How to use the wire crimping pliers

The wire lug crimper is a mechanical hand tool whose main purpose is to provide a secure connection between the ferrule or ferrule and the electrical wire. Visually, it has many similarities with ordinary pliers, only instead of smooth lips it is equipped with relief matrices. It is used in all branches of industry, as well as in household conditions.

Features and design differences

There are three types of pressing tongs, which differ from each other in the shape and size of the matrix, but they all have the same purpose. The peculiarity of such a tool is a spot crimping, which is also called "spot crimping".

For ease of use, the equipment was additionally equipped with a ratchet mechanism, the peculiarity of which is that the handles will not open until the crimping cycle is complete.

Also, this device is equipped with a side wheel, which comes in handy if you cannot squeeze the sleeve to the end.

After the end of the crimping process, an imprint of the stamp remains on the sleeve body. The design of the tool is simple, but it has functional and comfortable handles that make the work as easy as possible. The handles are long enough to allow less effort to crimp the wires.

Scope of press tongs

Crimping for electrical cable lugs has a wide range of applications, since only it connects electrical devices with high quality and correctly.

Most often, a press for wires is used by radio technicians, auto mechanics and electricians. They are used for pressing contacts of not only ordinary cables, but also non-standard connectors with different terminals and connectors.

A wire crimper is considered one of the most sought-after and useful tools for performing such tasks. Its cost is acceptable and affordable to everyone. However, the price is influenced by the quality of the materials used and the manufacturer.

Thanks to the unique design of the tool, it is possible without much effort to make high-quality pressing of the tips - to create reliable contact between the main electrical equipment and all conductors.

For stranded wires and thin-walled ferrules

Such crimpers are used for crimping wires with a small cross-sectional area (from 0.5 mm), equipped with cable lugs - sleeve, pin. Crimping should be carried out to the maximum force so that the person feels how the spring mechanism has worked.

The need for crimping arises when multicore cables need to be connected to distribution boards, boxes and other electrical appliances. If the work was carried out efficiently, the probability of ruffling the cable veins is excluded.

For stranded wires and heavy-walled ferrules

For reliable crimping of thick-walled ferrules, other sizes of crimping jaws are used. Each individual tool is characterized by the uniqueness of its working area. Each zone is indicated by marks located on the jaws of the instrument. The crimp range can vary between 1.5-16 mm. After the end of crimping, a stamp remains on the back of the sleeve.

All preparatory activities are performed before the procedure. To begin with, clean the ends of the cable up to the stop in the sleeve. The sleeve is selected in such a way that it fits inside without hindrance, but does not rotate. This point is important, since the quality of the future crimp largely depends on it. All protruding veins are bitten off.

For large cable

If a power cable with a large cross-sectional area is used, it is required to use a large hydraulic press instead of standard pliers. This type of tool appeared much earlier than the press jaw. In everyday life, such equipment is not used, but it is in demand in various sectors of construction.

Matrices are chosen depending on the dimensions of the sleeves and wires, therefore, as a rule, several types of cassettes with matrices of different shapes and sizes are included with the tool. The upper part of the device is magnetized, so it always returns to its original position without outside help. The bottom press element changes.

Sequential crimping of wires

This method has one significant advantage - crimping the liner completely eliminates the possibility of air, moisture and other negative factors entering it, contributing to the active oxidation of the material.

Crimping computer cables

Crimp tools designed for crimping twisted pair cables belong to a separate group. The principle of their operation is similar to the principle of operation of a press jaw with two jaws. The design difference lies in the fact that a specially shaped matrix is ​​used, and not metal bushings. This approach made it possible to mount an RJ45 plug on a telephone or computer wire. Such a tool does not crimp the contacts, but displaces them, by cutting through the insulation in separate sections and pressing tightly against the veins.

Types of crimps for wires

According to the principle of operation, the equipment is divided into the following types:

• two-sided;
• tetrahedral;
• hex.

The design has minor differences, but the principle of operation is the same. The most primitive model is considered to be a two-jaw press pliers. Visually, they are very similar to pliers, but with a raised matrix of sponges. They can be integral or detachable. It is used to connect terminal lugs and sleeves to each other.

The four- and six-sided pressing jaws are equipped with multiple jaws that create a circular grip when the handles are squeezed. This causes the compressible element to be pressurized from four or six sides. The compressed sleeve takes on a square or hexagonal section. They create a secure connection with a snug fit of the required surfaces, this prevents moisture and air from entering the contacts.

How to properly operate a hydraulic crimp for electrical cable lugs

The first use of a crimping tool is often accompanied by the creation of a poor-quality and unreliable connection between the tip or sleeve and the wire. It is also a common problem that a properly executed crimp hides poor contact. There are two common reasons for this phenomenon.

The shape of the terminals is not maintained

The discrepancy between the sizes of the openings between the jaws of the device and the size of the sleeve, tip is accompanied by an inevitable skew of the squeezed segment. Before proceeding with the work, it is required to carry out a fitting.It is also worth paying close attention to the tight entry of the bare and stripped core into the holes of the sleeve or the tip shank.

A single core or a group of them should enter the connecting part with a slight tension. If in doubt about the quality of the work being done, it is recommended to practice on small pieces of cable. After crimping by hand, the strength of the connection is checked. If even minor deviations from the norm are observed, the pressure test should be repeated again.

Twisting stranded wires before crimping

Such a problem can arise if a person has remained in the habit of twisting the veins. This is done, as a rule, before hand-soldering the connecting elements or insulating the wire. But it is worth taking into account that this cannot be done.

You can verify the negative effects of twisting in a simple way. It is enough to squeeze a small twist of multicore cables with pliers and see with your own eyes that each wire is deformed and damaged.

The main advantages of the crimp

The advantage of using the tool is that the jaw matrices provide such a tight fit to the tip vein that moisture and air cannot penetrate into it. This prevents oxidation.

A large assortment of tools in all hardware stores at an affordable cost deserves special attention. Depending on the configuration and the ability to change the sponge, the price will change. In the long term, it is recommended to give preference to pressing tongs with replaceable jaws.