Problems with auto crimp terminal connectors - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: robint
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 12:39:20 am
content: Has anyone else had these infuriating problems I experienced. This refers to the common old type crimped auto connectors, I just took for granted till this pm I was faced with making a but splice with bullet connector pair having wasted time finding the crimp pliers didnt provide a reliable grip I soldered the wire in then I found that I could not get the bullet to plug into the female ferrule part, whatever I tried, the clearances were far too tight.So this sent me on a a wild waste of time trying to source a proper set of auto style connectors (formerly a Lucas design). Fleabay was totally flooded with Cheap Charlie copies - 100's of listings of the same product - never got to a real product - total waste of time. Then I tried ggle - again Cheap Charlie in your face , but I found some wholesalers who then presented me with an incomprehensible array of proprietary design requiring me to drill down into spec sheets to find a compatible male/female pair of a basic auto connector - plus of course 10x price gouging unless MOQ 1000+I am still flailing my arms around at this stupidly basic problem. You see male and female have to fit together due to accurate tolerance/dimensions. There is no real spring, its an interference fit - or else a sloppy fitAll those cheap kits you buy try seeing if you can make a reliable connected pair - I never trusted them, but only for 12V non critical use - and then solderedWhat is your experienceAm I going mad?

author: Buriedcode
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 12:53:06 am
content: You mention bullet connectors, but show an image of spade/quick connect terminals. I hate bullet connectors, but never really had a problem with quick connect - although I rarely do in-line connections with them, almost always wire-to-board with PCB mounted terminals.Yes, ebay, amazon, aliexpress is flooded with "cheap" terminals, and crimping tools. As with most items on these sites, they're not necessarily "bad" but its pot luck whether or not you get a decent one. For applications where its important, get branded terminals from reputable sources.Don't solder crimp connections, its unecessary and can compromise the mechanical properties of the stranded wire, making it more likely to break where it flexes. If you want to splice using solder, then solder. If you want to splice using crimp, then crimp.Are you asking about other types of connectors for in-line connections? Or are you splicing and want to know the best butt terminal, or crimp splice? Or are you after a relaiable and decent crimping tool for the terminals you pictured? It isn't completely clear what you're after.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 01:59:35 am
content: for sure theses had quality gone down,all coming from oversea, i rely on usa stuff to get quality nowadaysmetal is thinner for 15 amps

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 02:11:42 am
content: Quote from: robint on March 31, 2024, 12:39:20 amTo this day, as far as I can remember, I've never once used those bullet connectors for anything. To me they are a waste of time and money. How many amps are going thru this pair I think I want to use? Uh - nope. I can't trust these to do what I want.

author: 44kgk1lkf6u
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 02:34:20 am
content: I got a used AMP 47386 from Ebay. It works well, at least for parts of the right size from their Plasti-grip or Pre-insulated Diamond Grip series.

author: daisizhou
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 02:48:49 am
content: Maybe you need such a tool

author: robint
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 08:45:16 am
content: In fact guys, woke up this am and realised the obvious. I should have gone to the RC boys forum as they solved this dumb problem years ago by adapting the familiar banana plug system used in laboratory test gear and audio kit.The adaption have much higher ampacity than the original 3.5mm (up to 40A) and are gold flashed and reasonable priced (60p/pr)apologies for posting this dumb rant - i got stuck in a black hole KWIM

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 09:21:02 am
content: Quote from: robint on March 31, 2024, 12:39:20 amA few comments:1. The right crimp tool matters. In my experience, Chinese tools often have poor die design, or inconsistent manufacturing quality, that prevents them from applying enough force for their claimed application, even when fully closed. It’s the luck of the draw whether a given brand or example will be decent or not.2. Crimp tools need to be much more closely matched to the contact than people realize. “Close” often isn’t close enough.3. With insulated terminals, people often fail to match the terminal size to the wire size, using the terminals with wire too thin to get a good crimp. The colors correspond to wire size ranges.4. The quality of the terminal matters. Cheap no-name crap isn’t as good as name brand. The best-case scenario is name-brand terminal with the official tool. Buying eBay/ali/amazon no-name stuff is an exercise in frustration, as you’re seeing.

