Seeking the answer to a age old question

[Stepho_62]

G'day,

below there are 2 pictures. One is of my crimping tool and the other is of 2 crimped fittings.

I've always wondered which way around is the correct way to crimp a fitting. The crimper produces 2 different patterns depending upon which way around you put the fitting in.

I've always used it with the opening of the fitting on the left side, i.e. the wire going into the fitting from the left. I was doing this not long ago when a mate who is a Sparky said "thats the wrong way around".

Then followed a long argument about why it was wrong.

Whats your opinion????? Is the male spade crimped correctly or the female?

I'll be interested in your comments

 

[bods]

The female one looks right to me. It looks like a stronger crimp on the actual terminal, where as the male fitting looks like it's not as strong a crimp, if you get what I mean.

I guess I would say the flatter part of the crimp should be closer to the terminal end, as opposed to the wire end...

 

[4x4 ST-R]

I had the same question, and had problems of the wire slipping from the terminal no matter what way I used the crimping tool.

In the end I've now decided to use both ways on every terminal, dont think they will ever slip, never had an issue since.

 

[zed]

female is the right one !

 

[mitch92]

I'll be interested in your comments

The female is the correct way. The way I do it and was taught is the colored dot on crimpers is where cable comes in, so crimp is coming out unmarked side.

 

[Old.Tony]

+1 on the female one being correct.

Inside the plastic shroud around the terminal lug there's a small metal tube where the wire goes through. This tube is designed to take JUST the wire and it's designed to be crushed around the wire.

Further back - on the end away from the actual electrical contact point where the wire goes in - it's designed to wrap around the insulator as well. This is supposed to be LIGHTLY crimped (or not crimped at all) so that it holds the insulator snugly but doesn't damage it.

 

[siringo]

Yep without a doubt the female.
To me it looks like you've only squished the plastic insulator of the male connector onto the insulation of the cable and not the conductive part of the connector to the uninsulated wire.

You could always solder it.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

To me it actually looks like you have the wrong crimper.
That crimper looks to be for straight brass crimp fittings like these

and this is the type to use on normal lugs

 

[siringo]

I use one of these ...

 

[mitch92]

To me it actually looks like you have the wrong crimper.
That crimper looks to be for straight brass crimp fittings like these

and this is the type to use on normal lugs

No way!!

He has the right ones, they do red, blue, yellow only the ones he has, which is correct.

Your bottom ones are for un-insulated lugs.

The top
Lugs are open barrel, and use a different crimper.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Ok All of the crimpers I have are like the bottom pair and after 30 years on the tools you get a few lol. However mine are for the 240 type electrical type lugs and not the Auto industry type lugs.I dont go by red blue or yellow I go by 1.5mm 2.5mm 4.0mm etc all the way to lugs for 500Amp welding cable. They all the use similar design of one side like a cradle for the lug and the other with a bump lump whatever you wanna call it that pushed the middle of the crimp lug in to get not only electical bond but mechanical strength

 

[mitch92]

Ok All of the crimpers I have are like the bottom pair and after 30 years on the tools you get a few lol. However mine are for the 240 type electrical type lugs and not the Auto industry type lugs.I dont go by red blue or yellow I go by 1.5mm 2.5mm 4.0mm etc all the way to lugs for 500Amp welding cable. They all the use similar design of one side like a cradle for the lug and the other with a bump lump whatever you wanna call it that pushed the middle of the crimp lug in to get not only electical bond but mechanical strength

Yes, but they are not insulated lugs your speaking of, correct?

I'm quite familiar with the ones you showed, I have a few pairs myself also.

 

[Aussie Frontier]

I use the same crimpers on bare and insulated lugs simply due to the fact they work. Have tried many different types and the electrical type crimpers still work the best on all lugs.My usuals are actually part of my cresent linesmans pliers

 

[Stepho_62]

Gday All,

Thanks for your responses. I must be a bit smarter than I give myself credit for. I also think the female lug is correct. The crimpers came in a crimp lug kit, no instructions so I decided that with the crimp die and lug colour coding on the left and the crimpers held with your right hand it had to be right. The die also crimps the forward area of the lug tube into a tight circle and the bit at the back into a sort of flared elliptical plastic shroud. Cheers A