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Midnight introducing Rosie the Inverter and Barcelona & Hawks Bay SCC

Ouch!


How about "Professional", just not quite THAT professional?

PG&E guy who moved my service drop had something like Milwaukee

Milwaukee - Power Crimpers - Power Tools - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Milwaukee Power Crimpers products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Tools Department.
www.homedepot.com

Range of prices there, still more than I like to pay ($2200 to $5600)
Heck, even a jaw is $700 and most die $500.
Which brings me back to why I paid $80 for the Harbor Freight one years ago.

The Panduit die used by some models are different, can see how they avoid wings.

1712620557631.png

1712620645478.png
 
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Hedges said:
Thanks,

How about dieless? Aren't there some of those which are actually UL listed?
Click to expand...

All of the standard sizes imprint the sizes. When used with quality UL listed lugs the temco makes pretty crimps with no wings. The temco brand lugs, the selterm, and Ancor brands.

Cheap lugs mean wings or bad fit.

For the Ancor starter lugs have to go up a half size.

If I use the plus dies and want the imprint have to switch back to standard to get it after the first crimp.
 
Hedges said:
Ouch!


How about "Professional", just not quite THAT professional?

PG&E guy who moved my service drop had something like Milwaukee

Milwaukee - Power Crimpers - Power Tools - The Home Depot

Get free shipping on qualified Milwaukee Power Crimpers products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Tools Department.
www.homedepot.com

Range of prices there, still more than I like to pay ($2200 to $5600)
Heck, even a jaw is $700 and most die $500.
Which brings me back to why I paid $80 for the Harbor Freight one years ago.

The Panduit die used by some models are different, can see how they avoid wings.

View attachment 208068

View attachment 208069
Click to expand...
I wish I could justify the expense of that one.
 
If I hadn't just cut a check to IRS for taxes, I could buy one. And a mini (or not so mini) excavator. And ...

Oh all right, I'm lying. I could still buy one. But I can't justify it. That $175 Temco you linked does look like just the ticket. Just bought it, from Temco's eBay rather than Amazon listing.

www.ebay.com

TEMCo Industrial Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper TH0005 V2.0 10 AWG to 600 MCM | eBay

Designed for 10 Gauge through 600 MCM. Includes 32 Die Sets (10, 10+, 8, 8+, 6, 6+, 4, 4+, 2, 2+, 1, 1+, 1/0, 1/0+, 2/0, 2/0+, 3/0, 3/0+, 4/0, 4/0+, 250 MCM, 250 MCM+. 300 MCM, 300 MCM+, 400 MCM, 400 MCM+, 500 MCM, 500 MCM+, 600 MCM, 600 MCM+).
www.ebay.com
 
Hedges said:
If I hadn't just cut a check to IRS for taxes, I could buy one. And a mini (or not so mini) excavator. And ...

Oh all right, I'm lying. I could still buy one. But I can't justify it. That $175 Temco you linked does look like just the ticket. Just bought it, from Temco's eBay rather than Amazon listing.

www.ebay.com

TEMCo Industrial Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper TH0005 V2.0 10 AWG to 600 MCM | eBay

Designed for 10 Gauge through 600 MCM. Includes 32 Die Sets (10, 10+, 8, 8+, 6, 6+, 4, 4+, 2, 2+, 1, 1+, 1/0, 1/0+, 2/0, 2/0+, 3/0, 3/0+, 4/0, 4/0+, 250 MCM, 250 MCM+. 300 MCM, 300 MCM+, 400 MCM, 400 MCM+, 500 MCM, 500 MCM+, 600 MCM, 600 MCM+).
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...

They sometimes have discount codes through their regular websites.... now that you bought it.

They don't tell you in the instructions, but the simplest way to use it is fixed handle on the table and pump handle in the air. That way you can use one hand to pump and the other to hold it all together.
 
robbob2112 said:
They sometimes have discount codes through their regular websites.... now that you bought it.

They don't tell you in the instructions, but the simplest way to use it is fixed handle on the table and pump handle in the air. That way you can use one hand to pump and the other to hold it all together.
Click to expand...
Yep, use the free hand to hold the lug and wire in place as the lug likes to slide down the wire if not held. The temco crimper also has +/- size dies.
 
robbob2112 said:
They sometimes have discount codes through their regular websites.... now that you bought it.

They don't tell you in the instructions, but the simplest way to use it is fixed handle on the table and pump handle in the air. That way you can use one hand to pump and the other to hold it all together.
Click to expand...
I use that method because nothing else works!
I still feel like this thing is designed for a three handed person :ROFLMAO:
Someone needs to make a cheap hydraulic crimper with a fold out bracket / clamp that holds the cable for you.
 
Hedges said:
If I hadn't just cut a check to IRS for taxes, I could buy one. And a mini (or not so mini) excavator. And ...

Oh all right, I'm lying. I could still buy one. But I can't justify it. That $175 Temco you linked does look like just the ticket. Just bought it, from Temco's eBay rather than Amazon listing.

www.ebay.com

TEMCo Industrial Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper TH0005 V2.0 10 AWG to 600 MCM | eBay

Designed for 10 Gauge through 600 MCM. Includes 32 Die Sets (10, 10+, 8, 8+, 6, 6+, 4, 4+, 2, 2+, 1, 1+, 1/0, 1/0+, 2/0, 2/0+, 3/0, 3/0+, 4/0, 4/0+, 250 MCM, 250 MCM+. 300 MCM, 300 MCM+, 400 MCM, 400 MCM+, 500 MCM, 500 MCM+, 600 MCM, 600 MCM+).
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...
Is it possible to just get the set of temco dies? I see they are available individually for $15... I guess I could make do with a 2/0 and a 6awg.
 