author: Jeff eelcr
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 09:32:08 am
content: You might also look for nylon insulated not vynol, spade, bullet or butt connectors.Jeff

author: mendip_discovery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 10:19:53 am
content: To add another layer with bullet connectors you have the Japanese (3.9mm) ones and you have the ones for the British (4.7mm). You can get the brit ones in solder or crimp.Btw with automotive stuff,https://kojaycat.co.ukhas been A handy source for working out the connectors used.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 10:25:03 am
content: I fully agree with what tooki wrote above.Get good contacts with the right crimping tools. When you do that, the end result will be better compared to soldering.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 11:50:26 am
content: I would advise against buying things like this from ebay, unless you know the seller to be reputable and reliable. Far better to go to an electrical wholesalers like Edmundsons, CEF, etc, or an electronics supplier (will probably be more expensive for the same quality) like Rapid, Farnell, RS, etc.EDIT: I specifically did not mention motor factors for a good reason; they will be ridiculously expensive for tiny quantities, or it will be garbage quality, or both.

author: deadlylover
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 12:30:43 pm
content: I like the TE Connectivity / AMP tooling with their PIDG terminals. Highly recommend setting up an eBay search alert for them (among other brands like JST, Panduit, Molex). Sometimes you can find surplus bags of their terminals for 30-60% cheaper than Mouser/Digikey too.A while back I tested my battered old AMP 59250 when I got it. The pull out strength on a 22AWG wire with their 22-16AWG butt splice terminal was around 11kgf, which was basically the break strength of the wire. Yeah I think we all remember the days of using a $20 kit from an auto parts store...they all suck, it's a rite of passage hahaha.

author: soldar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2024, 03:35:50 pm
content: I have always called them Fastonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FASTON_terminaland I have never had problems with them in my personal use.I have never really used them in professional designs for the public.

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2024, 03:26:22 am
content: You talk about bullet connectors but show a photo of spade types. Confusion!But in both cases,1. There IS a spring like connection. You probably destroyed that by soldering when the connector was only designed for crimping.2. There are far more than two sizes. I've been three and had to work with the different ones. Each of these two types of quick disconnect has at least four different sizes, but there are probably more than that. And the different sizes are not made to connect to any of the others.3. I have been using crimp connectors of many, many types for well over 45 years and I have NEVER, EVER gone to an auto store or a Chinese source for the crimping tool. These are electrical and electronic items so I go to professional ELECTRONIC and ELECTRICAL supply houses for NAME BRAND tools. Names like Amp, Amphenol, Molex, Panduit, etc. These are the people who invented these connectors and they know how to make a proper tool.https://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/terminals/spade-connectors/391?utm_adgroup=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax_DK%2BProduct_Product%20Categories%20-%20Top%2015&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-19646629144_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-_sig-EAIaIQobChMIzJe794KghQMVVzPUAR3SrQM_EAAYASAAEgIjC_D_BwE&gad_source=5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzJe794KghQMVVzPUAR3SrQM_EAAYASAAEgIjC_D_BwEhttps://www.digikey.com/en/products/filter/terminals/barrel-bullet-connectors/393?utm_adgroup=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax_DK%2BProduct_Product%20Categories%20-%20Top%2015&utm_term=&utm_content=&utm_id=go_cmp-19646629144_adg-_ad-__dev-c_ext-_prd-_sig-EAIaIQobChMIobHghYOghQMVrTbUAR1KnQV9EAAYASAAEgL50vD_BwE&gad_source=5&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIobHghYOghQMVrTbUAR1KnQV9EAAYASAAEgL50vD_BwE4. All my crimping tools have either a ratchet or a pair of flat surfaces on the two sides that MUST be brought into contact in the crimping process. These devices ensure full closure of the dies in order to achieve a proper crimp. The flat surfaces are what all the cheap tools use and those tools are what too many people use due to cost. Those flat surfaces style tools are often not understood and are not fully closed when crimping.5. Any crimped termination is a precision operation. The barrels of the terminals are only intended for a small range of wire sizes and the tools must match those barrels. When those conditions are met and the crimping dies are fully closed, you are guaranteed a gas tight connection. If they are not met, you have an unreliable connection which may fail for any of several reasons. Far too many people disregard these conditions and either use a terminal with too large of a barrel size or the improper tool, OR BOTH.Properly applied, with the proper tools, crimped connections are as good as solder and many say they are better.Quote from: robint on March 31, 2024, 12:39:20 am