Cable lug crimping tool for 8AWG - 1/0AWG

[John Frum]

I should have provided more context with my post. I'm typically cutting 2/0 or 6 gauge cable. A cutting die for the hydraulic crimper would allow me to easily cut 2/0 cable using the same tool that I use for crimping with a lot less effort than a set of pliers-like cutters can. I have a set of Klein cutters rated to 2/0 and they really struggle to cut 2/0, but work well with 6 gauge.

This is 2/0 welding cable

2/0 Welding Cable Class K

2/0 Flexible Welding Cable - 600V. Cut to length and sold by the Foot.

www.wireandcableyourway.com

Conductor Strand: 1248/30

This is 2/0 xhhw-2

2/0 XHHW Building Wire

XHHW Stranded Building Wire. Cut to length - sold by the Foot.

www.wireandcableyourway.com

Number of Strands: 19

A tool that will cut through welding cable like butter may dull or break on xhhw-2.

 

[HRTKD]

This is 2/0 welding cable

2/0 Welding Cable Class K

2/0 Flexible Welding Cable - 600V. Cut to length and sold by the Foot.

www.wireandcableyourway.com

Conductor Strand: 1248/30

This is 2/0 xhhw-2

2/0 XHHW Building Wire

XHHW Stranded Building Wire. Cut to length - sold by the Foot.

www.wireandcableyourway.com

Number of Strands: 19

A tool that will cut through welding cable like butter may dull or break on xhhw-2.

All my DC cable is welding cable.

 

[John Frum]

All my DC cable is welding cable.

Which is as it should be because your application is mobile.

 

[BobCollins]

Nobody answered my post about the 3 point crimper with an electric impact. So much cheaper than the Temco

I like the TH1818. I have done dozens of crimps, with everyone coming out fine.

At $90, you get to decide if your $57 is so much cheaper. I would buy the TH1818 again.

 

[No Idea]

I like the TH1818. I have done dozens of crimps, with everyone coming out fine.

At $90, you get to decide if your $57 is so much cheaper. I would buy the TH1818 again.

I should have given some context. It's the total cost inc ship and tax to Thailand.

Very surprised to see the TH1818 hydraulic is cheaper than the TH0012 manual though. Saves me buying an electric impact driver for the little one.

 

[Supervstech]

I should have given some context. It's the total cost inc ship and tax to Thailand.

Very surprised to see the TH1818 hydraulic is cheaper than the TH0012 manual though. Saves me buying an electric impact driver for the little one.

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One is faster to use, and likely more reliable… and priced accordingly.

 

[BobCollins]

One is faster to use, and likely more reliable… and priced accordingly.

I assume you are dissing the TH1818. While I haven't used the TH0012, from what I have studied and watched on YouTube, I doubt that it would provide the feel of the crimp being fully formed that I get with the TH1818. The indent mechanism looks identical.

As far as reliability, I assume you are worried about a hydraulic tool in general. I was/am concerned also, though TEMCo backs it with their great warranty. I/we have nothing to go on for their pricing structure.

Another plus for the TH1818 is that it is much more compact, and it breaks down even further for shipping and storage. Note the difference in shipping cost.

 

[No Idea]

Looks like they have that covered. I wont be returning it but they do ship parts for self repair.

 

[alishac]

I got the blue one it goes from awg 10 to awg 1. Ive just recently used it on awg 2 lugs and Anderson connectors and it works really well. It may not be the same brand but its same thing.. you can change the settings.. pretty handy tool

 

[teal95]

I have a cheap hydraulic and have had to resort to mismatching the dies (one side from each of 2 adjacents sizes) to get a proper crimp.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

I like this one much better.

https://www.amazon.com/TEMCo-Lug-Crimper-Tool-TH0012/dp/B00HJYVFSG/ref=asc_df_B00HJYVFSG/

Will recommended it in some of his battery builds, and I use it on my bigger projects.
So much faster than hydraulic.

