Some time back, that subject came up and had me thinking about them. I decided to try one out. I bought one from Harbor Freight, Cliffs favorite store lol. That tool works pretty slick, has inserts to crimp from 0 to #12 wire, and comes with a complete set of replacement seals. I recently used it to crimp some # 6 wire and does an impressive job for the money. Normally I would solder the wire. Wont have to any more. Thanks guys, for the discussion!
If I need to do any from 00 to 0000, I'll have to spring for a better one, since hf only offers this one.
Glad it's working for you. I got one from Amazon to use on battery cables, and it is also a game changer in making battery cables. The crimps are much tighter without any air pockets. Add an adhesive heat-shrink tube and you've got a great cable.
I double heat shrink all my wire connections. Second one a little longer than the first.
For the money the HF crimpers are ok keep the spare repair kit where you can find it, I have used mine a lot.but I have a better one for battery cables
I love HF... perhaps a little too much ::) but I got the Amazon version. It's clearly not "pro grade", but I've used the heck out of it crimping 4/0, 2/0, 4, 6, 8, and 10 awg wire.
Those connections are super-tight and with heat-shrink should outlast whatever I've put them in ;D
One thing to note about crimping vs soldering is that crimping actually squeezes the copper into one single solid hunk, vacating any air gaps. If you've ever chopped off a lug, you'll see the inside looks like one solid tube of copper. :)
The Harbor Freight one only goes to 0. Amazon sells a larger one that goes from 10 to 0000.
It too is very reasonably priced, although the handle looks a little chinzy, but has mostly positive ratings. I have that on my Christmas list. I usually buy things I want a lot Thanksgiving to before Christmas. Many times Wife will disappear the item if I don't use it right away and it shows up in my stocking or under the 🌳. We have a good laugh afterwards when I say... So thats where that got to. Kids bug me to make a Christmas list every year, but rarely do they get anything off the list.