Torque Wrench

[chrisski]

Time for a new torque wrench!!

What recommendations? The ones I get on Amazon and Autozone are not working out. Mostly, under-reading a value and stripping out bolts.

For my solar installation, I'm looking at 1.5-12 NM (15-105 in/LBS). I would like a much broader range, but I'm sick of stripping bolts when torqueing to the proper setting, and would rather one that works.

 

[BiduleOhm]

I'd recommend to get a digital adapter. Even the cheap ones are more accurate than pretty much all mechanical torque wrenchs (while having a larger range too) and you have the advantage to be able to use different wrenchs with it. The downsides are that it requires batteries to work and it's bulkier.

For example: https://www.ebay.fr/itm/Digital-Hig...221801?hash=item2867168869:g:UVQAAOSwV95bowRT

I have a 1/2" 340 N.m one and I'm very happy with it

I'll probably buy the 30 N.m one in addition to it as the one I have only goes down to 17 N.m which is too much for small things (I bought it to do car maintenance as its main usage).

NB: two things to know: don't push the top right and top left buttons at the same time or you'll enter a calibration mode and given there's no documention on that mode you'll throw the calibration off and have a paper weight (general rule: don't push any two buttons at the same time). Some people reported the storage case was a bit too tight and tend to turn on the thing while stored away, depleting the batteries.

To mitigate both problems I carefully cut the buttons with a razor blade so they're almost flush with the casing. As a bonus it avoids inadvertently pushing the buttons while handling the thing too.

 

[HRTKD]

I picked up a Snap-On digital 1/4" torque wrench from a pawn shop a few years ago. It's saved my nuts more than once. Mine is this model.

Brand new, they're expensive. Used, they're a bargain.

 

[Zil]

mechanical torque wrenches need to be narrow in range. That is why most toolers have at least three in the box. I have a Craftsman 1/4 inch drive in/pound}{N/M that I use for most connections.

 

[HRTKD]

mechanical torque wrenches need to be narrow in range. That is why most toolers have at least three in the box. I have a Craftsman 1/4 inch drive in/pound}{N/M that I use for most connections.

Agreed. I have 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2". The 1/4" wrench is the only digital one and the most expensive.

 

[chrisski]

For light torque jobs in inch pounds, I have opted for a Snap On TE-12a torque wrench

Snap-on Store

shop.snapon.com

I have a few click torque wrenches, and for the light jobs in inch pounds, the click is often not loud or crisp enough to know you are at the proper level, and this risks over-torquing. With the needle torque wrench, it is very easy to see where you are at and how close you are to finishing.

I have read on the lithium cells with studs different specs from not more than 6 nm to 4 - 6 nm. After reading about studs snapping off from being over torqued, and seeing where mine were after a year of installation, I decided to go with 23 - 25 nm, or about 2.6 nm. My lugs were secured quite well to the studs at that level.

I use these toothed locking washers

With a serrated locking nut:

I will torque to spec per once per year.

I was lucky enough to find the torque wrench for sale used at a fraction of the cost of new.

 

[kc130up]

Hate to resurrect an old thread, but I am also in need of an electronic torque wrench adapter that goes down to 1nm. I bought several off amazon, and none go lower than 8nm.

Any suggestions?

 

[HRTKD]

Hate to resurrect an old thread, but I am also in need of an electronic torque wrench adapter that goes down to 1nm. I bought several off amazon, and none go lower than 8nm.

Any suggestions?

1 N·m is asking for a lot. Not many 1/4" digital torque wrenches go that low. The Micro Torque version below does. The lowest any of my Snap-On wrenches go is 15 in-lb.

1 N·m is about 8.8 in-lb.

The Snap-On part number is: ATECH1FS100

I can't get the link to work. Go to https://shop.snapon.com/ and enter the part number in the search.

 

[kc130up]

Shows how little I know about torque wrenches! I was looking at the guide for the 3000EHV-48 and it says 2-3 Nm for the battery cables,



and 1.6Nm for the ac wires.



So i assumed a 1-4 Nm wrench was readily available...haha.

 

[HRTKD]

For a 4 awg cable, that torque value seems a bit low. The EVE LF280K cells that many are buying now call for the cell terminals to be tightened to 6 Nm.

 

[kc130up]

I agree. 3Nm seems way low for such a big cable!

 

[MattiFin]

Hate to resurrect an old thread, but I am also in need of an electronic torque wrench adapter that goes down to 1nm. I bought several off amazon, and none go lower than 8nm.

Any suggestions?

You get better luck of you search for torque scredrivers. 1Nm is small screwdriver category.
For example (by no means any recommendation) https://www.amazon.com/TAGVIT-Screwdriver-2-66-53-1-Adjustable-Notification/dp/B0CJRC58RV?th=1

 

[kc130up]

You get better luck of you search for torque scredrivers. 1Nm is small screwdriver category.
For example (by no means any recommendation) https://www.amazon.com/TAGVIT-Screwdriver-2-66-53-1-Adjustable-Notification/dp/B0CJRC58RV?th=1

Great idea! If i can get one with a 1/4" head, i can just attach a bit to it. Thanks!

 

[Batvette]

Time for a new torque wrench!!

What recommendations? The ones I get on Amazon and Autozone are not working out. Mostly, under-reading a value and stripping out bolts.

For my solar installation, I'm looking at 1.5-12 NM (15-105 in/LBS). I would like a much broader range, but I'm sick of stripping bolts when torqueing to the proper setting, and would rather one that works.

If you want foolproof results in low torque applications on a budget you cant go wrong with the old beam type tools. I used a vintage us made 1/4" drive beam type (had a big loop at the end instead of a handle) when I assembled a high end mountain bike I made from components sourced from ebay. I had about $5k tied up in parts and all of them bought at deep discount. For instance I had titanium chainrings bolted to custom powder coated XTR cranks. The fasteners for the rings (Shimano) are made from aluminum and torq spec is 15 in lbs. No way you can get that wrong with a beam though you do have to look at it while tightening.
Harbor Freights clickers actually work okay for me, I have them in all 3 sizes though you should expect about a 20-25% failure rate out of the box. Test it when you get it and before any critical measurement and its almost never a problem.
Clicker tools always store at 0 setting in case anyone forgot. If it has a spring dont put it away under tension.
As for calibration even cheap tools usually spec within 5%, thats well within the safe tolerances of virtually any application.

 

[bolhuijo]

I bought a cheap torque screwdriver from amazon. Set it to the listed torque for a 50A breaker, geez that feels tight, oooh poop it's not tight anymore.

Set up a torque testing rig of my own with a digital scale, found it was overdoing it by quite a lot.