4/0 crimping luck?

[grantgoold]

I am contemplating crimping my own 4/0 cable for the house battery system. That is some fat wire and the lugs are tinned. I do not want to spend the $300.00 for a used crimper. They sell small hammer crimpers claiming they work on 4/0 cable. Anyone had experience with these little units?

How about other "creative" ways to crimp the cable. I will also use shrink tubing.

Thanks

Grant

[TomC]

Home Depot (and other electrical supply stores) sell brass cable ends that are screw down to tighten.  I've had good luck with them and they do carry the current.  Used one on my truck for the main starter cable.  Good Luck, TomC

[Gary '79 5C]

Grant,
Is it possible that you may know, or befriend a commercial/ industrial electrician who would have the hydraulic compression crimp tool you could borrow to make this splice??
It is a critical point with all amps running thru. Might be worth a lunch to an electrician?
I have heard of many people using copper pipe fashioned into a lug, but I really think that the right lug with the right crimp is the way to go.
I am relocating my inverter and will have to buy some one a lunch soon.
Best of luck
Gary

[Jeremy]

I would definitely make the effort to get the crimps done professionally, rather than trying to do them yourself with a DIY tool - and you probably don't even need to provide lunch as a bribe - when I bought my battery cables I worked out the lengths and terminals I needed in advance and got cables fully made up for a nominal cost-per-crimp on top of the cost of the cable and terminals. The company I used was Vehicle Wiring Products ( http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk ), who supply by mail order or over-the-counter. They are a British company obviously, but there are bound to be equivalents where you are.

There was an earlier thread on this issue that is worth reading through as well - see 'Battery Cables' starting on October 26, 2006

Jeremy

[busnut104]

I have a large punch that I use, it is very similar to the punch used it the punch crimping tool that they want about 75.00 for. This has worked well for me.

[jjrbus]

 I set up my wire lengths. Obtained the ends I wanted. There are different styles of ends. with different size holes. Purchased shrink tubing. Then went to the local battery store. For a small fee $10, they are done right. High amperage applications are no place to scrimp!

[Ace]

I borrowed a very bulky crimping tool (about 25lbs and 3' long) from the local trucks parts house to do my house battery connections but after having to change things around a little, I decided I could do it myself with a  simple home made tool. I took a 1/2-3/4 inch wide steel chisel and dulled it down a little on a bench grinder. Had the new heavy duty lugs from tractor supply and after tinning the ends of the cables, they went in pretty easy. After they were in, I had Susan hold them together on a solid surface while I gave it a good whack with the hammer and chisel with one crimp on each side. They (the cables) don't move at all in the lugs where the crimped ones from previous had some movement! I could have also heat shrunk the ends but didn't! I guess it was one of those "get r done" days!

I check them from time to time and so far they are good as new!

Ace

[grantgoold]

Thanks for the input. I will try my best to find someone in the "loop" who has the tool and background. I have spent enough time and money on the house system that this is not an area I want to go cheap on. I do have a friend that makes hydraulic lines, my guess is that he can help.

Thanks

Grant

[skipn]

  Grant;

     Any reason why you're not considering soldering the end on?
     Just curious....

  Skip

[John Z]

Get them done the right way - i would stop by a welding shop or similar place and have them crimp them on. They should have all the parts and tools needed.

[gumpy]

There's info on how I did mine here:  http://www.gumpydog.com/bus/MC9_WIP/Electrical/Batteries/batteries.htm

Made my own ends and crimped/soldered them on the cable. They work very well.

[John Z]

In the above post i meant a welding supply shop.

Yeah, why is it they never solder the ends on? I have read too not to solder the ends on as it makes it solid and ridgid,,, is that the only reason not use solder?

[DavidInWilmNC]

I bought the crimping block that you hit with a hammer or put in a vise from McMaster-Carr.  I believe it was around $27 or so.  I didn't use it on any 4/0, but I did use it on 3/0, 2/0, and 1/0.  It seemed to make crimps as well as the ones I did at a local alternator/ starter/ battery place (they deal mostly with trucks, buses, forklifts, etc).  On one visit, they crimped them for me, the other they showed me how to do it.  Their crimper looks like a big set of bolt cutters with an adjuster for the different sizes of cable that are to be crimped.  It was a lot easier than my hammer / vise crimper, but I don't do them on a day to day basis, obviously.  I also found that a good, helpful local shop is almost indispensible when it comes to cables.  Their prices are reasonable, they accomodate my needs (cables crimped while I wait at no charge) and have just about every big battery I could need.  The rebuild automotive alternators for like $45 and guarantee them.  I kind of know the owner a bit, so maybe that helps, but they are considered to be a very helpful shop by most.  I found that if I order cables, the shipping pretty much eats up the savings plus I get to purchase more from my local guy, which can only be a good thing for future needs.

David

[belfert]

A friend of mine who does mobile forklift repair did the lugs on my 4/0 cable.  He had the right tool since he repairs electric forklifts.

Brian Elfert

[Brian Diehl]

I used the crimper you are looking at on my 2/0 cable.  I crimped, soldered and then put on glue based heat shrink tubing.  3 years so far and no problems.