this is basically the same thing I use, but mine was made during the Vietnam conflict and sold to the US navy as an aircraft cable crimper (stainless fittings and cables) so when I do copper with it or tinned copper fittings I get OF crimps. I got it many years ago and its still going strong. mine has a tang that hangs down to grab with a 14" vice so that it is immobile while using. you can also use it free hand but when in the vice your crimps are very precise.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

Nobody answered my post about the 3 point crimper with an electric impact. So much cheaper than the Temco

great for one offs and non production, but from a time and cost standpoint the threads will wear out unless you religiously lubricate it with the proper weight grease for the amount of force it must convey to the crimp point. if you have less than a couple hundred crimps it is a cost positive too,IE does not pay for itself.

 

[42OhmsPA]

@BobCollins did you find the recommended pumps way off? I recently picked up the TH1818 and find I'm using 12-13 pumps vs the 'recommended' 8 for 1awg

 

[BobCollins]

@BobCollins did you find the recommended pumps way off? I recently picked up the TH1818 and find I'm using 12-13 pumps vs the 'recommended' 8 for 1awg

I didn't find much use for the "recommended pumps." It seemed too arbitrary to me as there is a range on terminals and wire.

I found it quite easy to do the crimping by feel. As you get close, the pumping gets stiffer, so I slow down and there comes a point where it becomes quite stiff. That's where I stop.
I have crimped a couple of dozen 4 AWG copper ring terminals on 4 AWG welding wire and have been happy with all of them. They looked good and passed the pull test.

I did use the crimper on several 2 AWG SB175 connector contacts on the same 4 AWG welding wire. The tool "feel" was different and they didn't look as good. They did pass my pull test and have worked fine. I suspect they would have been prettier if I had the right gauge contacts.

Good luck!

 

[Tomthumb62]

I just got these hex crimp dies for $16. 8AWG down to 4/0AWG. Perfect and cheap if you only need to do a few crimps. Use some tape to hold it together and either hammer or press in a bench vice.

Lichamp Hydraulic Crimper Replacement Dies, Hex Lug Dies for Steel Cable or Terminal Crimper Tool, 8 Sizes from 6 AWG to 4/0 AWG, 1208SL
https://a.co/d/9A1KbCo

 

[BobCollins]

I just got these hex crimp dies for $16. 8AWG down to 4/0AWG. Perfect and cheap if you only need to do a few crimps. Use some tape to hold it together and either hammer or press in a bench vice.

Lichamp Hydraulic Crimper Replacement Dies, Hex Lug Dies for Steel Cable or Terminal Crimper Tool, 8 Sizes from 6 AWG to 4/0 AWG, 1208SL
https://a.co/d/9A1KbCo

Crimper or not, hex crimp dies are problematic size wise. TEMCo has a great discussion on this.

 

[I Just Cant Anymore]

OP… I bought one of those hydraulic hex crimpers but it never worked right for me. As mentioned, it makes loose connections unless you use the next smaller die, then it leaves barbs on the lug.

This one is MUCH better, makes very very tight connections and leaves them nice and round.

TEMCo TH0020 Lug Crimper Tool for 10 AWG - 400 MCM wire lugs- DIELESS Indent Electrical Battery Terminal Cable Wire https://a.co/d/bGZcXYE

 

[BobCollins]

OP… I bought one of those hydraulic hex crimpers but it never worked right for me. As mentioned, it makes loose connections unless you use the next smaller die, then it leaves barbs on the lug.

This one is MUCH better, makes very very tight connections and leaves them nice and round.

TEMCo TH0020 Lug Crimper Tool for 10 AWG - 400 MCM wire lugs- DIELESS Indent Electrical Battery Terminal Cable Wire https://a.co/d/bGZcXYE

I have the TEMCo TH1818 DIELESS indent crimper. I have made many crimps and am very happy with it. I don't think you will go wrong with the TH0020, but it does take up more space and costs more.

