L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 I am stumped by something so simple. I have crimped thousands of the insulated terminals but never used a crimper for non insulated ones. I bought decent ratchet crimpers and decent multiplugs but the results are awful whatever way I position the crimp in the tool. They just get stuck and crush in a mess. The terminal then just falls through uselessly in the block Pictures to try and show the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 Slightly better on a smaller terminal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 They don’t look like the right crimpers for those terminals ... daft as this may sound - I haven’t got my glasses with me ! But those crimpers look like they are for spade terminals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 So annoying as holding me up now. Tempted to just connect the whole lot up one by one with insulated spade terminals but that would defeat a whole day's work getting the switch wiring done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 I could be wrong - someone who knows more and can see should be along soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 I'm already stuffed as they have not supplied enough terminals for the connectors! Let alone the ones I have messed up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 You need to have the matching crimp die for the terminals. Those dies do not look like what is normally used for uninsulated terminals. Your photos are not very clear. Make sure you do NOT twist the wires. They need to lay straight for the terminals to wrap around them and clamp down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 They are uninsulated terminal crimpers... But I have no idea of the correct ones. More pictures here. The terminals are mate n lok brand if that makes any difference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 I think you need to crimp the terminal in the right size section of the dye? Normally it is smallest at the tip and gets larger towards the back... maybe worth trying it in each slot untill you get the best result for that size of connector? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 I think those crimps are for cable lugs - like these: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 I have tried each size and in different orientations. There has to be a proper method for it Even with the terminal crimped correctly I'm not impressed with the connectors which were over a tenner each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 3 minutes ago, Anderzander said: I think those crimps are for cable lugs - like these: That takes me to the second problem of the night as my hydraulic crimper for those terminals appears to have died and I can't see how it easily comes apart to reseal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 These look like the terminals you have : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133369441114 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223634302193 These are good - I’ve tried a few different types of connector and not been happy with any of them really - I’ve seen these though and they are excellent. So my next purchase will be crimps for these. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183791438890 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 4 minutes ago, Anderzander said: These look like the terminals you have : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133369441114 Yes those are the ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, Anderzander said: These are good - I’ve tried a few different types of connector and not been happy with any of them really - I’ve seen these though and they are excellent. So my next purchase will be crimps for these. The ones in your link? They are not great at holding the terminals securely in the connector, but is that my fault too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anderzander Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 You quoted me before I’d edited to put the missing links in there ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 The crimper looks fine. You are using it wrong. There is only one right place for the terminal to sit in the crimper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 46 minutes ago, Anderzander said: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/223634302193 These are good - I’ve tried a few different types of connector and not been happy with any of them really - I’ve seen these though and they are excellent. So my next purchase will be crimps for these. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/183791438890 These look good but I think they are going to be too bulky for my needs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 27 minutes ago, Red90 said: The crimper looks fine. You are using it wrong. There is only one right place for the terminal to sit in the crimper. Yes just been on another supplier site and I seem to have the right crimper. Which orientation should I be using it? Open part of terminal to which side of the crimper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 (edited) The open side goes to the female side of the crimper with the curves to curl them around. One side should be larger for the crimp over the wire insulation. Try this video. Edited June 2, 2020 by Red90 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 14 minutes ago, Red90 said: The open side goes to the female side of the crimper with the curves to curl them around. One side should be larger for the crimp over the wire insulation. Try this video. More serious details here, https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/crimping-terminals-the-importance-of-using-the-right-tool Thanks. That's the way I was most successful. I think I am going to bin the multiplugs idea and use spade insulated terminals and terminate them at different lengths to solve the space issue where they bunch up. I will bundle them into numbered groups of cables so they are fairly easy to identify and connect. If those mate n lok are one of the best out there then that's pretty disappointing. I guess the connectors that are fitted as standard to modern cars are not able to buy or are expensive to crimp? Insulated spades are easy to get a perfect reliable connection every single time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex Member Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 11 minutes ago, L19MUD said: I guess the connectors that are fitted as standard to modern cars are not able to buy or are expensive to crimp? They are all available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted June 2, 2020 Share Posted June 2, 2020 Most terminals for proprietary plugs will have a special (read: expensive) crimper made by the manufacturer of the plug system, though you can often get away with using the generic ones like in the videos. I’ve often found that it’s easy to apply too much pressure and distort the small terminals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 37 minutes ago, Red90 said: They are all available. From where? The usual suspects such as vwp and aes just stock mate n lock and econoseal. I have just achieved a decent looking crimp but the strength of it is much less than an insulated spade terminal. I can't pull a spade terminal apart by hand but I can with the mate and lok ones I'm not sure why those terminals have such a bad reputation as they seem much more reliable to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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