How To Make Your Own Battery Terminals

How To Make Your Own Battery Terminals - The Ultimate Guide

Рет қаралды 692,789

5 жыл бұрын

The ultimate guide to making your own battery terminals including how to crimp using different tools, how to solder, and how to do both methods for the best battery cable.
Brought to You By TMR Customs Offroad Fabrication: www.tmrcustoms.com/
The Tools I used in the video:
Copper Wire Lugs: amzn.to/2DFIg8f
Marine Battery Terminals: amzn.to/2SaEdZK
Military Battery Terminals: amzn.to/2G6jDDa
Hammer Crimper: amzn.to/2RX7oAb
Lever Crimper: amzn.to/2RUUUcl
Hydraulic Crimper: amzn.to/2RU88WO
Rosin Paste Flux: amzn.to/2G6hmI8
Rosin Core Solder: amzn.to/2S7hYnt
Heat Shrink with Glue: amzn.to/2CU5e9R
Big Wire Stripper Tool: amzn.to/2SbKmod
Solder Slugs: amzn.to/2FYudx5
Propane Torch: amzn.to/2SdIVWq
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This product is meant for entertainment purposes only. Your mileage may vary. Do not try this at home. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. For off-road use only. Slippery when wet. Batteries not included. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle, heavy equipment, cherokee XJ, wrangler TJ, wrangler JK, or any Jeep vehicle, especially the newer Fiat ones. How-to videos may be too intense for some viewers and children under 30 years of age. Please remain seated until the 4x4 ride has come to a complete stop. Studies have shown viewing these videos causes increased cancer risks in laboratory test people. I am not a professional, I have no training, I'm not even particularly good at horse whispering. Don't believe everything that you know. Please keep your hands in the vehicle at all times. Do not tap on glass. Do not eat anything that has been on the floor for more than 3 days. Keep your hands to yourself. Not to be taken internally. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Driver does not carry cash. Objects in Bleepinjeep mirrors may be farther than they appear.

Пікірлер: 1 200

@danielpatton3317 5 жыл бұрын

Next up, let's talk about fusion solder fittings. Love the channel Matt. You guys are doing a lot to help the community! Even us dirty bronco owners.

@danielpatton3317 5 жыл бұрын

Two things: don't use your bare hands to spread flux. It is acid and eats your skin. Not quickly, but it is not good to do. The second: if you can get the lug hot enough to melt the solder joint, your truck is on fire and you have much bigger problems. Just thoughts from a plumber.

@jake-hy2zb 5 жыл бұрын

@@danielpatton3317 Owned one myself lots of years ago. Body rotted off but wish I had kept it. I'm a Jeep guy but won't belong to club that's not all inclusive. Life is too short.

@danielpatton3317 5 жыл бұрын

@@jake-hy2zb yea, I've got body image issues too. Tailgate is rotted, quarters are more Bondo than metal. But I love her. And I will rebuild it better than before. Time is all I need.

@lorne1325 5 жыл бұрын

@@danielpatton3317 heat at lug due to high current can be localized when the lug to wire connection has a higher resistance than the rest of the electrical system handling the same amount of amps. When this happens you could have high enough temperatures to melt solder without the wire's insulation catching fire much less the entire car. Having said that, I don't think worrying about the solder melting makes much sense because if the solder melted, something else in the system has gone wrong to enable the wire/lug to get that hot. Poor lug connection was made, lug connection was starting to fail due to vibration, fusing was incorrect, drawing more current than the system was designed to handle, maybe something else.

@danielpatton3317 5 жыл бұрын

@@lorne1325 i just know how hot you have to get a joint to solder. If its that hot, something else is terribly wrong and more than likely, youre going to have a fire. Plus i think i was trying to be funny. It was a while ago lol.

@MrBmth90 5 жыл бұрын

What I do at 12:32 to the strand of wires is I use a zip tie backwards (flipped so it won’t lock), pull zip tie closed and get it really tight, leave a small amount of wire in the tip so you can insert the wire into the terminal without any strands off wire coming out. Then once it’s almost all inserted, remove the zip tie. & You’ve finally installed the wire all in place with no strands of wire coming off. Works every time for me! I hope this makes sense!

@ecospider5 Жыл бұрын

Great idea.

@bertgroothuis2419 Жыл бұрын

Put a dental floss wire two times round the copper wire as far as possible to the end. A pair of extra hands would be helpfull pulling the dental floss wire.

