crimped electrical terminals

[seanfoster]

I'm going to be renewing my electrical system over the next month or so, I was planning on using crimped terminals throughout the boat but realised they are made of mild steel. Does anyone know if you can get stainless steel or brass ones?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Jonathanpaul]

Hi,

Most should be plated brass. RS components or Maplin ,

 

[PCUK]

They are alumiunium and are the normal method of making connections on boats.

 

[Salty John]

The very best are tinned copper with nylon insulation. If you can get those made by Ancor you will be buying the best. More popular ones come in aluminium. ECS has a full range. They are usually colour coded - red are small (9/0 to 21/0), blue are medium (21/0 to 44/0) and yellow are large (44/0 to 84/0). As you have noted, mild steel ones are inappropriate for marine use.
Make sure you have a good quality ratchet crimper - they will not release from the connector if you haven't fully crimped it.

 

[late-night-lochin]

I think gentlemen you'll find that crimp terminal are tinneded anealed copper.

I certianly wouldn't buy or use any that weren't

 

[seanfoster]

Thanks for that, looking at the ones I have had before from screwfix just seemed to be Mild steel.

 

[late-night-lochin]

Thanks for that, looking at the ones I have had before from screwfix just seemed to be Mild steel.

Tinned copper is "silver" coloured, try a file on it. Never seen them in steel

 

[LittleShip]

I'm going to be renewing my electrical system over the next month or so, I was planning on using crimped terminals throughout the boat but realised they are made of mild steel. Does anyone know if you can get stainless steel or brass ones?

Any help would be appreciated.

Buy some heat shrink to seal them once you have crimped them, it helps with protecting them from the damp!

Tom

 

[Poignard]

I once bought some cheap ones from a market d-i-y stall and had trouble with them because the 'ears' that get bent over the wire were too long so you couldn't get a tight crimp.

Since then I used some I bought from a Lucas dealer and had no trouble.

 

[Malish]

Vehicl wiring products (and probably others) sell heat seal terminals which have a heat shrink sleeve and a heat sensitive glue which they claim helps void filling. I've never used them and they cost a few more pennies but you might wish to consider them...

I echo Salty's instruction to buy a good ratchet crimper.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Vehicl wiring products (and probably others) sell heat seal terminals which have a heat shrink sleeve and a heat sensitive glue which they claim helps void filling. I've never used them and they cost a few more pennies but you might wish to consider them...

I echo Salty's instruction to buy a good ratchet crimper.

I have used them and they are very very good. The heat shrink and glue makes a really good seal round the insulation.

I agree that proper ratchet crimper is the best way and miles better than the cheap version.

 

[bigwow]

http://cpc.farnell.com/jsp/search/r...Ntt=spade+connectors&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial

 

[cimo]

yep

tinned copper terminals, heatshrink with adhesive, and a quality crimping rachet (you'll use it often).

I tend not to insist on tinned cable - I use regular automotive stuff, and take the time to make good terminations. I also apply sealant to the terminations & bussbars to keep moisture out. Incorporate water drop points on the cable runs (kink the cable just before its fixing point so that the water will drip off the cable rather than run onto the terminal).

 

[mitiempo]

Some prefer to use the plain terminals and add heatshrink after as I do and some prefer the terminals with heatshrink. They do require different crimpers.
This link explains it very well. http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination

 

[Maine Sail]

I'm going to be renewing my electrical system over the next month or so, I was planning on using crimped terminals throughout the boat but realised they are made of mild steel. Does anyone know if you can get stainless steel or brass ones?

Any help would be appreciated.

Proper marine / aircraft grade crimp terminals should always be made from tinned solid copper..

This is a high quality US made heat shrink crimp terminal. I ground off the tin plating in the second photo to show the copper..

Feel free to read this article about crimping.

Marine Crimping (LINK)

 

[seanfoster]

I've just read your article, it's excellent, no excuses for bad crimps now!

 

[gasdave]

This link explains it very well. http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/wire_termination

What an excellent site - superb explanations with pictures for a number of very practical jobs!!

 

[SAWDOC]

Any comment on whether the heat shrinking is best done as part of the crimping as shown on the Ancor site or alternatively is it worthwhile using heat shrinking material afterwards on standard crimps?

 

[GrahamHR]

I can vouch for how good the glue lined connectors are; I joined some trim gauge sender cables that are permanently underwater. Glue lined crimp connectors plus glue lined heat shrink over the top. No problems after 6 months underwater.

Graham

 

[tobyh]

Use the heat shrink ones for bilge pump potentially wet connections and standard quality ones for everything else. Unless your a billionaire, gluey ones are about 20p each and you have a whole boat to do! The crimp guide is spot on, standard crimpers don't work on heat shrink crimps

The actual reason additional heat shrink is used it to act a bending force reducer when the wire's are flexing in the crimp, if they don't flex don't shrink em.