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Temco Lug Crimping Tool

I have a TemCo hammer crimper, use a 3-pound hammer on a concrete floor, and get what seem to be mechanically good crimps. But if a crimp could be "overdone" with this method then I'm willing to use something that gauges the crimp depth, like the tools above. (My impression is that you can't reasonably over-whack a properly-sized lug and wire, assuming you're not splitting the lug, but just checking.)
Not interested in the hammer style crimpers. The crimpers being discussed here either use leverage or hydraulics.
 
I'm planning to buy the TEMCo hydraulic crimper (model TH0005-11, that also does MCM sizes, just in case). I need to buy lugs no matter where they come from. What's the chance that the lugs from TEMCo will work better with their crimper than other brands of lugs?
 
That is true with my FTZ crimper. It works better with FTZ lugs than with Anchor Lugs.
 
I'm planning to buy the TEMCo hydraulic crimper (model TH0005-11, that also does MCM sizes, just in case). I need to buy lugs no matter where they come from. What's the chance that the lugs from TEMCo will work better with their crimper than other brands of lugs?

Probably zero chance but Temco is a quality name and the cost difference is likely small enough that it’s worth it IMHO.
 
When buying from amazon, always remember to change www.amazon to smile.amazon

Might as well let amazon give some of that profit to your favorite charity.
 
I got this one because 12awg to 2/0 fit my needs. If you need 4/0 there are others that handle that (but start at ~8awg).

Seems high quality from at 2 dozen crimps i have done.

TEMCo Hydraulic Cable Lug Crimper TH0006-5 US TON 12 AWG to 00 (2/0) Electrical Terminal Cable Wire Tool Kit 5 YEAR WARRANTY https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJXHX1K/
Do you ever find yourself wishing you had the 11 ton one? Or is the one you have good? I'm deciding between the TH0006 like yours, and the TH0005 Version 2.0 which they just introduced. The TH0005 does not include a 12ga die, which would be nice if it did but not sure how necessary that is because I'm a newb and I'm learning.
 
The docs are a bit odd, but mine do fit in the case. I cut out foam drawer liners to fit the case so that things didn't rattle in the case (I took the crimper on a trip, yeah strange).
 
No, this seems able to smash anything pretty easily.
@HRTKD and @MisterSandals they do look like really good quality. Better than what's on Will's site. I just need to decide if I want the TH0005 or 6. The 5 has more compression power and more dies, but goes to 10awg (Includes 32 Die Sets (10 AWG - 600 MCM) vs 12awg (12 AWG to 00 MCM (2/0). Not sure how much either of those specs matter. I think the large end is plenty, but might be nice to have 12.
 
The only 12 gauge wire in my entire system is coming directly off my solar panels and has MC4 connectors on the end.
So you're saying your other wires are larger than 12?
 
Yes, everything else (that was added for this upgrade) is larger.
1. From the 12 gauge PV wire coming off the panel I connect to 10 gauge PV wire with an MC4 connection.
2. That 10 gauge PV wire has ferrules on the ends and goes into a 2 pole circuit breaker.
3. Out of the circuit breaker, I have 6 gauge welding wire (with ferrules) that goes to the solar charge controller, where I also use ferrules.
4. Out of the solar charge controller, a 6 gauge wire (with ferrules) goes to a circuit breaker that uses a 6 gauge lug/ring terminal.
5. Out of the circuit breaker, the 6 gauge wire has lugs/ring terminals on both ends (different stud side though) and goes into the bus bar.
6. Everything from there on uses a lug/ring terminal and is either 2/0 or 1 gauge.

The initial circuit breakers (#2) use screw down terminals, so a lug crimper isn't needed there. If you're going to make MC4 connections, be sure you have an MC4 crimper. I considered doing the crimp with a crimping die that was close, but since I had limited supplies of connectors I didn't want to waste any.
 
Does the temco crimper crimp the ferrules?

If you're going to make MC4 connections, be sure you have an MC4 crimper
I do plan on doing this. I want to make a couple of panel extension cables to go from foldable solar panels to a portable power station. I don't have a crimper yet but maybe will get this one. Which one do you have?
 
I already had three ratcheting crimpers. The last thing I needed was one more. So I bought a die to fit a tool I already had. I had purchased a Pro'sKit Ratcheting Crimper for square ferrules, so I tracked down a die to fit in that tool. I found it on the manufacturer's website and ordered it directly from there.

Link to the die: https://totaleclipse4u.com/default/cp-5s2d.html

I link on the RV With Tito website doesn't take me to a specific product. Just a list/category. A kit would be OK. You'll need the Connector Assembly Tool. I needed one for sure, but only used it to take the connectors apart (disconnect male MC4 from female MC4).

I can't say if one brand of MC4 tool is any better than another, but I sure wouldn't pay more than $50 for a kit.
 
I have a TemCo hammer crimper, use a 3-pound hammer on a concrete floor, and get what seem to be mechanically good crimps. But if a crimp could be "overdone" with this method then I'm willing to use something that gauges the crimp depth, like the tools above. (My impression is that you can't reasonably over-whack a properly-sized lug and wire, assuming you're not splitting the lug, but just checking.)
We never got really good crimps with the hammer type tool. 1500A discharge on a electric go-cart sorts out the bad crimps really fast. :)
crimps looked ok but heated way more than compressed crimps.
 
Everybody has the Chinese hydraulic crimp tools with changable dies for around $60. Color me skeptical, but I wonder how well these actually work.

I was reseaching crimpers and found this Temco crimp tool. No dies, you dial in the desired amount of crimp to suit your particular crimp lug and wire diameter. I love the video about Tempco's return/repair policy too. Has anyone used one of these? Do they work and hold up?


They have a couple of other heavier duty models if you need to deal with bigger lugs than 0000.



The crimp quality looks excellent.

View attachment 15819
You speak of hydraulic ones, but the ones you linked are lever action. As for me, I’d prefer whichever ones are least hard on my hands when using them but that also perform excellent crimps.
 
You speak of hydraulic ones, but the ones you linked are lever action. As for me, I’d prefer whichever ones are least hard on my hands when using them but that also perform excellent crimps.

I am very satisfied with the crimps from the TEMCo hydraulic crimper. The kit has been updated with a couple more dies than when I bought it last summer.
 
There’s a considerable difference in price between temco and other brands. ~60 vs ~100. How much quality difference does $40 make? Another way to phrase the question is, is it worth almost 2 times the price? Made in USA or not, Im not a billionaire who can afford to throw money away because I feel like it.
 
Part of what you get from TEMCo is customer service. They have been very responsive when I had questions and when I needed assistance with an order. On the very odd chance that I ever broke one of the crimping dies, I bet they would send me a replacement with no questions asked.
 
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