@user-to7rb7ci5x 7 ай бұрын

I love this guy! He is very knowledgeable and he remembers that his audience is mostly do it yourselfers. He covers every aspect of the project in a friendly manner and lots of visuals. ‘

@vincentbarkley9121 4 жыл бұрын

Crimping is better in coastal and marine applications because dissimilar metals in solder joints lead to galvanic corrosion hidden inside the lug. Clear heat shrink tube allows you to see the cable condition exiting the lug where mechanical failures often occur. Informative and thought provoking video. Great job.

@n3tfury Жыл бұрын

Good idea on the clear heat shrink tubing

@autodidacticartisan 10 ай бұрын

Definitely informative, "thought provoking" is probably a stretch

@sptrader6316 4 ай бұрын

I've always done both. I crimp first, then solder to ensure a uniform low resistance connection. For 60+ years it always works.

@TheMorumotto 2 ай бұрын

I am 16 and I will go by your steps doing cables.

@tullgutten Ай бұрын

Yep, solder through the "inspection hole" after crimping so it really locks it in forever and it won't wick up the cable making it stiff right where the cable enters the crimped part.

@noneofabove5586 4 жыл бұрын

Well done ! I have used all of the methods shown. All will work in an automotive application if done correctly. I wish somebody would have offered this information to me when I started out as a mechanic 35 years ago.

@ericshop 5 жыл бұрын

I've done a few of my own cables and often wondered about a hydraulic hose crimper but after watching this I'm satisfied with my hammer crimper!

@mudnut59 5 жыл бұрын

I soldered my battery cables when I built my CJ7... I use the solder plugs and they worked great for me. Seeing the crimpers though, I like the ease of use, the portability and the results. Thanks! thumbs up and shared.

@_DC5DEE 3 жыл бұрын

That hydraulic crimper makes a really clean crimp both inside and out! Thanks for the video and showing us the differences! 👌

@timoneal9654 4 жыл бұрын

I was soldering my battery cables but you have kind of convinced me it would make sense to crimp. Great video.

@markchidester6239 5 жыл бұрын

That crimp and solder with the hole was an awesome idea! Great video and job!

@CookiePepper 5 жыл бұрын

Soldering is bad idea so it does not matter.

@Adventure_Mike 5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, I am about to make new cables for my battery and winch and had planned to solder them.. I am now going with the hydraulic crimp!

@yoyartube 5 жыл бұрын

Hammer crimper does a great job and is cheap. Adhesive in your shrink tubing is essential. Those two together work perfect. If on a budget spend money on the adhesive shrink tubing before paying for a more expensive crimper.

@nullernullson6749 5 жыл бұрын

Hammer crimp is a garbage crimp compared to what a quality calibrated crimper can do.

@patrickwassall116 5 жыл бұрын

@@nullernullson6749 Given that all connections should be soldered anyway, the physical connection will do fine to mechanically hold the termination in place.

@nullernullson6749 5 жыл бұрын

@@patrickwassall116 Soldering heavy cable is inferior to a quality crimp done by quality tools; soldering is not an approved method in certain industries (such as aerospace) for a reason.

@JosePerez-bi4ge 5 жыл бұрын

@@nullernullson6749 I agree. There is no reason to solder the wire after a proper crimp is made. Copper to Copper is a preferred connection. Also Flux if that didn't all burn off I have seen it oxidize copper . You often see this on cold water lines that were soldered and they can even pit. I personally would never solder a battery connection. Oxidation develops on metal when heat, a metal alloyed with copper and oxygen are all present so I wouldn't want to add flux and heat the wire. When you overheat the copper you can see the bluing on it... oxidation. As a rule of thumb with electrical connection I prefer to stay all with 1 metal, thats just me though. On my old school Crimp connects before all these amazing fancy crimpers that work amazing If i Did these I would add 2 small slits partially around the outside, so basically that small little band I created can now press down and also lock the wire along with a hammering crimp, this way I know that wire is not moving, then I heat shrink over. I do another strange thing too... When i cut the insulation off I take a small piece of heat shrink or wrap where the insulation was cut off and then heat shrink over the whole thing after the connector and crimp, I think it looks nicer as it isnt just flush but 1/8 inch I guess is under the Crimp, stops insulation from any mushrooming or if someone is yanking on wire I dont want the insulation pulled back and a "soft" spot between the insulation and the outer copper

@BrandonBeans 4 жыл бұрын

I just dab on some superlube or silicone faucet seat lube and use cheap heatshrink

@Garth2011 5 жыл бұрын

Good show. Battery cables and their end pieces are so important to be done correct. There are so many vehicles out there with poor cable connections to the battery. I think the hammer crimp and followed up with the solder would be the best value. The two crimper types are just as fine but in my observation, they didn't provide that much value or advantage on the workbench version, maybe they could excel more when working in a more restricted location such as under the hood with the other end of the cables connected to their locations. Although, if you need a nice pair of cable cutters, the $29 crimper would be the best value. It seems that the flux & solder with the crimp simply adds another "crimp" to the crimp or seals up and fills voids within the crimp in the event it isn't "perfect", the solder makes up for that especially with its mechanical grip to the copper lug and cable. Love the heat shrink idea to put icing on the job. Once you do these, your cables will be likely forever maintenance free. Thanks for the show.

