[Elecraft] OT: Crimping small wires

Bill Johnson k9yeq at live.com
Wed Dec 11 20:45:24 EST 2013 

Phil,
Don't forget tuners, amps, and power supplies.  Oh, let me not forget:
spectrum analyzers, ad infinitum.

73,
Bill
K9YEQ

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Hystad
Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 7:39 PM
To: Harlan
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Crimping small wires

My wife claims that ham radio operators only talk about boring subjects like
"Antennas" when they are on the air.  I had to show her this latest stream
on crimpers to prove to her that life in ham radio is not only an adrenaline
rush but informative too.


On Dec 11, 2013, at 5:20 PM, Harlan <hsherriff at reagan.com> wrote:

> I run a calibration lab. We use go-no go gauges to test crimpers. The 
> allowed tolerance for the gauges are three-ten thousands of an inch... 
> yes good crimpers are an accurate instrument... and they should only 
> be used with lugs/wire sizes specified for them
> 
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
> 
> Walter Underwood <wunder at wunderwood.org> wrote:
> 
>> I agree. The point of a good crimper is to get a controlled force on the
joint to create a reliable mechanical-electrical joint. Putting something
springy in there, like insulation, is asking for trouble.
>> 
>> wunder
>> K6WRU
>> 
>> On Dec 11, 2013, at 3:48 PM, bill conkling <nr4c at widomaker.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Crimping the wire over the insulation doesn't seem too good to me.
>>> 
>>> I have used a dab of hot melt glue to stabilize the wire at the rear of
the PP Plastic.
>>> 
>>> ...bill nr4c
>>> 
>>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
>>> 
>>> EricJ <eric_csuf at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I don't usually do that because the wire exiting the APP barrel is 
>>>> still just a small strand that flexes easily and can eventually 
>>>> break. It gives you a lot more surface area for crimping, but needs 
>>>> strain relief to be secure in the long run.
>>>> 
>>>> What I do is strip the wire the same length as normal, then fold it 
>>>> back over the insulation. I insert the wire and insulation into the 
>>>> barrel with the wire down (away from the split in the barrel), then 
>>>> crimp normally. This makes a solid electrical connection with the 
>>>> stiffness of the wire insulation which also provides more than adequate
strain relief.
>>>> 
>>>> I've mentioned it here before and some are aghast, but I have maybe 
>>>> a dozen connections like that currently in my shack and not one of 
>>>> them has ever failed in the 10 years I've been doing it with APPs. 
>>>> But any connection where this is necessary is a low voltage, low 
>>>> current DC connection so what's it going to hurt? It isn't any 
>>>> worse electrically than using a small wire nut which is considered 
>>>> safe enough even for house wiring.
>>>> 
>>>> Eric
>>>> KE6US
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 12/11/2013 9:41 AM, Edward R Cole wrote:
>>>>> A little off topic:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I wonder if any of you do what I do when using wires are too small 
>>>>> for crimp connectors?  I strip twice as much insulation from the 
>>>>> end of the wire and then fold the bare wire over double.  May have 
>>>>> to squeeze using small nose pliers to get it doubled tight enough 
>>>>> to fit inside the crimp connector.  The crimps hold the undersized 
>>>>> wire very well with this procedure.
>>>>> 
>>>>> BTW this works for solid conductor wire, like hookup wire.  Bend 
>>>>> the conductor double and there is something for the crimp to hold.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I do not know if this will work with powerpole connectors.  My 
>>>>> problem was having too large diameter wire for the powerpole 
>>>>> connectors which inhibited proper crimping; solution chose proper 
>>>>> size connector for the wire size selected.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>>>> 
>>>>> ---------------------
>>>>> Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 09:00:11 -0500
>>>>> From: Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com>
>>>>> To: "Charlie T, K3ICH" <pincon at erols.com>, 
>>>>> elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Powerpole Replacement
>>>>> Message-ID: <52A86FEB.2070902 at embarqmail.com>
>>>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>>>> 
>>>>> Charlie,
>>>>> 
>>>>> The PowerWerx crimper is good.  Just be certain to fill the cavity 
>>>>> with wire - for instance the 30 amp connectors are sized for #12 
>>>>> wire - if the wire is smaller, it may be loose, so in addition to 
>>>>> filling the barrel with as many wire strands as I can, I add some 
>>>>> solder for extra security.
>>>>> 
>>>>> 73,
>>>>> Don W3FPR
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>>>>> http://www.kl7uw.com
>>>>> dubususa at gmail.com
>>>>> "Kits made by KL7UW"
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>>>>> 
>>>> 
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>> 
>> --
>> Walter Underwood
>> wunder at wunderwood.org
>> 
>> 
>> 
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