second look it may be all right.

 

[HRTKD]

I used ferrules for my PV/LiFePO4 install where a wire was not in a ring terminal/lug. I used the right tool for the job. I have two different ferrule crimpers. One is for the larger gauge cable and I used it exclusively for 6 gauge welding wire and 10 gauge PV wire. It creates square-ish crimps. This was a die that I bought for use with an existing ratcheting crimper. The other crimper is for smaller gauge wire and creates nicely formed hexagonal crimps. This is a dedicated tool, not a die. None of my crimps have failed.

All my ferrules and tools came from ferrulesdirect.com. The hex crimper was very expensive, but it is an amazing, quality tool. Is it necessary to go that expensive? No. A standard square crimper would likely work just as well. The caveat that I'll throw out to that is that almost all the terminals that the smaller gauge wires went into were round while the larger gauge cables (6 gauge) went into square terminals. Maybe the square crimped ferrule would fit in the round terminal and maybe it wouldn't.

10 gauge PV wire on the left, 6 gauge welding wire on the right.

 

[Browneye]

Nice.
For inverter and converter wires with a setscrew lug, I solder the strands on the end of the wire. It still squishes down in the lug but doesn't push the strands out of the way, and locks tight. If your connection gets hot enough to melt solder you have other bigger problems. Smaller gauge wire doesn't seem to present the same problems.
Surely a proper ferule is better if you're prepared to make the effort.

I figure if it was good enough from the winnebago factory it's good enough for me. Same for dieless lug crimps - seems to work just fine. Just not as purty as the perfect die crimps.

 

[Bluedog225]

ferrulesdirect.com

Gotta love the internet. Thanks!

 

[chrisski]

I used ferrules for my PV/LiFePO4 install where a wire was not in a ring terminal/lug. I used the right tool for the job. I have two different ferrule crimpers. One is for the larger gauge cable and I used it exclusively for 6 gauge welding wire and 10 gauge PV wire. It creates square-ish crimps. This was a die that I bought for use with an existing ratcheting crimper. The other crimper is for smaller gauge wire and creates nicely formed hexagonal crimps. This is a dedicated tool, not a die. None of my crimps have failed.

All my ferrules and tools came from ferrulesdirect.com. The hex crimper was very expensive, but it is an amazing, quality tool. Is it necessary to go that expensive? No. A standard square crimper would likely work just as well. The caveat that I'll throw out to that is that almost all the terminals that the smaller gauge wires went into were round while the larger gauge cables (6 gauge) went into square terminals. Maybe the square crimped ferrule would fit in the round terminal and maybe it wouldn't.

10 gauge PV wire on the left, 6 gauge welding wire on the right.
View attachment 78148

Thanks for the pic. My directions for my inverter wire say use cord end crimps which I’ve never heard of before. I’m supposed to put these on the end of my 25 amp line and neutral wires for the cord I’m making.

 

[Bud Martin]

I used ferrules for my PV/LiFePO4 install where a wire was not in a ring terminal/lug. I used the right tool for the job. I have two different ferrule crimpers. One is for the larger gauge cable and I used it exclusively for 6 gauge welding wire and 10 gauge PV wire. It creates square-ish crimps. This was a die that I bought for use with an existing ratcheting crimper. The other crimper is for smaller gauge wire and creates nicely formed hexagonal crimps. This is a dedicated tool, not a die. None of my crimps have failed.

All my ferrules and tools came from ferrulesdirect.com. The hex crimper was very expensive, but it is an amazing, quality tool. Is it necessary to go that expensive? No. A standard square crimper would likely work just as well. The caveat that I'll throw out to that is that almost all the terminals that the smaller gauge wires went into were round while the larger gauge cables (6 gauge) went into square terminals. Maybe the square crimped ferrule would fit in the round terminal and maybe it wouldn't.

10 gauge PV wire on the left, 6 gauge welding wire on the right.
View attachment 78148

So the green wire with square ferrules fit nice and tight with that circuit breaker in the back ground? Do the ferrules deformed when tighten clamps on the breaker? I may have to buy some ferrules and crimping tool to find out since right now I am just using 4 Ga welding wire without ferrules. Can you please provide the link to the tools for that square crimping you are using? Thanks.
BTW, they come with difference length, which one do you choose for that breaker?

Single Insulated Wire Ferrules

Insulated Ferrules, Non-Insulated Ferrules, Terminals, Wire Ducts, Crimping Tools, Cable Accessories, Terminal Blocks, Push Buttons, Heat Shrink, Compression Lugs, Automotive Products, Wire Cutters, Wire Strippers

www.ferrulesdirect.com

 

[HRTKD]

I bought whatever length ferrules came in their kit that has 6 gauge to ~14 gauge. I'm not at home to look at which kit I have.

The connection at the breaker terminal is good and tight. I checked it within the last month and it required no further tightening.

 

[MrM1]

Can you use Ferrules on stranded AC connection like #8 or #6 in the US, or are they only to b used on DC fine wire cables?