@coupesix 5 жыл бұрын

Good video! I use a crimper myself as an electrician. If the dies are thinner you can move the crimper and crimp it in two different spots. I have access to hydraulic and adjustable crimpers like the one you used after the hammer crimp which I though was just fine for battery leads. Good video!

@zakswindle 4 жыл бұрын

I stumbled upon this video looking for information about doing solar panels and battery setups for camping and this makes me feel far better and way more comfortable about doing it than I did this morning.

@Rick_Dunaway 3 ай бұрын

I’ve watched a bunch of Crimping videos today while researching what tool to buy. AND THIS IS BU FAR THE BEST CRIMPING VIDEO I’ve found. Well done Sir!

@DavidSmith-fk8wm 5 жыл бұрын

The $20 stamp and BFH system seems to work fine. 💯 Thanks Matt 👍

@SubversionGarage 5 жыл бұрын

Crimping is generally preferred over solder in automotive applications due to vibration. Thank you for a great video

@smjerbetsk 5 жыл бұрын

This! It is not about what is convenient. The soldered copper strands gets stiff when soldered, and can get fatigued/break as the cable vibrates or moves over time.

@nickab9719 5 жыл бұрын

@@smjerbetsk exactly. Have seen this a lot on dirt bikes that repaired connections with solder. On the other hand.. The plastics even vibrate through aluminium subframes..

@bikemannc 5 жыл бұрын

@@nickab9719 So which lasts longer..properly Crimped or soldered; it sounds you'd prefer Crimbed?

@nickab9719 5 жыл бұрын

@@bikemannc on a vehicle crimped for sure! But let's say a part of the copper wires is solidly crimped for 2cm then it does not really matter if the first cm has solder on it. Although solder has more resistance

@MatthewBerginGarage 4 жыл бұрын

On a battery terminal I use both. A crimped connection is generally the best but on a battery terminal a crimped connection will allow the battery acid to wick into the connection causing it to corrode. Solder will prevent this from happening because it fills the gaps between the individual strands. The trick is to just heat the terminal lug or the battery terminal only and push the wire into the melted solder inside the connector. Doing this will minimise the solder making the wire stiff. Solder is drawn to the heat so if you just heat the connector the solder will tend to flow towards the connector reducing how much solder goes to the wire. Don't go crazy with the heat

@Emmilythecat 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this comparison. I have to replace the connectors on my truck and I was leaning toward soldering. This has given me the knowledge to be confident that a crimp only connection will do just fine. It will also be easier to do. I plan on using the crimper that you hammer. I will use a "C" clamp to apply the pressure needed to compress the die.

@dmwi1549 3 жыл бұрын

Great info. The proof at the end was excellent. I was debating which crimper to use. Seems like I can’t go wrong with these different methods. Thanks for posting.

@thetouchtonsoffroad3574 5 жыл бұрын

Great video. I have made my own out off coper pipe before but i put the wire all the way in then smash it flat and drill so the wire is all the way through and the nut will help keep it tight

@onlyychevys 5 жыл бұрын

I have used the first one with a hammer for a long time. It has worked great for me and I live around a very salty environment. South florida is humid and salty both.

@helloneighbor11 2 жыл бұрын

Great comparison. Making your own terminals is something I never thought to try. I have a crimper that is small and has a nut so that you can use an impact gun to crimp. It's very useful when doing repairs on the vehicle where you may not have room

@44beebe 2 жыл бұрын

I love the idea of crimp and then solder. Gives you all the benefits of both. I'm replacing 3/0 cables on a large tractor and that is the way I've decided to go.

@jeepdude82 4 жыл бұрын

When I built my cables I crimped them down using my bench vice. Has held up very well for the last 3 years.

@jameshall4385 5 жыл бұрын

i liked the hammer crimped wire. it looked pretty good for $20.00. great video

@JNHEscapes Жыл бұрын

Great video. I must admit I have always considered the hammer crimper a little sketchy, but after watching this I would say it did a better job than I would have ever thought possible.

@QuickSpeedShop 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Matt. A very thorough demonstration and explanation. Quality content as always from BleepinJeep!

