The Klein Tools Ratcheting Crimper I purchased was certainly not the cheapest, but was recommended by several Field Service Engineers I work with. Colleagues and friends in the trades are my usual go-to source for advice.
Terminal connectors
- Thread starter skunther
- Start date
I have the same one. It works well when properly adjusted and with quality connectors. If using cheap connectors, you'll have a high rate of failure. I saw upwards of 50% failure when I pulled on cheap connectors immediately after crimping.
I've since upgraded to the HST crimpers. It's a night and day difference. I can't recall any failures that weren't due to my own negligence.
The Klein tool looks like a double crimper. This is specifically for double crimp terminals. Single crimp terminals should use a different tool like the HST crimper mentioned.
Double crimp terminals should be used on a boat, but few do. Probably because they don't come in heat shrink versions, so require separate heat shrink tube.
Mark
Double crimp terminals should be used on a boat, but few do. Probably because they don't come in heat shrink versions, so require separate heat shrink tube.
Mark
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 24,647
Agreed, but is probably why they aren't used more. Double crimp terminals are really the best choice for a boat, as they crimp the terminal to the insulation also, which helps with movement and vibration.
To reinforce your opinion, I have a full complement of double crimp terminals and the correct crimper for them, but almost always use single crimp heat shrink terminals. Lost count of the number of times I installed a double crimp and realized I forgot to slip on the heat shrink first.
Still like the double crimp ones for tiny signal wires because of the added support of crimping the insulation.
Mark
I dunno…quality terminals without heat shrink are pretty inexpensive, so which corners are being cut when you buy the cheap version of the heat shrink ones?
Also: heat shrink on anything but a butt splice seems of questionable value to me. The end of the wire needs to be fully encapsulated or all that fancy, expensive heat shrink isn’t going to do much.
Definitely buy the correct crimper though! They make ones specifically for this style of connector and when I tried my regular double-crimp tool on them instead the wires could wiggle a little.
Also: heat shrink on anything but a butt splice seems of questionable value to me. The end of the wire needs to be fully encapsulated or all that fancy, expensive heat shrink isn’t going to do much.
Definitely buy the correct crimper though! They make ones specifically for this style of connector and when I tried my regular double-crimp tool on them instead the wires could wiggle a little.
The type of metal and the thickness are the most obvious differences. There's finer details. MaineSail has elaborated on some of those details in his articles
The better connectors fully encapsulate the end of the wire
Always do a pull test after crimping. I finally upgraded when I had a near 50% failure rate with Klein crimpers and some cheap connectors. I've forgotten crimpers as well as good connectors. That's when I discovered that good connectors with properly adjusted cheap ratcheting crimpers are better than good crimpers with cheap connectors.
The heat shrink provides a nice transition support for the wire/terminal interface.
Mark