Crimp and Save

[geekygrilli]

Thought I'd make a mention about the crimping I did last night.
I couldn't afford (didn't want to buy) a set of crimpers
The people who said they could use theirs work 'normal' hours and i work on my car in the evenings...

So, I decided to make a crimper.

I took a piece of 1 1/2" s/s rod (couldn't find any m/s), cut it to 12mm in length, machined a 12mm hole in the centre and then cut it in half to form a 'U' shape. (not quite in half, the bit I used was very slightly more than half) The connector is a snug fit longways in the 'U'

I welded this to a plate of (about) 4mm steel, which was the same size of the jaws on my vice.

On another plate of exactly the same size I welded a little lug of steel, about 5mm diameter rod, about 6mm long.

Tap the connector into the 'U', line the plates up in the vice, poke the cable in, and squash it all together. It took a test run or two to get the right depth of squeeze.

I had a ready crimped tab on a wire to know what my crimping should look like, so it was really easy.

I'll try to upload pics when I can.

So - all big wiring is done now. Yay!

[qdos]

Photos would be good. I can't begin to tell you what I've imagined you've made here trying to picture this

[EVguru]

I'm not a fan of a 'U' crimp, but they can work perfectly well. I'd really only totally trust a 'hex' crimp.

Bill Dube' on the US mailing list used a hex socket split in half and welded to a set of damaged (notched, probably from cutting re-bar) bolt croppers bought at a yard sale.

[aminorjourney]

So presumably the idea is to crimp and solder?

[geekygrilli]

Erm, not gonna solder, paul said crimping was the best solution.

I'm a bit confused, cos I copied the lugs on the wires that cam with the controller by Electrofit zapi, and the ones that were on the fork lift i got bits from. However, they crimped the 'U' in differnt directions. I've not seen a hex crimp, maybe next time!

Pics will be up first thing tomorrow....

[geekygrilli]

Photos below....

All little wiring will be completed by 7pm, and i sould be able to drive it around my industrial estate tonight.

Shall i wire in an inertia cut off???
I don't think it'll be any extra work really. There was one in the car already, so i can just wire it in the low vtage ignition, before the relay switching on the controller.

Cripmer


Crimped

[aminorjourney]

Do we have any other vehicular photos yet?


Nikki.

[geekygrilli]

I'm keeping pics and a full diary of what is done each evening, and a full account of costs. Will post when complete. I'm also keeping a set of notes 'what could have been done better', for next time!

Must add - I will heat shrink the terminals (colour coded) as soon as I get some heat shrink - hope I can fit it over the terminals?

[aminorjourney]

I found my local RS invaluable to getting bits quickly. Yes, they're expensive but I was able to get things on "next day" or even "pickup" arrangements.

[qdos]

that looks very neat crimping there in the photos. Thanks for posting them now I understand much better what it was you were describing.