V

vonjet

Well Known Member
What tool are you all using to attach terminal lugs to the battery wires.? I have 2 gauge battery wire.
 
Battery terminals

http://www.epm-avcorp.com/ makes a crimper for you. They're going out of business but still have some inventory according to their website.
I have a crimper in Apple Valley if you get can't find something closer.

Steve Hamer
Apple Valley, Ca
RV-6
 
If you don't want to buy or borrow a very expensive tool, take a look at this thread. I'm very thankful to Ron Leach for showing me how to save a lot of money for about 6 crimps total. Each has more than adequately passed Van's pull test guidelines. You could also follow the Bob Nuckoll's solder route, but unless you are really good at soldering, you can end up with a pretty brittle joint. Hope this helps.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=27136&highlight=battery+cable+terminal
 
terminal Tool

That terminal tool looks sweet. But $150 to crimp 4 cables....I just cant justify that. Anyone have one I can borrow?
 
I can't remember who on here gave me the idea, but I simply made a crimper out of my squeezer. I'm sure somebody on here can figure out where the thread is, but the idea is to make a little saddle die out of aluminum and then I ground a flat dimple die into a little pyramid. It worked perfectly. If I were to do it again though, I'd just go for that $8.95 whack-it-with-a-hammer deal that was discussed above. It's funny that I bought my battery cables and lugs at a welding supply store near my house, but it never occured to me that they might have such a simple tool to do the crimping. Live and learn.
 
A propane torch...

......that you can get at most hardware stores has plenty of flame to solder 2 gauge cable. Solder plus flux the cable first, then flux the inside of the terminal, insert the pre-soldered cable and reheat from the outside and just add solder from near the edges. Watch the solder flow and you have it. No future corrosion that you might get from squeezed joints later, especially you guys near the coastal areas.

Regards,
 
Other tools

I bought this one, but have not tried it :

image.pl


www.weldingsupplies.com

item 04040, 8,85$
 
Wondering

How do you use the Depth gauge on the cheap smasher tool? I am using it on 2 gauge and 8 gauge wire.
Thanks
Bryan
 
Bryan-
See the picture in this thread...
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=27136&highlight=battery+cable+terminal

You'll notice that there are indicator marks on the silver part 6, 2, 2.0, etc. The 2 is what you want--it means 2AWG. The 2.0 is for a much bigger cable than the the 2AWG we use. (Note that the other side that you can't see has 8, 4, and something bigger.) I used my vise to get it started enough to hold the wire temporarily then hammered until the "2" was just at the top of the black part.

Don't forget to slide some heatshrink over the wire before the crimping. Always good to do a pull test as well. I think Van's recommends 40# for the 2AWG wire.

Hope this helps.
 
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