Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Insulated crimp terminal diameter issue, KNIPEX / Molex / TE / AMP
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Gregg:
I see no reason not to use the indent type crimpers on the plastic sleeved terminals.  I mainly use the Thomas & Betts or Klein for the red and blue ones and a bigger dimple crimp on a pair of Klein pliers for the yellow.  For larger terminals, hex crimps are the best I’ve found.
The double half-moon type crimpers for the plastic sleeved terminals are a crapshoot as far as them passing the tug test.
https://www.alliedelec.com/product/thomas-betts/wt111m/70039935/
https://www.amazon.com/Insulated-Non-Insulated-Klein-Tools-1005/dp/B0006M6Y5M
https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/high-leverage-connector-crimping/linemans-pliers-crimping-9-inch
iroc86:
mzzj, by the looks of those crimps, I bet my KNIPEX dies would work with these PIDG double-walled terminals. They measure about 5.7 mm on the OD, just a hair smaller than the 5.8 mm Abikos you described in Post #5. It looks like you're still getting that secure squashed/bulging effect on the insulation, even though the Abiko dies look quite a bit different than my TE/AMP tool.

2N3055, thanks for sharing the KNIPEX tool you're using. I bet the geometry is identical to my Crimp System. What brand of terminals do you prefer?

Gregg, do you have any issues with the insulation sleeving breaking with the dimple crimpers?

Interesting discussion on the dimple-type crimpers. I have the KNIPEX 97 49 14 dies (shown below) which are intended for non-insulated tubular terminals per DIN 46234 and 46235. These do not produce an F-crimp. I've used them on Molex Krimptite with success, but I think they might work best with brazed seam terminals due to the crimping forces involved (no splitting of the seam). Panduit, however, notes in their application guides that you can use either type of seam with their tool, just align the seam opposite the indentor. Any real world experience on that one?





Gregg:
I haven’t had any problems with dimple crimps removing the plastic sleeves on reasonable quality terminals.  Sometimes the plastic will become a little loose with the barrel to wire connection very secure; the plastic sleeve really doesn’t do much unless there are multiple connections close enough that they might short without it.  Mainly it covers up strands of wire that a lazy tech didn’t get into the crimp barrel and makes an installation “look pretty”.
I was on a big job years ago installing hundreds of control wires and a co-worker had the company buy a couple of the expensive double half-moon ratchet crimpers.  I used my own crimpers and was told they weren’t “certified for the terminals” being used.  I then grabbed a bunch of his crimped terminals and gave them the tug test – a quarter of them pulled right off.  These were the red Thomas & Betts terminals 16 to 22 ga rated being used with 20 ga stranded TFFN wire and a Thomas & Betts crimper.
mikerj:

--- Quote from: Benta on February 24, 2020, 05:47:51 pm ---
--- Quote from: mikerj on February 19, 2020, 07:39:37 pm ---
--- Quote from: Benta on February 18, 2020, 08:10:43 pm ---I tried those connectors out 25 years ago. They were useless then and they're useless now, no matter which brand or crimp tool you use.
The idea/design is faulty from the start and no serious engineer would ever use them.

Functioning crimp connections use the "4-tab fold-in" design, like these:

Insulation is done with tailored sleeves or heat-shrink tubing.

--- End quote ---

There are millions of these terminations in track side railway signalling equipment all over the world.  I spent several years working for a company building these racks, and sectioned test crimps and wire pull tests were performed daily for each tool used.

--- End quote ---

I'm sure you're right. But that's a static installation with no mechanical stress.

--- End quote ---

Track-side equipment is subject to fairly heavy vibration.  It's also a safety critical application, if these terminations were as bad as you say then they wouldn't be used.
Doctorandus_P:
There is also a lot of quality difference in the crimp connectors themself.
The cheap ones are just made out of stamped sheet and the tube for the wire is open.
On high quality crimp connectors there is a piece of tubing between the stamped connector and the plastic sleeve.

Apart from that.
The whole concept is inherently flawed. Crimping metal connectors through soft plastic is a shaky recipy.
It can be made to work, but to make it work well you will need tight control of tolerances and materials of both pliers and the connectors themself.
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