leeds Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Need to make up some Anderson onnectors so what is best way of connecting wires Solder? Crimp? Solder and crimp? Have access to a rather large crimping tool that my sparky uses. Brendan Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cieranc Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 We just crimp them (commercial service van/recovery work) with HD crimpers. We find that 175 amp plugs are fine, and we regulary jumpstart artics from dead. Your leads will melt long before the plugs suffer! Corrosion on the plugs is a problem for us, we have them mounted front and rear on every vehicle. We used to use a welder type connector (push in and twist) which we never had problems with. Now we find these type plugs are less widely available and Anderson plugs are a lot cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lansalot Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I used "big hammer" and "hard surface". Worked a treat Double the cable back on itself a little, and whack it behind that, so there's no room for the bulge to pull through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 a good clean crimp joint done correctly is very reliable, even aircraft electric cables are crimped, the 28v generator supply cables to the busbar on the a/c I work on are crimped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101sean Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I finally sorted the 175A ones last week that I bought about 4 years ago I used a 4" vice, a nail and a large fence staple to give the same effect as a crimp tool, ie crimping is staggered down the sleeve, reckon they'll hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Thanks folks. Think it will be a case of borrowing the crimping tool from Mark the sparki. Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 I suppose the method will depend on the size of the cable and the crimp. I have a 175A Anderson plug in the back of my car for a little 3000lb winch. The cables are only 25mm and so nowhere near big enough to crimp. I just soldered the cable to the inside of the crimp tube. The tube was so big in relation to the cable that I could get the iron in there too and soldered the cable neatly to the inside face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete3000 Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I had to make a fair few batt leads and crimps up recently, I found a cheap chinese "hydraulic crimper" on the bay of E new for about £30. I figured if it lasts a year it will have paid for itself. I have done the 40mm sq leads and battery links anderson connectors and main batt/starter cables all with no problems so far. As a backup I find after crimping you can use a wet rag around the insulation of the cable and a small gas pencil torch and a length of heavy electrical solder to finish the joint off. Good on braided cables to stop corrosion of the braid. I you are really bothered (winch cable ends/salt water) you can get adhesive lined heatshrink to seal the ends a bit better, also looks nice. One tip though, never solder then crimp as when the joint heats up and the solder melts away the cable will come out of the crimp. Anderson connectors like a nice even rounded crimp or you may find trouble pushing the terminals into the housing. Note they shouldn't be solid in the housing after fitted as the spring pushes the floating terminals together when mated Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outrage Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 I suppose the method will depend on the size of the cable and the crimp.I have a 175A Anderson plug in the back of my car for a little 3000lb winch. The cables are only 25mm and so nowhere near big enough to crimp. I just soldered the cable to the inside of the crimp tube. The tube was so big in relation to the cable that I could get the iron in there too and soldered the cable neatly to the inside face. If you get them from VWP, they come with 40mm pins, you can buy 35mm pins seperately which are a bit more suitable for smaller cable. I'ts also worth getting the covers that fit over the vehicle mounted half of the connectors, keeps the carp out when not in use and the handles are a nice addition on the jump leads - but a bit costy! Cheers, lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Train Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 If you get them from VWP, they come with 40mm pins, you can buy 35mm pins seperately which are a bit more suitable for smaller cable. I'ts also worth getting the covers that fit over the vehicle mounted half of the connectors, keeps the carp out when not in use and the handles are a nice addition on the jump leads - but a bit costy!Cheers, lee I got mine cheap as a four pack on Ebay so accepted whatever came with it, the handles cost more then the plugs so I didn't bother with them! Mine is kept inside the vehicle so no concerns about dirt. Also I only use in light bursts with the winch and, eventually, the trailer hydraulics so there shouldn't be any over heating problems. The other reason I soldered was that it gives me the option of desoldering at a later date and reusing the cleaned crimps properly on full sized cable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lansalot Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 If you don't have them yet, I got my connectors here. Ordered a couple times from them, excellent service. http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/GET-CONNECTE...S__W0QQ_armrsZ1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 If you get them from VWP, they come with 40mm pins, you can buy 35mm pins seperately which are a bit more suitable for smaller cable. I'ts also worth getting the covers that fit over the vehicle mounted half of the connectors, keeps the carp out when not in use and the handles are a nice addition on the jump leads - but a bit costy!Cheers, lee Anderson Connectors are available with contacts to suit different sizes of cable. Reducing Bushes are also available for in-between sizes. The Anderson SB175 connector is available from - Torberry Connector's online shop - to suit 50mm2, 35mm2, 25mm2 and 16mm2 cable. They also have the Rubber End Caps and Cable Entry/Body PVC Sleeves to help keep dirt and water out of the connector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulMc Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Following on from my last post - Details of Anderson's complete range can be found here - http://www.andersonpower.com/ and the SB Range here - http://www.andersonpower.com/products/multipole-sb.html There are Data Sheets and Drawings to download which give details of the range of connectors and accessories available. Most Anderson suppliers only sell complete connectors, very few stock the full range of component parts and accessories. Torberry Connectors (in my post above) say that they are an Anderson Power Products Distributor, so they should be able to supply the complete range. I bought all of my various Anderson Connectors (SB50, SB175 and SB350) and accessories (Mating Handles, Cable Clamps, Reducing Bushings, Dust Covers, Cable Entry Sleeves) from this company who, at the time (1997), were the UK Importer for Anderson Power Products - Colton Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd 329 Front Lane, Upminster, Essex, RM14 1LW Tel: (01708) 224454 Fax:(01708) 221191 Since then, any extra connectors that I've needed, I've bought from 'Get-Connected' on eBay. To answer Brendan's original question - I would say that if you don't have the correct tool to do a Hexagon Crimp, then Soldering is better than an Indent Crimp or some other homemade solution because, as Pete3000 said, if you deform the connector barrel too much it doesn't fit into the housing properly and can cause the contacts to not mate correctly. I also bought one of those cheap Chinese Hexagon Crimpers on eBay and I'm very pleased with it's perfomance. I'm not sure if it would be 'man enough' for professional, all day, every day use, but for the sort of use most of us here will put it to, it's more than capable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicTheOrange90 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Continuing along this old post theme... Im putting remote Anderson connector for jump leads. I plan to mount it in the engine bay and have the leads and an extender already made up from previous vehicle. As Im putting sound proofing on the seat box and replacing LR seats, I dont want to be getting into the battery bay on a frequent basis. The question is: Should I run a negative return to the battery or to the chassis ? I ask this as have heard of issues of an exlposive nature when directly connecting two batteries together for charging.... BTW I dont rate the new search facility as well as the old one, but did search and came up with this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Ive always jumped battery to battery, never had a problem, and even if you did connect to chassis, does it not still connect to battery negative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicTheOrange90 Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Just that a lot of modern car manuals tell you to NEVER jump battery to battery... I agree about connection via chassis is electrically same as battery to battery though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Back to battery Nik. You want the battery to have full benefit from the jump, without any dissipation of current via the chassis or the connections to it. Can't see the difference between a jump lead connection and a properly earthed twin battery set-up. I have an Anderson at the front (and on the winch so I can isolate it) and by the passenger side battery box, with a 5/6 metre XEng jump lead with another Anderson near the croc clips. This allows me to connect to other Anderson equipped vehicles without having to remove battery box lid, or to clip to battery for those that don't. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 oooh clever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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