4/0 Lug / Connector Crimper

[Extemporaneous]

Choices:
Cable Lug Crimper - Heavy Duty Hammer Style Crimp Tool: GIM-94840 Genuinedealz $29.48
Heavy Duty Lug Crimper - Ancor $79.63
Ancor Heavy Duty Lug/Terminal Crimper $150.97
Heavy Duty Crimping Tool 6 AWG - 250 MCM: GIM-94285 Genuinedealz $231.25

Or is there something else out there I should be crimping with??

I think I've put them in order to the worst to best crimp job??

Is there any real world difference in the performance of the crimps these crimpers do. Which one to I buy guys?? I probably have 35 to 45 4/0 crimps to do. Is the most expensive the Best?? (that much better??)

Let me know what you think.
Extemp.

[StormSailer]

Check out this site of MaineSail. Look for the Crimping Project. Compass Marine "How To" Articles Photo Gallery by Compass Marine at pbase.com
Will show you in great detail why it's best if you're going to do, you might as well do it right. With that many crimps, the heavy duty crimping tool will pay for itself. He also did a post on another site testing the strength differences of the cheaper crimping tools with pictures. Lessons learned, changes made.

[djmarchand]

Well, your post begs the question- What are you going to do with 35-45 4/0 crimps?

[s/v Jedi]

I use the $80 crimper from Anchor... go for the real $150 crimper instead!

The $80 crimper is also advertised as one you can use a hammer with but that doesn't work well: using it in a vice is much better but far from what a real crimper does.

cheers,
Nick.

[btrayfors]

I very much favor the German-made Greenlee KD9-2GL crimper (AWG8 to 4/0). It is first-class and these days can be had for the bargain price of $217, viz

Greenlee 02628 NA Manual Crimping Tools K-Series Crimping Tool 8-4/0 A

I also have the smaller version (KD5-1GL) which is for AWG8 to 1/0. It's great, too, but the big one is what you want for up to 4/0 cable.

Bill

[FrankZ]

When I was adding the new house bank and rerunning the start bank I went ahead and bought the one from Genuine Dealz. For me, it was worth the money.

I have a friend that is a master electrician for an industrial service house here. He offered to take my cables and crimps to the shop and crimp everything for me. While tempting that would have meant a lot of work just making sure I measured and knew how things were going to run. The crimpers let me run a cable and put the lugs on in place.

[FrankZ]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

I very much favor the German-made Greenlee KD9-2GL crimper (AWG8 to 4/0). It is first-class and these days can be had for the bargain price of $159, viz

Greenlee 02628 NA Manual Crimping Tools K-Series Crimping Tool 8-4/0 A

I also have the smaller version which is for AWG8 to 2/0. It's great, too, but the big one is what you want for up to 4/0 cable.

Bill

Bill,

The $159 set is actually a 110v pigtail.

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

Bill,

The $159 set is actually a 110v pigtail.

Frank,

Yeah...I saw that. Damned advertising!

I changed it. Still, at $217 (a real price), it's a bargain!

Bill

[Alberto]

I've used one similar to the first one before. I bought it at ebay for less than $20 to crimp over 20 connectors. It worked fine. If you buy it, use it on a good concrete floor, with a heavy hammer.

[Tellie]

In another life I was a commercial electrician for years. The GreenLee as Btrayfors states is far better than the rest. Many times you just don't have the surface to pound a crimp with a hammer and you'll be working in tighter places crimping as you go along. It will do a far better and easier job as well as ease of dialing in different size crimps and crimping to the right diameter and pressure. Cheap tools are just that.

[marshmat]

Skip the hammer crimpers. They're annoying to use and the crimps aren't as solid or reliable as those from a good die crimper. The hydraulic ones are awfully nice, but I'd be quite happy with a nice compound-action one like the Ancor (it's very similar to the one we used to use for the solar car's high power circuits) or the Greenlee.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by marshmat

Skip the hammer crimpers. They're annoying to use and the crimps aren't as solid or reliable as those from a good die crimper ...

Or even a "bad" die crimper.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

Well, your post begs the question- What are you going to do with 35-45 4/0 crimps?

Got a good deal on 4 foot pieces of 4/0.

Actually, my personal belief is that electricity is too precious on a boat to waste when it's avoidable.
One has Peukerts law / batteries that require 120% in to get 100% out / self discharging / voltage drop / less then efficient charging devices / power wasting electronics / power wasting guests / and and and.

So....... do what you can, when you can and where you can.

BIG CABLES, Little Voltage Drop.

Cheers,
Extemp.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

I very much favor the German-made Greenlee KD9-2GL crimper (AWG8 to 4/0). It is first-class and these days can be had for the bargain price of $217, viz

Greenlee 02628 NA Manual Crimping Tools K-Series Crimping Tool 8-4/0 A

I also have the smaller version (KD5-1GL) which is for AWG8 to 1/0. It's great, too, but the big one is what you want for up to 4/0 cable.

Bill

Thanks,
I think that's the way to go.

Extemp.

[CarlF]

Another option is to have the cables made up. Genuinedealz on Ebay will do crimps that are a work of art for $1 each. Even for you, that's cheaper than the tool. You buy the ancor wire, lugs, and shrink tube from him at great prices. Shipping is free in US - not sure on Canada.

Not such a good idea if you already have the wire.

http://genuinedealz.com/

Carl