Battery terminal crimping tool.

[Adam43]

I need to make up a few jump leads with Anderson connectors and also put some jumpers on a couple of cars.
Can anyone suggest a tool for the job? I won't need to do that many so don't really want to splash out on an expensive tool. However I don't want a piece of cheap rubbish that will annoy, and especially don't want any expensive rubbish that will really annoy.

I could ask a garage, but would rather have something in the toolbox.

[vjay48]

The tool for crimping battery terminals is expensive,like a big pair of boltcroppers,i used to go the car electrical supplier i bought terminals etc. from,he had one i used to grease his palm with a little bit of money to crimp my stuff. I dont think you would get the use for the tool if you bought one.

[Adam43]

I fear that. Happy to budget for potential future use, but if I do I want to know I'm buying something good!

[vjay48]

£115 + vat is a price ive seen

[Adam43]

Quite!

[GORDON STREETER]

I don't know what's supplied now but I normally take the plastic bits off and solder the leads on the connectors, permanent job done .

[Peter Mallett]

I just thought you got the terminal, inserted the end of the cable and hit the thing with a hammer. Have they got soffistickikated now?

[GORDON STREETER]

Talking about sophisticated equipment (read expensive) for simple jobs, I had to laugh at an "amazing" Led readout box for letting you know when your distributor points opened for setting the timing on your classic car.
It was something like 40 quid ! when a bulb and a bit of wire for nothing will do the same, you can even buy a cheapo multimeter for less than a tenner that will suffice and can be used for loads of other things

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

I just thought you got the terminal, inserted the end of the cable and hit the thing with a hammer. Have they got soffistickikated now?

Which, if nothing miraculous turns up in this thread will be my approach!

[brown dog]

I have a nice AMP crimp tool that will do these, have had it for years, and it was about NZ$1000 (about £500) from memory! That said, the terminals for the Anderson plugs can be soldered on quite easily. Grab the terminal in a pair of pliers,open end up, heat it up with a small flame (I have even used a heat gun for this) and fill about 3/4 full with resin core solder until you have a nice little "cauldron" of molten solder. . Keep the heat on, and dunk the cable into the molten solder. You have to be reasonably quick, and cool the cable in water, so the solder does not travel up the wire and make it hard. I use this method when putting smallish cables into the large terminals, which won't crimp down far enough. Finish with a piece of adhesive lined heatshrink.

If you try crimping these with anything other than a proper crimp tool, they have a tendency to pull out. And sure as anything it will be when you are lined up on the dummy grid, the car battery is flat, and the cars are all leaving to head out on the track!

[dtype38]

If, like me, you happen to have one of these hanging about in the garage:

http://www.clarketooling.co.uk/tools...on-CSA10B.html

they work quite well for crimping big cables (a little v-block helps). They also double for pressing bearings and bushes. Not to mention straightening stuff when you've bent it.

[thebear]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Which, if nothing miraculous turns up in this thread will be my approach!

A large bench vise can also be used. After cleaning and inserting the wire(s) set the works in the jaws and smash (slowly, so as not to destroy anything). The larger the vise, the better as it will have better leverage on the handle.

You won't have the pretty `ball indent' but it will be functional. If you need more assurance, fill with solder but this could be an eventual source of corrosion.

[JimW]

If you want reliability and quality - get it properly crimped (no, that's not a hammer or a vice).

If you want a quick reasonable job which may have a tendency to break if subject to vibration/bending, solder it. It will probably do, well often anyway.

Connections in aircraft are crimped, not soldered.

Jim

[dtype38]

Another thought Adam. Why don't you ask your local electical wholesaler or wiring company if they could do them for you. They should have the proper kit and would probably do it for a couple of quid.

[Adam43]

It is a good suggestion, it was only that I was gearing up to do a few that I considered if I could do it myself.

Thanks everyone

[thebear]

You might also take your `job' to the nearest golf course and visit the maintenance department. I am sure that someone there could provide suitable crimps as there are a lot of `high current' cables in a golf cart..

[dtype38]

Originally Posted by thebear

....there are a lot of `high current' cables in a golf cart..

And in fork lift trucks. There's a supplier of those near me.

[Greg Cozier]

Any crimp can corrode. Fill the terminal with solder while holding upright in vise and heating with torch. Slip the end of the wire in the puddle of solder. The joint will outlast the car.

[Paul D]

Have a look here: www.vehicleproducts.co.uk

These guys do lots of auto-electrical stuff and I use them frequently. If you hover over the 'Tools' icon on the menu at the left hand side of the page, you'll see a link for battery crimping tools. There are a couple of fairly serious looking crimpers there, priced at around £60 & £80. I reckon the £60 one would suffice for most battery cables you're likely to find on cars (the bigger one is probably suitable for vans/trucks).

[Adam43]

Thanks for the link.

I went the solder, heat gun and hammer route!