@cole33333333 5 жыл бұрын

When using the hydraulic press put the head into a vise for one handed operation. great video, good info

@robertmerrill621 4 жыл бұрын

Also helps to put the lug in the jaws and snug connector first, then insert the cable instead of wrestling with three things at once.

@dmwi1549 3 жыл бұрын

And now in Dec 2020 that same tool comes with the return spring he was asking for.

@willrobertson826 3 жыл бұрын

@@dmwi1549 must of just missed the return spring model oh well I'm used to it now

@billynomates4378 5 жыл бұрын

Nice video, very helpful. Personally I prefer the hammer crimp and it has the advantage of being the cheapest option, which is always nice. Saw another video using copper tubing to make your own crimps and is definitely the way to go in my opinion as screw ups happen and a few pennies wasted is a lot better than having to throw away factory made ones.

@jameshill7694 5 жыл бұрын

Amazing how pertinent battery terminals are on these jeeps! On my 99 WJ, I just replaced, 30 minutes ago, those marine terminals. The material was so soft, no matter how tight I'd crank them down, they'd come loose. For a week, I've been dealing with the jeep cranking, but not turning over... like my fuel pump went out. Checked the schrader valve, all good. Ironically, as soon as I let go of the key, it'd start. I broke down and bought hard zinc terminals for $15 pair. Back in business!

@m2003h 5 жыл бұрын

Look at tue Military style terminal. They have been on both My99 and 01 Wj's gor over a year and are Rock solid

@christopherleemcn3776 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for showing different ways! The battery wire connection is overlooked when other things are failing regularly. Can't wait to do this

@itRIX49 5 жыл бұрын

Hey again... I forgot to let everyone know that (IMHO) while watching your work I felt like a student who wanted to be in class! Hope the other offerings are as enjoyable!

@walleye17ao 5 жыл бұрын

When you strip the wire, only pull the stripped section forward a tiny little bit then twist it as you pull it off. That will make the wire strands stay together nice when you put them in the terminal

@cencoast_7.340 4 жыл бұрын

If you don't do this do you still deserve to be loved?

@therealbigfoot3076 4 жыл бұрын

@@cencoast_7.340 yes.. only if you are a hot woman

@rmcpeek 3 жыл бұрын

What about a gay dude? I'm asking for a friend.

@jcanfixall1585 Жыл бұрын

@@rmcpeek can I DM you???

@rmcpeek Жыл бұрын

@@jcanfixall1585 is a DM a gay thing?

@TheMorumotto 2 ай бұрын

He is amazing. Real gentleman, knowledgeable, and humble. Thank you for your ultimate guide! It will save many people from making crucial mistakes.

@heathmun 3 жыл бұрын

Make your own terminals w/ copper pipe... GENIUS! Thanks for all the awesome stuff in this video!

@robpedrow9293 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome, Matt! Never made a cable before, but that "hydraulic" tool seems like it'd just be annoying to use after a while...seems too slow. Impressed with how well the simple hammer tool compressed the cable in the terminal. Thanks for the info!

@slikballa 5 жыл бұрын

Rob Pedrow i have the hydraulic one and its a pain to use the pliers are the way to go much easier to use

@user-neo71665 5 жыл бұрын

The hand pump hyro crimpers are not any better than the cheaper pliers models. About he lowest tier one I would suggest has what looks like a cordless drill hooked to it but is in the couple of hundred price range. Not something the normal DIY guy wants to spend at all. Hell even doing it for a living it still stings the wallet.

@craigmonteforte1478 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video and the cool tip on making the copper terminals. Ive owned 17 or 18 boats in my life and always hated paying top dollar. On those in local hardware or marine supply stores i appreciate the demo on all the crimping tools in the past. Ive borrowed whatever was available in the marina but ive been wanting to buy my own to make up cables at home for other applications

@ursodermatt8809 Жыл бұрын

that is the reason who have owned 18 boats, because you tend to skimp in quality.

@jcanfixall1585 Жыл бұрын

@@ursodermatt8809 he never said he didn't pay top dollar he said he hated paying top dollar...

@ursodermatt8809 Жыл бұрын

@@jcanfixall1585 okay ................

@MrMrWrench 5 жыл бұрын

Great video. I have usually used crimping and soldering, but soldered first and then used hammer or hydraulic crimper after. Thanks for the video.

@captainheinie6355 5 жыл бұрын

Nice to learn from you. the copper pipe idea was WOW. Thank you. Greetings from the UK Corporation.

@danielgriffin2674 2 жыл бұрын

dude that copper tubing trick is genius!

@crazyorwhat 4 жыл бұрын

When I looked at the $20 crimp it just visually looks like a better crimp over the others. And as cheap as it is it's easy to pick over the others. I would think that soldering after crimping but I think that may be Overkill. Great vid!

