Does anyone have any experience with one of these types of crimper for battery terminals/lugs ?

try mcmaster part number 7061K12



I need to make about 8 or so ends to battery cable and thought this would work decently

 

Nope.

I throw the connector on the stoves burner and solder the wire to the connector.

A crimp might allow a little more flexibilty though.

 

Thanks for the speedy reply.

I have a small butane torch and tried that on one of the lugs but the solder would just drip right off. I didn't know if it was okay to use flux. I was told not to use a torch though because this causes the wire not to conduct as well.

Can I use flux, and if so what kind? Does it matter what kind of solder I use? All of the connections are being covered with heat shrink.

 

When I relocated the battery on my VW I upgraded to 1/0 AWG cable and had to crimp lugs onto that. I ended up using solder and a crimper for thick-gauge coaxial cable that I had lying around. Worked like a charm and the tool wasn't expensive, I think I paid less than $30 for it initially.

 

i used visegrips...they worked nicely

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18EG6 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have a small butane torch and tried that on one of the lugs but the solder would just drip right off.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Torch doesn't work because it's to hot. Solder will travel to the hottest location which is why it drips off. It going to the torch.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18EG6 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I didn't know if it was okay to use flux.</TD></TR></TABLE>
It's best if you dont use flux. All flux is corrosive and will make your wires corrode over time if not cleaned. The problem with power wire is they use small wires so the flux travels under the sleaving and you can not clean it. If you use flux use rosin or "no clean" flux. No clean being the least corrosive.

The negative to not using flux is it makes it a pain in the but to get good solder wicking.

I would use 60/40 tin/lead solder without flux. Stick the wire in the connector and lay it on an stove burner. Once its hot start feading the solder into the connector. Dont let the connector get to hot. 600F is enough if you have a way to measure temp. Other wise usually within 30 sec after the burner gets hot is enough.

If you use flux I would say the wire is good for 2-3 years.

You can solder without flux it just takes skill. If you can spray nitrogen on the solder joint while soldering even better then flux. Tuff to do if you dont have the right equipment though.

Good luck.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MilanoCivic97 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i used visegrips...they worked nicely</TD></TR></TABLE>

yeh, one of the terminals I dont have to see I smashed with a hammer, soldered what I could, and then heat shrunk.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxxtreme &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Torch doesn't work because it's to hot. Solder will travel to the hottest location which is why it drips off. It going to the torch.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks for the reply, makes perfect sense once you tell me that! Would I have more luck using a larger 70w fat soldering iron? Or maybe turn down the torch, back it away, or vary the exposure to the lug?

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxxtreme &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

It's best if you dont use flux. All flux is corrosive and will make your wires corrode over time if not cleaned. The problem with power wire is they use small wires so the flux travels under the sleaving and you can not clean it. If you use flux use rosin or "no clean" flux. No clean being the least corrosive.

The negative to not using flux is it makes it a pain in the but to get good solder wicking.

I would use 60/40 tin/lead solder without flux. Stick the wire in the connector and lay it on an stove burner. Once its hot start feading the solder into the connector. Dont let the connector get to hot. 600F is enough if you have a way to measure temp. Other wise usually within 30 sec after the burner gets hot is enough.

If you use flux I would say the wire is good for 2-3 years.

You can solder without flux it just takes skill. If you can spray nitrogen on the solder joint while soldering even better then flux. Tuff to do if you dont have the right equipment though.

Good luck.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Once again, thanks for the advice. On one connector I used my small solder (which obviously took forever to wick in; being so small) and on another fitting I used larger ~0.1" 60/40 solder. Unfortunately, the larger solder did not explicitly say 60 tin/40 lead... is it safe to assume the ratio is indeed tin/lead?

I know what you mean about the right tools... I use our Weller solder/desolder station all the time at work and I always catch myself bitching when I solder at home without it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18EG6 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for the reply, makes perfect sense once you tell me that! Would I have more luck using a larger 70w fat soldering iron? Or maybe turn down the torch, back it away, or vary the exposure to the lug?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Its not just about how much power you have in the iron. It matters how the heat is spread over the item your trying to solder. I would chuck the torch. If the iron has a tip proportional to the area you are trying to solder and its able to bring the surface to 600F then your good. My experience says your iron wont work.

That is why I use the stove top. Its able to heat the material up fast and evenly. You need this or you will just melt the sleaving.

Not all solder is tin/lead most of the stuff you get from radioshack is tin lead.

 

use bolt cutters... works great! just remember to to not cut all the way. Trust me its the next best tool to use for this type of work. I've use bolt cutters many times with no problems... feels like butter

 

i've always had a giant set of crimpers that look like bolt-cutters. that's the best to use if you have access. if not you can use the hammer one...just make sure if you are using seamed connecors to put the connector into the crimper properly so the wires don't pull back out. then slide the heat-shrink over. i've also seen people use a vice to solder the heavy gauge wires before heat-shrinking them.
they put the connector loop-side down (hole side up) into the vice, heat it up with the torch, then pull the torch away and while it's still hot fill the connector up with solder and then reheat the connector again and stick the stripped end of the wire down into the hot liquid solder and let it cool down...then heat-shrink.

 

Problem with a torch.

1. Its to fricken hot
2. It causes your metal to oxidize.
That is why they use Nitrogen in welding its an inert gas that displaces the oxygen.