Impact crimpers suck

[corn18]

I redid my RV system moving the batteries. While I was removing the existing 4/0 battery cables I noticed one of the wires was not tight in the lug. So I gave it a yank and the cable came out. I thought I had redone all my crimps with my Temco hydraulic crimper but must have missed one. So I went in the garage to test some of my redo cables that had impact crimps. I tried to pull out the cable from the lug on 4/0, 2/0 and 2 wires. Every one I could pull out. Some took some twisting and bending of the cable, but they all came out. I tested two of each size and none of them held.

Then I tried to pull out a Temco crimped wire from the lug. That sucker wasn't going anywhere. Beat the wire with a hammer with the lug in a vice and it would not move. Then I cut the crimp in half to look at it. Just one solid mass of copper. I remember reading somewhere that the hydraulic crimpers actually cold weld the whole cable. Compare that to the impact crimps where nothing was cold welded. All the individual strands were still individual.

I will never use an impact crimper and highly recommend no one use an impact crimper. The impact crimps are not reliable.

 

[yodamota]

I am curious which model impact crimper you are referring too?

Looks like I have a Temco TH0007 model. It says it can do 4/0 wire, but i doubt its effectiveness as well.

 

[corn18]

I am curious which model impact crimper you are referring too?

Looks like I have a Temco TH0007 model. It says it can do 4/0 wire, but i doubt its effectiveness as well.

Temco impact crimper and hydraulic crimper

 

[42OhmsPA]

Temco impact crimper and hydraulic crimper

I have the TH1818 hydraulic crimper and hammer crimper from Temco. While I'd much prefer the hydraulic I wouldn't hesitate to use the hammer crimper (mounted to a block of wood on concrete or solid table) ; I used it for my first build and have had 0 issues.

 

[corn18]

5 lbs steel sledge hammer pounding the impact crimper on concrete. Do I need to use my giant 10 lbs sledge with the full length handle?

 

[42OhmsPA]

5 lbs steel sledge hammer pounding the impact crimper on concrete. Do I need to use my giant 10 lbs sledge with the full length handle?

I would hope not. I used my 3-4 lb with a couple just smashed your knuckles pissed off swings. 1/0 was the largest size I used it with.

 

[pvdude]

This combination works great for me.
I can't pull a 4/0 out of the connector after beating on the crimp tool w/ the heavy Copper hammer.

 

[Checkthisout]

Never used one. They don't really take full advantage of the actual crimping power of the lug. I guess it might be fine if you moved the terminal around and hit multiple times.

When using the hydraulical crimper, I make sure and crush the whole terminal along it's length which means crimping the same terminal more than once.

 

[SoakedUp]

I’ve had good luck using an impact crimper in a bench top vise grip instead of wailing on it with a sledge. More precise and controlled crimp. I always felt awkward trying to hold the wire in the lug in the tempo crimper, then swinging a 5lb sledge where my hand was.

I’ve done up to 2ga in this style crimper but not sure I’d feel comfortable going much bigger.

 

[Q-Dog]

I've had no issues, but I've only done up to 2/0. You don't need a bigger hammer, you just need to hit it more than once. The tone changes when you go far enough.

 

[LydMekk]

Hydraulic versions are so much better and from 75 bucks on Amazon there is no need to "save" on not buying one.

 

[corn18]

This makes me happy.

 

[Supervstech]

This makes me happy.
View attachment 211109

I like dented lug terminal crimps.
The hex crimp just never seems correct to me.

 

[corn18]

The inside of those hex crimps is solid copper. The individual strands are cold welded together and that is cold welded to the lug.

 

[Checkthisout]

The inside of those hex crimps is solid copper. The individual strands are cold welded together and that is cold welded to the lug.

I have the same crimper and it works fine but I can't help but notice that automotive crimps are the single dent type, similar to the hammer crimper but the one that's hydraulic.

I like the idea of "folding" the terminal around the wire but I really have no idea which is actually better.

 

[robbob2112]

To use an impact crimper properly it says put on a solid surface and whack it 1 to 2 times with a hammer. Then it says it will 'feel' different when done.

One of several reasons I prefer the hydraulic crimper, no ambiguity when it is finished. And it has the size imprinted into the metal so it passes inspections.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

This makes me happy.
View attachment 211109

3/8 is a big hole.
These going on a combiner or something?

 

[Bleedingblue]

I've got both types and several different styles. Never had a problem out of the hammer style when you dent on both sides. I've had some 4/0 done with hammer and been going strong for over 10 years. Changed batteries and done all kinds of stuff with them. Even went and yanked on em just a min ago and good to go.

I do like the hydraulic crimp better no doubt though. That's all I use now. Just easier to use and better grip

 

[corn18]

3/8 is a big hole.
These going on a combiner or something?

Yup. Battery to Lynx.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Yup. Battery to Lynx.
View attachment 211229

That makes sense.