 

[I Just Cant Anymore]

I have the TEMCo TH1818 DIELESS indent crimper. I have made many crimps and am very happy with it. I don't think you will go wrong with the TH0020, but it does take up more space and costs more.

The thing is a beast, I love it. Used it on crimps from 8awg to 2/0 just last night. Over 30 crimps with zero issues. Stress tested the setup at max amp draw and not a single warm connection found on the thermal. ?

 

[OzSolar]

OP… I bought one of those hydraulic hex crimpers but it never worked right for me. As mentioned, it makes loose connections unless you use the next smaller die, then it leaves barbs on the lug.

This one is MUCH better, makes very very tight connections and leaves them nice and round.

TEMCo TH0020 Lug Crimper Tool for 10 AWG - 400 MCM wire lugs- DIELESS Indent Electrical Battery Terminal Cable Wire https://a.co/d/bGZcXYE

I've got a 20 year old "top" quality bench mount hex crimper and I NEVER get a crimp w/o those sharp barbs on some sizes of crimps and next size of dies is way too big. ARGhh.. But on some sizes of crimps it's perfect. Guess I should make some notes.

I've got a similar crimper from TEMCO. It does a great job but I'm not in love with the looks of the big divot on one side. Heat shrink does hide it pretty well though.

FWIW: I normally sacrifice a few lugs to the cable crimping gods on every new project while I'm trying to dial in the settings and the tool.

 

[BobCollins]

I've got a 20 year old "top" quality bench mount hex crimper and I NEVER get a crimp w/o those sharp barbs on some sizes of crimps and next size of dies is way too big. ARGhh.. But on some sizes of crimps it's perfect. Guess I should make some notes.

I've got a similar crimper from TEMCO. It does a great job but I'm not in love with the looks of the big divot on one side. Heat shrink does hide it pretty well though.

FWIW: I normally sacrifice a few lugs to the cable crimping gods on every new project while I'm trying to dial in the settings and the tool.

The big divot is just how an intent crimper works. There is plenty of information on how it is a satisfactory crimp. I have done 30+ crimps and have used every one in my system. No sacrifices. Yet. ;-)

The only crimp that was ugly was a 175A SB connector terminal sized for 2AWG and crimped on a 4AWG wire. There was some tearing near the solid part. Suggestion: get the right size terminals.

 

[Warpspeed]

I have a very large compound lever crimper like the one picture in the very first post. Mine has a capacity up to 120mm square cable and down to 10mm square cable, and it works very well, provided the lug is correctly matched to the cable size.

The only disadvantage is that its large, heavy, and unwieldy to use. You really need three hands. One to hold the crimper, one to hold the heavy cable, and a third hand to steady the lug in the right position until it starts to squeeze closed. Its a lot easier with two people, but with a bit of cunning and some patience, its quite possible to do it by yourself.

The more modern hydraulic crimpers are smaller, cost less and should be easier to use. But Chinese quality being what it is, if it does ever go wrong it might end up being a bit of a curse.
You also need to get the correct dies for the tool to suit what you are crimping. What comes with your Chinese mystery crimper may be for metric sizes, American wire gauge sizes, or just unmarked Oriental large/medium/small which may not properly suit anything ????

 

[time2roll]

I've got a 20 year old "top" quality bench mount hex crimper and I NEVER get a crimp w/o those sharp barbs on some sizes of crimps and next size of dies is way too big. ARGhh.. But on some sizes of crimps it's perfect. Guess I should make some notes.

That is how my HF crimper worked with terribly sized dies.
The work around was to do maybe 70% crimp then release and rotate 120 degrees for a 90-100% crimp.
Usually twice would do it but sometimes took three.

 

[Supervstech]

That is how my HF crimper worked with terribly sized dies.
The work around was to do maybe 70% crimp then release and rotate 120 degrees for a 90-100% crimp.
Usually twice would do it but sometimes took three.

I use the largest die the connector fits in, then hold a bolt in the top.
Crimps perfect every time.