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ferrule crimpers for large gauge wire?

SomebodyInGNV

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Jun 3, 2020
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I need to use ferrules for some of my cables because the fit into the lug is tight and the wires fray. I bought a cheap tool that has interchangeable dies for uninsulated ferrules, sizes 2-8. The results are horrible for ferrules. (It might work fine for other types of terminal ends.) The dies are wedge shaped rather than square and the result is ferrules with big ears hanging off one corner that are too big to fit into the lug. (Epever Triron SCC with 6 AWG terminal lugs.)

I find lots of self-adjusting ferrule crimpers that make square ferrules, but only for sizes 10-23. Is there a corresponding tool for larger sizes that results in a nice square crimp?
 
Joining this conversation. I have only had good results with good tools. The problem is that good tools are expensive. In my professional life, that is not a problem. In my hobby/personal life.....it is a problem. I cannot spent $400 on a crimp tool.

I recently got a low-cost hydraulic crimper for 0/O and up - makes passable connections. Maybe I should try it with ferrules for some of the larger wire. It is slow and bulky, but then again I only need to crimp a dozen wires.
 
I'm in a similar position. If I used it for my livelihood I'd pay for it, but I can't justify it for 20 crimps on a hobby project. (Besides which, I'm retired.)

I have an inexpensive crimp tool for larger cable. I haven't actually used it yet but Amazon reviewers say it's okay if you compensate for its weaknesses, like turning the lug 60 degrees for a second crimp to eliminate the ears. But that's on hexagonal crimps on heavy lugs for larger gauge cables, not a thin wall ferrule on medium (2-8 AWG) cables. I suspect such a tool may not exist.
 
Curious how well those work on ferrules.


For thin walled ferrules they are just as good as anything but some cheapies are like tin foil and I don’t think any crimper helps much.

I haven’t tried the thicker ones yet.
 
For thin walled ferrules they are just as good as anything but some cheapies are like tin foil and I don’t think any crimper helps much.

I haven’t tried the thicker ones yet.
For smaller wire - I got the really nice TE ferrules from Digikey. The extra cost was worth it. They are way more stable compared to the random ones that came from random vendor on Amazon.
 
The die used in the tool in post #7 (by Bob B) may be the same as I'm posting here. Same company, same purpose. I used the die to crimp ferrules on 6 gauge welding wire. I needed a square crimp, not a round/hex/whatever crimp. I already had a Pro'skit ratcheting crimper so I bought the die for it. Worked good!

 
For thin walled ferrules they are just as good as anything but some cheapies are like tin foil and I don’t think any crimper helps much.

I haven’t tried the thicker ones yet.

All my ferrules came from FerrulesDirect.com. I had no failures. I didn't try ferrules from anyone else, so I can't compare quality.
 
The dies on the Lunar tool immediately above, and on the one I have, are wedge-shaped, not square. The result on my tool is that the corners in the upper (open) part of the die have ears, because the die that closes on it is slightly narrower. I imagine it must be or you wouldn't be able to get the round ferrule down into the die. That's why I was hoping for one like the self-adjusting square crimpers. The jaw looks like it sort of rotates. I've not seen any like that for the gauge of ferrules I'm crimping, i.e., 2-8.

The ferrules I have are fairly thin, but I don't think that's what leads to the ears. The issue is that the tool doesn't surround the ferrule completely when crimping.
 
You folks crimp your ferrules?
I have to for the specific application that instigated my interest. 6 AWG ferrules being round don't fit into the square 6 AWG terminal of the Epever Triron SCC I'm putting the 6 AWG cable in. I suppose I could just tin the ends of the cable.

I'm going to use 4 AWG cable to connect to the power lugs in the converter/charger in my travel trailer. Those use basic heavy screw in a more rounded terminal. I think I'll be able to use the ferrule to get the cable in the hole without shredding, in which case crimping won't be necessary.

Not that I'm doing it but, in smaller applications like 16 AWG wire in an electronic device, it looks like it's essential to crimp the insulated ferrules to get them in the terminal.
 
Those are far better than the crap results I got from mine. Perhaps poor quality ferrules contribute to the result? Bad sizing? (I trimmed some excess wire after crimping.)

The 6AWG welding cable is from Windy Nation. Are they a reputable source, as far as true size?
1607705574444443551605924914109.jpg
 
That looks like a loose crimp. It's hard to tell where the fault lies.
That was my thought, as well. It's as crimped as the tool allows. The next size down in the die is too small.

I tried the #8 ferrules, which were really tight and I couldn't get all of the strands in. I don't know if the problem is poorly labeled wire (exaggerated claim of size), a badly over-sized ferrule or a mismatch on the die. (It's actually labeled as metric.)

That crimp will actually work in my SCC because the terminal clamp will secure it fully. I'm not dependent on the ferrule to make the contact. It looks pretty bad, though.
 
That crimp will actually work in my SCC because the terminal clamp will secure it fully. I'm not dependent on the ferrule to make the contact. It looks pretty bad, though.

I don't understand this. The terminal clamp may have a good hold on the ferrule, but if the ferrule doesn't have a tight grip on the cable, the cable can still come out. A loose connection is a loose connection. Have you given the ferrule a good tug to see if it will come off?
 
The ferrule is quite thin and crushable. The terminal screw is quite able to compress it further.

Edit: in this case, my use of a ferrule is not to create a secure connection as a lug does, but to prevent the individual strands from fraying when I push them into the terminal on the SCC.
 
The ferrule is quite thin and crushable. The terminal screw is quite able to compress it further.

Edit: in this case, my use of a ferrule is not to create a secure connection as a lug does, but to prevent the individual strands from fraying when I push them into the terminal on the SCC.
That is incorrect.

If the ferrule compresses further under screw pressure, then this will be similar to what happens when you solder dip wires then put them under a screw terminal. Google cold flow deformation. You don't want that to happen. It leads to loose connections over time, which results in overheated wires. If you can't properly compress a ferrule, then don't use it.
 
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