Why 50% of All Crimp Connections Fail - Up or Down?

Crimped connections can suck for one reason that most DIY'rs have no idea bout. Should the connector seam should be UP or DOWN? How do I know wat size wire to use? Are manual tools really stronger? End the Crimp anxiety when you pull that wire and learn to crimp like electric Connectors, Insulated & Non-Insulated like a pro.

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Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. Silver Cymbal assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Silver Cymbal recommends safe practices when working on machines and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Silver Cymbal, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Silver Cymbal.

Why 50% of All Crimp Electric Connections Fail - Up or Down?

[Baulan]

The example "problem" crimp nr.3 at 3:50 should be considered a perfect crimp. The wire should terminate where the insulation ends, wire extending at all onto the mating surface is considered a defect in all 3 product classifications according to IPC standards.

[bozanimal]

This explains the problems I've had for three decades with amateur wiring in my car. Genuinely, this video has made my life better. Thank you.

[GaryT]

So logical...but for 55 years I have been unaware of this...great content as usual SC

[ianwhitford]

If I'd used an indent crimper on an insulated connector on the sites I worked on, I would have been sacked. Always use the correct crimper for the design of the lug.

[ramosel]

Retired now but built low and high current power supplies much of my early adult life… a couple that are no longer in this solar system. A few that vanished in a flash…. Nice to see someone on YouTube teach this right. The orientation really becomes critical when dealing with high strand count small gauge wire - 1400 strand 12ga Teflon jacket is a bear to get mechanically connected.

[general]

I was a licensed electrician for over 37 years. I had the chance to take a lugging course from AMP, which is a leading manufacturer of crimp on lugs. The STAKON luggers were the best, according to them, with Klein coming in second. I thought it was right to have a little wire sticking out past the lug body, but I was dead wrong. They instructed me, YOU SHOULD NEVER LEAVE ONE IOTA OF WIRE, STICKING OUT PAST THE END OF THE LUG BODY.!!! The little lump, at the back end of the lug, is where you use the stripper crimper, as it tightens down into the insulation, providing a strain relief of sorts. I have manually crimped cases of terminals onto everything from the Red 20 - 18 and the Blue 16 - 14 and the Yellow 12 - 10 AMP terminals onto uncountable connectors and Burndy lugs onto 8 awg on up to 1600-24 cable, so I know what I'm talking about! You are right, the solid radius is where the top of your lug goes. It holds the two edges together and the tit shoves in the smoothe side. You should NEVER have ANY wire coming out of the front of your lug.

[tobysarsi]

This video finally talks about how to orient the seam in the connector in the crimping tool. This is the first video that takes that question head on, to make sure that the dimple is on the side that does NOT have the seam. So simple and yet almost NEVER talked about—thank you for this video!

[napoleonwilson]

One of the few YouTube videos that actually shows the importance of seam and crimper orientation.
Thank you.

[Mountain-Man-]

The crimp tool you used on the uninsulated terminals is for closed barrel connectors. The open crimp uses a die that rolls both wings of the open crimp down into the wire. You mean well but are actually not helping.

[ronreyes]

Although technically your using uninsulated crimpers on insulated terminals, you are correct about the orientation which is easy to see by looking down the inside of the terminal.

Insulated crimpers are what typically result in soft crimps, also good quality terminals have grooved interiors that help with getting a good bite on the wire, unlike the cheap Chinese terminals which are usually smooth.

[dfrozendog]

I am 70+ years old and can't even begin to count the crimps I have done. Crimps I have done wrong. Thank you for this video. You would think that I would have figured it out long ago.

[libbyd]

Another potential issue, primarily with the insulated connectors, is getting some of the wire insulation into the crimp. Using the right size connector, as you pointed out, can help avoid that because only the wire will fit. But if the wire is in the smaller range for a particular connector, it is possible to get some of the wire insulation into the crimp, and then it impedes a good connection and it’s difficult to notice if the connector has an insulated collar around it.

[donhozy]

I've never seen all these points highlighted, and so well demonstrated, in any crimping how to video. Thanks, once again, for going a little deeper into the details that can make, or break, the success of a project.

[walterbordett]

What you say is correct but If you buy brazed-barrel crimp terminals this failure mode cannot happen. They cost a lot more than the cheapies but are worth it. They often are made from thicker copper material, so they are sturdier. Nylon insulated terminals are good to higher temperatures than the cheaper PVC insulated ones. Many critical applications specify brazed-barrel terminals.

For smaller screw size terminals 1/16 stick out of the wire may be too much. Any wire past flush is not part of the connection, so just make sure the wire strands are just a little past flush and not in the way of the screw head.

Ratcheting crimping tools are great and often take a lot less force to crimp. I have carpal tunnel damage from crimping terminals and cutting wires with less than the easiest tools over fifty years of tool use.

[greensavant]

Thank you for doing this.
I was lucky that in the senior year, my High School had a vocational electronic program (the entire afternoon). The instructor covered all types of practices, tips & tricks. I went on to college, and couldn't believe all the double E's that didn't have a clue about any of this, and most had never wired anything!

[Failsafeman]

Zero time wasted in laying it all out very simply. Subbed 👍

[timberwolfdtproductions]

I’ve done a lot crimps, and I’ve idly speculated on which way is best, but never put serious thought or research into it, which is probably why I’ve had inconsistent results. Now I know the correct way. Thanks!

[robertsnake]

OUTSTANDING, as usual. I've seen MANY folks do this the wrong way and use regular pliers to crush the connector down. The "brute force" method.

[tobyweir-jones]

Yup. I knew about the seam but had been doing it the opposite way. Sometimes the two halves on the seam would both curl in nicely and make a good crimp but your way is better and more predictable. Earns a sub, thanks!

[Kevin-qydu]

I've done a lot of stranded 10-14. I had some long handled crimpers like the Gardener/Bender in the vid. Came up missing. I ended up welding 6" extensions on the pair I use now, as I couldn't find another. Crimps like a bench vice. Fixing a pulled crimp on a submersible pump a couple hundred feet below ground motivates one to make good crimps.