@ethanmacheras5967 5 жыл бұрын

I have been thinking about doing this on my truck, but wasn't sure how to do it, but now I know and it looks pretty simple and easy, thanks man!

@carrieanntipton8308 5 жыл бұрын

very good video very informative and you're right you never won the debate on solder or not soldered I've been making battery cables for solar for over two decades and I also make them for all my crawlers and my Off-Road Jeeps like your videos Carl of desert wolf 4X 4 builds

@jrpefx 5 жыл бұрын

Hello Matt, that cutter tool that you have can also be used as an insulation cutter to strip off the wire's jacket. Just don't squeeze to hard and cut any of the fine wires. Rotate either the tool or the cable as you squeeze. Keep up the good work.

@Garth2011 5 жыл бұрын

Or he could use that pipe cutter with more accuracy !!

@ksd593 Жыл бұрын

...but I did it my way...

@ewingfox6459 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome video! Love your idea of making your own battery terminals - that's something I've never thought about! Considering the fact that I've wrestled with finding battery terminals late at night (for hours!) in a cluttered shop, with a pile of copper tubing within arm's reach makes me feel like a bit of an idiot! Just to kick start the conversation about soldering versus crimping, the reason OE manufacturers crimp (or swage) everything instead of solder is NOT (as most people believe) because swaging or crimping is faster. At the scale of industrial manufacturing, a solder connection would be much, much faster and more economical- it is about durability. At the heart of every good electrical connection is a good mechanical connection, and in a rugged environment, soldier alone will not stand up to the vibration, mechanical stresses or heat cycles that are present in automotive and marine applications (former marine rigger and automotive fab guy here). Anybody who says that crimp connections (more accurately called swage connections) are not as strong or have failed them in the past were either using inexpensive tools to make the unions, using the tooling incorrectly, or purchased poorly manufactured connectors. The only case where soldering make sense is when you are dealing with very small gauge signal wires, typically 22 gauge or smaller... And this is only when an OE connector is not available or will not fit through a pass-through. To make these work takes special considerations and many steps to ensure that the union will remain stable over time. If you don't believe me, compared super cheap pre manufactured battery cables that have flame soldered connectors versus high-end cables produced by a racing spec manufacturer (or a military contractor)...

@802Garage 4 жыл бұрын

Hey I know you! Good points. I have watched too many videos on making various connectors.

@manatee1999 4 жыл бұрын

I would like your advice on crimping tools I see there is crimping tools that's say 10 tons 15 Tons 20 tons which I better. Thanks.

@DDescalchuk57 4 жыл бұрын

Ewing Fox yea I feel dump searched for hours all over for my copper lugs went through my scrap metal pail setting the 12” sections of copper pipe on the ground that were in the pail lol

@ewingfox6459 4 жыл бұрын

@@manatee1999 I just saw this comment now! Hopefully you've already gone out and bought one, the best tools are the hand pump hydraulic units with a variety of inserts for various gauges. Much more attainable are the units to use a hammer, or fit in the jaws of a vice (I like those less, however) - I'd start with a set of the dies for a hammer personally unless you are planning on doing a lot of these. We had a very high quality unit that was manufactured by Wurth, and a companion tool by the same brand for doing button flares for brake and fuel lines. Regardless of what route you go, you should be able to hang from a battery cable you make and swing like Tarzan! If you wouldn't trust it to that test, do it again!

@rjr4084 Жыл бұрын

This is a direct quote: Per Mercury Mercruiser Service Manual Number 31, Section 4, Electrical System; Battery Cable Recommendations: "IMPORTANT: The terminals must be soldered to the cable ends to ensure good electrical contact. Use electrical grade (resin flux) solder only. Do not use acid flux solder as it may cause corrosion and failure." My guess is that Mercury Marine knows a thing or two about marine wiring. Personally I have 30+ years maintaining weapons systems on nuclear submarines, I crimp and solder.

@Stuntman2304 5 жыл бұрын

This was very helpful Matt. I have been diving into vehicle electronics more and more here recently. Thank you!

@ronhoy6555 4 жыл бұрын

I have the heavy crimper and put the stationary handle in the vice. Works perfect everytime with one crimp but i still solder as a backup and better contact. Great video!

@cdoublejj 4 жыл бұрын

never though of drilling a little hole, always figured i'd slap some solder paste in there but, i'm sure a hole is needed for degassing and relief as it melts

@Interdiction 5 жыл бұрын

Hammer crimp for me ..Thanks for this vid it was an eye opener

@stevebrown263 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for putting this together and putting it out there. Quite informative, especially the cutting to view the crimp quality. