4 awg crimper/stripper

[gride300]

where can i find one? the only ones i can find around here are 8 awg and i cant locate one on google either

[ClemsonDave]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

For stripping that large, I use a knife. For connectors, I either get ones that have a set screw or solder them (usually both).

[gride300]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

thanks. i got the knife covered. i'll have to see what earmark sends me. i havn't soldered anything since i was like 10 w/ my dad. maybe i'll just run up to a diff. shop than the last one i used and get them to crimp the power/ ground. it's only 2 wires.

[CradGen2]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Try a electrical supply house like CED or Mayer in AL. They sell or might have one you can use to crimp the wire. I have one, but it cost about 300.00 to buy. Also welding companies use them a lot. You can get the wire there too.

[gride300]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

i think im going to practice soldering on some crappy household speaker wire i have first and then see if i can't just solder the ring terminal on myself, i thought you just crimped it on, but i know solder is better.

[Andrew]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

what i do on heavy gauge wire:
crimp the terminal as well as i can with large channel locks
flare the end of the wire over the edges of the terminal
apply solder in the center first (to keep the wire flared over)
then solder the rest of the wire to the terminal

I use the triton PTH for large wires such as that, but a propane/butane torch would probably work just as well....
http://www.esicotriton.com/tools/

[gride300]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

i think i can handle a little soldering. i think i'm going to start w/ the turn on lead and move on to the power/ground and see what happens. i have extra ring terminals and a few feet extra cable so 1 or two mistakes won't ruin anything.

[Mikeski]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Knife and a vice work if you don't need to make the crimp in the boat. If you do need to make the final connection in the boat I would use a torch and solder the connection. Channel locks cannot apply adequately pressure to create a permanent connection. When working in military facilities or oil refineries we are forced to use calibrated crimpers for all crimped connections. These will not release until adequate pressure is applied to the connector. Appropriate crimpers for this size wire are extremely expensive. I don't have crimpers for wire larger than #10. For #8 sometimes I cheat and use my #10 crimps, but anything larger gets done in the vice or with solder.

[DavidF]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

I suggest you solder regardless of the wire size. I NEVER crimp a wire no matter how large or small.

[TRDon]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Any connection should be mechanically secure before soldering. DO NOT rely on the solder to mechanically secure a connection unless on a printed circuit board.

[gride300]

RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

does anyone know a good website i can get some tips from. i know how to tin, i'm just somewhat skeptical about myself screwing up the 4 awg wire. am i supposed to crimp it w/ some bare wire sticking out and solder that, then heat shrink it? if ya'll haven't noticed by now i'm very OCD when i learn things even though it usually ends up being a combo of gained knowledge/trial and error.

[LT206]

I used one of these when I did the big wire for my stereo. Put the wire in the terminal, hit it with a hammer, then solder.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammer-On-Weldin...3A1%7C294%3A50

[DavidF]

Re: RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Any connection should be mechanically secure before soldering. DO NOT rely on the solder to mechanically secure a connection unless on a printed circuit board.

News to me. I usually do crimp first just to hold the terminal to the wire during soldering, but not always and have NEVER had a failure. Also, my local Alternator shop who I have make battery cables for me does not crimp the battery terminals on the wire before soldering. the terminals they use are too heavy walled to be crimped anyway. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying you are wrong and I am right, I have just never heard that before.

[DavidF]

RE: Re: RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Interesting...makes sense. As a practice, I never leave a wire without strain relief of some sort...mostly by tie-wraping to something (or bundled together, etc). My problem with crimped connections is corrosion and poor crimps or breaking of the wire due to excessive crimp force, etc. Also, soldering with heat shrink wrap just looks soooo much nicer and cleaner.

[ClemsonDave]

RE: Re: RE: 4 awg crimper/stripper

Soldering tips:
Get some solder flux (it allows the solder to flow better)
Put some flux on the exposed wire
Slide the shrink tube on the wire
Put connector on wire (crimp, set screw or nothing)
Place the solder iron on the wire and connector
Allow the wire and connector to heat up
Feed the solder wire into the wire/connector (the heated parts along with the flux will 'suck' the solder in)
Allow it to cool then slid the shrink tube forward and apply heat

IMO, if you solder it, shrink tube and tie the wire up so it will not pull away, it should be plenty strong w/o crimping. If you make a circle with the wire right as it comes off the amp/battery and zip tie it, there will be built in slack.

Then buy my '08 196! <---- shameless plug ;-)