Solution for slippery croc clip covers ?

[Boulevardier]

Originally Posted by David G4EBT

I know exactly what you mean.

I've bought some of those cheap test leads which come in various colours with shiny plastic shrouds and when you try to press the clip open, it swivels round inside the plastic shroud, taking on a life of its own. They seem to be of a different type of plastic from the more 'rubbery' ones, which after a year or two, start to harden off and need excessive force to even open them, rendering them useless.

When I can find them, the ones in the pic below overcome this problem as each clip has two separate push-on shrouds.

They're on a capacitance meter I made back in 2012.

Those look excellent David. Presumably you have to buy the clips and covers together, as they will be manufactured to fit each other exactly?

Mike

[David G4EBT]

Originally Posted by Boulevardier

Those look excellent David. Presumably you have to buy the clips and covers together, as they will be manufactured to fit each other exactly?

Mike

Yes, the clips come with the two shrouds in either red or black.

I got them off eBay from China a while ago. (They may be available in the UK at a much higher price).

The problem with eBay - especially when sourcing from China - is that a search for something as simple as '35mm crocodile clips' (or 'croc clips') will bring lots of results, but not quite what we want. Also, whereas in the UK and America, generally 'croc clip' means small clips and 'alligator' means large clips, in 'Chiglish' the search may well bring up large 'croc clips' small 'alligator clips', and may include croc style hair grips. The also seem to think that 'clip' and 'clamp' are synonyms', and some may argue that they are.

So I accepted your 'mission' for me to answer your question and after a jolly good furtle around in the swamp searching for 'crocodiles, alligators, clips, clamps, test clips, red black' using different search strings. At last, I came up with a result, which includes all of those words in the description! Maybe not s daft because any of those terms in a search string might lead to that link eventually:

"32pcs Alligator Clip Terminal Test Electrical Battery Crocodile Clamp Red Black".

They're £1.80 post free on a slow boat from China - expected delivery, Tues 5 May - 1 June. (@ 2.5p each, worth the wait!).

The spec states:

Specifications:
- Type: Battery Alligator Clip
- Material: plastic+metal
- Fit Cable Size: 3 x 2mm / 0.1" x 0.08" (L*W)
- Overall Size: approx. 35 x 14 x 8mm / 1.4" x 0.55" x 0.3" (L*W*H)
- Max. Open Width: approx. 11mm / 0.4"
- 32pcs car battery alligator clip, features metal construction, red black soft plastic coated insulated connector end
- Spring loaded clamps withstand the pressure, easy and safe to use, ideal for auto car, vehicle, truck, etc

Package Contents:
32 x Alligator Clips (16 Red + 16 Black)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32pcs-All....c100752.m1982

The pic below shows the clips - one with a shroud pulled off to show the soldered joint. The other clip in the pic is of a useless shiny plastic 'joke clip' which - when you press to open will swivel round inside the shroud. In my experience, other similar clips with duller 'rubbery' plastic harden off after a year or two and are hard to open.

Hope that helps.

[Boulevardier]

David, you're a star! I'm going to get a load of those ordered straightaway. Then I can ditch those "practical joke" slippery shrouds.

Mike

[Andrew2]

I think I'll be getting some of those and making my own leads, David. The ready-made ones from rallies etc are handy and cheap, but a right royal pain with their slippy-slidey shrouds. Then they go rock-hard and won't allow the clip to open. The cheap, skinny wire tends to go o/c at the ends too.
And for some reason they baulk at 10 Amps.....

[Julesomega]

Super, David Get in quick, there's only 93 sets left from that dealer as I write!

[ajgriff]

Like others I ditched the joke slippery clips a while ago and now use the concoction shown in the attached photo as a result of a couple of Lidl's specials last year. Lead is soldered.

Alan

[JayBee66]

I made the mistake of buying clips from a Chinese supplier. I could not get any grip on them at all. I now use clips made by Mueller Electric purchased through Farnell. Good value and no slipping.

[murphy512]

I just tie a knot at end and it helps.

Love the solution!

[Herald1360]

Originally Posted by murphy512

I just tie a knot at end and it helps.

Would a red lead have more knots?

(Nod to the convention of "More knots is positive" if you only have one colour of hookup wire )