¼" spade terminal crimping?

[mole42uk]

Has anyone found a suitable crimp tool that works correctly with new un-insulated ¼" spade terminals? I've been looking for those beasties and I can't find one. I have a crimp tool that seems to do the trick, but even with 16/0.2 wire I find the crimp isn't tight enough and I have to solder as well. Not ideal.

[elanman99]

'New un-insulated' is this a new type of connector or and existing one that has not previously been used?

There are dozens of un-insulated type of crimp terminal types so a part number, description or a picture of whet you are trying to do might help us in the search for whet you describe as a 'beastie'

Ian

[BRASSBITS]

try tinning the wire end before the crimp terminal

[elanman99]

But don't do that if you want a reliable connection!

[G6Tanuki]

I've got RS Stock No. 125-1967 here, which 'does' the uninsulated blade-connectors rather nicely - I've used it to put on some lugs to lengths of 4mm cable I was using for extending my outdoor earth-network, and it also does the usual 1/4-inch-blade type (as found on the mains wiring of domestic appliances) rather well.

[FIXITNOW]

I Have an RS 749-5679 that has swap around jaws the does insulated and non insulated version seem to work ok

sadly Discontinued product but you may be able to source second hand

[mole42uk]

Sorry for the vagueness earlier, I've always known them as ¼" spade terminals but it appears this isn't a widely-used description!

Here's a photo:

[G6Tanuki]

The generic term I've always used for them is "Lucar"

https://www.google.com/search?client...w=1280&bih=870

The ones with blue/yellow/red plastic insulation are generally called "Faston"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faston_connector

[Lucien Nunes]

The type you need has die nests with a slight 'M' shape, that fold the wings inwards towards the centre and then downwards towards the conductor . E.g.

Uninsulated crimp tool example

There are many similar tools for other types of connector and contact insert that use the same M-crimp geometry; the normal tool sizes associated with 6.35mm terminals have three nests for terminals in the range 1.0 - 4.0 mm² or thereabouts.

Tools for tube-type uninsulated terminals are not generally suitable, although might work by pure luck. A good quality terminal and a correctly matching tool should make a very reliable, mechanically strong crimp, from which the cable can be neither pulled nor worried loose.

As above, never tin a cable end (with solder) before crimping (or termination with a screw). Even if secure at first, the solder cold-flows out over a period of time and gradually makes the termination go slack, or by removing the elasticity causes part or all of the cable to shear under the applied pressure.

[Nickthedentist]

The one Lucien links to is exactly what I use. But mine came from CPC and cost about half that. It works perfectly, every time.

I found the connector I wanted in the CPC catalogue and e-mailed them to ask which the correct tool was.

[McMurdo]

when I started work we had this one, it came from RS. Non ratchet type and did very well in the service department. You had to operate it twice, once for the wire section and once for the insulation part.

https://polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/info_TT70.html


Nowadays I have a ratchet type which came from an MOD surplus sale.

But the world's your oyster these days, you can buy decent ratchet types at reasonable prices.

I call them 1/4in blade or faston terminals, whichever suits my mood.

[GrimJosef]

Originally Posted by Nickthedentist

The one Lucien links to is exactly what I use. But mine came from CPC and cost about half that. It works perfectly, every time ...

Looks like this one Nick https://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d03...t=crimp%20tool £18.41 inc VAT. A quick Google didn't show them cheaper new anywhere else, but I suppose they might be.

Cheers,

GJ

[G6Tanuki]

Non-ratchet types [often found in cheap 'insulated crimp connector' kits in European-inspired supermarkets] are really rather horrid.

They don't provide enough force to properly crimp the connector.

In times-past I made quite a living tracking-down 'odd' vehicle-electrical issues [caravan towing-sockets, lowest-price-installs on two-way mobile radios/mobile-phones] loads of which were due to these low-pressure-crimps and/or "Scotchlok" tap-ins that had corroded and gone intermittent.

[BRASSBITS]

also search for molex crimpers

[Goldieoldie]

When used on cars I always solder.
Bit of a faff but more reliable .Same with car bullet connectors.
Cheers,
Pete

[G6Tanuki]

On cars, I *never* solder; a proper high-pressure crimp [as used by every current vehicle manufacturer] is infinitely more-reliable and consistent.

Same goes for flight-rated installations - we never solder multistrand cableforms on any airframe wiring-looms!

[GrimJosef]

I guess the lack of wire-flexing in a fixed installation, like a car, means that the wire doesn't eventually fatigue and snap at the sharp transition from the soldered part to the unsoldered. In circumstances where regular flexing does occur the advantages of soldering (no pulling out, elimination of corrosion at the wire/connector interface) have to be weighed against this.

Cheers,

GJ

[mole42uk]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

Same goes for flight-rated installations - we never solder multistrand cableforms on any airframe wiring-looms!

Agreed, I never used solder on a crimped joint in aircraft radio installations.

I wouldn’t on my classic rally car either for similar reasons.

[emeritus]

I have always known these as "spade" connectors too, although I believe that is the proper name for what are really " fork" connectors. I think that the solderless crimp principle was introduced, or at least first widely used, in 1941 by the US company Aircraft Marine Products (AMP), although at that time mainly for ring terminals, both uninsulated and insulated. Faston/ Lucar connectors evidently came later.

I crimp uninsulated connectors of the type shown in #7 using a 1975-vintage RS "type 2 crimping tool " , RS code 466-860, that was intended for use with their "QM" multi-pole connectors, the inserts for which were supplied for a range of conductor sizes. The largest position will just accept a 1/4" uninsulated Faston.

When, thanks to the assistance of a forum member I was able to identify and buy some replacement in-line miniature multi-pole connectors for my electric bike ( "car connectors": easy to find on-line once you know what they are called), I was pleased to find that the smallest position was just right for crimping their tiny inserts.

[Goldieoldie]

I have two classic cars ( a Landy and a Healey ).All newly made connectors are soldered as the original crimp had failed !
This is normally caused by corrosion or just falling out !