Crimping the 90 degree fuseblock connectors, what's the Trick?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there folks,

I was recently contacted by a fellow XSive that got one of the new fuseblocks with the insulated 90 degree connectors set. But he's having trouble crimping the connector onto the wires without destroying/mangling up the connector? I just tried it myself, and that plastic insulation is guerilla tough!! My el cheapo wire crimper tool with 3 crimping sizes would not give me enough leverage to adequately crimp the wire SNUGLY into the connector! I tried trimming off the insulation to reveal the bare metal, but it still didn't seem to work right!? :Confused:

I've seen several examples of folks who have gotten and used these new connectors, what is trick in getting them properly crimped? Did you use some large channel locks instead!?

If these connectors are too difficult to work with, then I might NOT provide them afterall, but would like to see/hear some feedback on how folks installed them! Thanks for both me and the "other" xsive...kept anonymous.
T.C.

[soccer4m]

Need big channel locks

Hey T.C. thanks for the boxes. I used big channel locks and squeezed the connectors at an angle to gain some leverage on the metal. It works but does require a lot of power,,,it helps to grab the channel locks at the end, bottom, to also gain more leverage. It also is good to strip off 1 inch of insulation and double the wire to fit more snugly into the connector and then squeeze the metal. I did not have any trouble breaking the connectors but, yes, channel locks or big pliers is the trick, along with doubling the wire, if it is the smaller gauge. The Main fuse is a heavier 30 amp wire so I just stripped one half inch and it slid it fine.......The plastic connectors worked fine for me, thanks, Mike in Sun Diego

[dbeardslee]

I don't have TC's connectors, but I just rewired my fuseblock with Radio Shack crimp-on flag-connectors. I used a medium size channel lock to crimp them, but part of the battle is using the right size flags. I used three 14-18 gauge connectors, and five 18-22 gauge - Radio Shack part # 64-3088 comes with three of each so two packs will do it. That way the wire fills up the 'hole' more completely and the end result is a better crimp. I also got rid of the PO's previous splices for individual spade connectors and crimped the factory wires to the connectors - I got several tenths of a volt more juice at the TCI for my trouble. One other little FYI on this mod also - put several 1/4" washers between the bottom of the fuse block and the mounting plate to bring it out a little. This will give a little more room to route the wires, and keeps them from rubbing on the relatively sharp metal edge where they pass through the mounting plate.

[DJinNH]

I don't know if this photo will be of any help but this is how the Yamaha mechanic installed mine.



Good luck with yours,

Don

[sparky30]

I also used the ones from radio shack without any trouble.I also got a good crimping tool that i bought years ago when i became an electrician.good luck with your fuse blocks....Thanks again T.C for the fuse block they work so good

[Axel]

Channel-Lock Crimper

Before I got the Channel-lock crimper I used needle-nose vice grips to crimp the 90 degree connectors on my MikesXS coils . I think the OEM type channel-lock crimper would be better but I didnt have it then . I have always wondered if this would hold up and stand the test of time as they didnt seem to hold the wire very well . Any job I've done with the Channel-Lock crimper has been bullet-proof even though it is easy to crush and break the connector with these powerful pliers .

[Getty]

I have one the has a red dot, yellow dot, and blue dot. Dont remember where I got them, but they look just like these. After about 30 crimps your hand will get tired.

http://www.ferrulesdirect.com/terminal/1006/FD1006N.htm

[Axel]

Channel-Lock Crimper

[fredintoon]

Hi TC,
us old farts don't believe in crimp connectors. (OK the expensive ones on aircraft work fine with the $50 crimping tool but not the el-cheapo connectors and sheetmetal crimpers from Harbor Freight) First put a shrink sleeve on the wire then strip the plastic off the connector and solder it on then slide the sleeve over the soldered joint and take the heat gun to it.

[randy]

Thank you, Fred. I was wondering how long this was going to go. That's exactly how I do it. Every 'crimp' connector gets soldered & wrapped.

[dbeardslee]

Here's what mine looks like. I thought about solder, but every stock connection I've replaced so far was only crimped to the wire. I figured those lasted 30 years, so I kept it simple.

[DGXSER]

I'm with Fred and Randy on this. Soldering the joint never hurt a thing, and it can only help so why not. My 90 degree connectors did not have the fancy plastic over them so I cut a piece of shrink wrap to go over the verticle part, shrunk that on, then cut another piece over the wire, solder the wire into the sleeve, slid the shrink wrap up with a slit in it to slide over the verticle part of the connector and heated it. Then wrapped it with electrical tape for good measure. Not that pretty looking perhaps due to the e-tape but worked for me anyway.

[cywelchjr]

I have to go with the "the originals are crimp on, so why not use them now" crowd. I've got crimp on connectors on my 400 that I crimped on over 20 years ago that still work like new. I have also had ones that didn't work 10 minutes after I did them. It's all about the crimper. I used to have a really good professional quality crimper (it was like $25 or so) and it seemed to always work, but one of my kids borrowed it and I never saw it again. Now I have a cheap one that works if I do everything just right, but with the few that I do now, I can't make myself buy another good one.

[oseaghdha]

I solder every permanent connection.
Crimped connections will oxidize unless they are gas tight.

[dbeardslee]

With the insulated flag connectors I think you'd run into problems trying to solder them unless you cut the insulation on the connector. The insulation on the wire actually goes past the plastic on the connector, so how would you get down there to where the connection is to solder it? I don't know which type flags (insulated or non) TC supplies with the blocks, but I assume they're the insulated variety. Then again I remember how you spell assume .