Personally, I prefer die-less. With time (not really time, more like use...) dies wear and your crimp will not be as good/solid anymore. For a number of years we had a 2-handled die style crimper, then one day we realized that the crimps were not the same anymore. Sure, you can replaces the dies. But that is once you discover that your crimps are loose.... and on how many jobs...?? We have used the hydraulic die-less ones, and they work very well. They have 4 "pins" coming together, and they "pop" a pressure relief valve once they are crimped tight. However, they are very bulky and also tend to leak hydraulic fluid after a while. There are also the cordless ones, (Milwaukee makes a really sweet one.) but those are just something like $3,000-5,000 depending on brand..... 🫣 🥴😱 Definitely not DIY budget friendly... hardly even professional installer budget friendly! (Yes, yes, I know that a "professional installer" should have "professional" quality tools as well! But sometimes you can do the same (or at least similar) quality work with a less expensive tool.

We have started using these "glorified hammer crimpers", and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the crimp!
1712667877874.png Here is the Amazon link to it. We have actually been using these for a few years now, with great success! (We still have 2 hydraulic die-less crimpers that are used for most of our jobs, and especially the more "mission critical" ones.)
 
Cmiller said:
Personally, I prefer die-less. With time (not really time, more like use...) dies wear and your crimp will not be as good/solid anymore. For a number of years we had a 2-handled die style crimper, then one day we realized that the crimps were not the same anymore. Sure, you can replaces the dies. But that is once you discover that your crimps are loose.... and on how many jobs...?? We have used the hydraulic die-less ones, and they work very well. They have 4 "pins" coming together, and they "pop" a pressure relief valve once they are crimped tight. However, they are very bulky and also tend to leak hydraulic fluid after a while. There are also the cordless ones, (Milwaukee makes a really sweet one.) but those are just something like $3,000-5,000 depending on brand..... 🫣 🥴😱 Definitely not DIY budget friendly... hardly even professional installer budget friendly! (Yes, yes, I know that a "professional installer" should have "professional" quality tools as well! But sometimes you can do the same (or at least similar) quality work with a less expensive tool.

We have started using these "glorified hammer crimpers", and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the crimp!
View attachment 208150 Here is the Amazon link to it. We have actually been using these for a few years now, with great success! (We still have 2 hydraulic die-less crimpers that are used for most of our jobs, and especially the more "mission critical" ones.)
Click to expand...
This is what I’ve got. Works a treat over here in mm2 land. I prefer it to my ebay special hydraulic one, mainly because it doesn’t leave wings.
 
Cmiller said:
Personally, I prefer die-less. With time (not really time, more like use...) dies wear and your crimp will not be as good/solid anymore. For a number of years we had a 2-handled die style crimper, then one day we realized that the crimps were not the same anymore. Sure, you can replaces the dies. But that is once you discover that your crimps are loose.... and on how many jobs...?? We have used the hydraulic die-less ones, and they work very well. They have 4 "pins" coming together, and they "pop" a pressure relief valve once they are crimped tight. However, they are very bulky and also tend to leak hydraulic fluid after a while. There are also the cordless ones, (Milwaukee makes a really sweet one.) but those are just something like $3,000-5,000 depending on brand..... 🫣 🥴😱 Definitely not DIY budget friendly... hardly even professional installer budget friendly! (Yes, yes, I know that a "professional installer" should have "professional" quality tools as well! But sometimes you can do the same (or at least similar) quality work with a less expensive tool.

We have started using these "glorified hammer crimpers", and have been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the crimp!
View attachment 208150 Here is the Amazon link to it. We have actually been using these for a few years now, with great success! (We still have 2 hydraulic die-less crimpers that are used for most of our jobs, and especially the more "mission critical" ones.)
Click to expand...

The problem with these is they don't imprint the wire size into the lugs. Not an issue in the UK, but in the US to pass an inspection for grid connection that little tidbit is required.
 
robbob2112 said:
The problem with these is they don't imprint the wire size into the lugs. Not an issue in the UK, but in the US to pass an inspection for grid connection that little tidbit is required.
Click to expand...
But can that imprint even be seen if you use heat shrink over the connection? Or should we avoid the tape over the print and leave them bare?
 
Not UL listed, but this guy says it has never been a problem for him during inspection.

Advice on crimping tool selection

Obviously the ability to crimp connectors is expensive. There's tons of options with wide ranging prices, which are all pricey for a tool that isn't used a whole lot for a small operator. I know I need the ability to use crimp connectors, possibly a stud lug for terminating in a panel...
forums.mikeholt.com
 
robbob2112 said:
The problem with these is they don't imprint the wire size into the lugs. Not an issue in the UK, but in the US to pass an inspection for grid connection that little tidbit is required.
Click to expand...
Interesting.

We haven't ever had an inspector check that... But even a hammer crimper doesn't do that.

And also, our inspectors don't know anything about battery systems! Lol
 
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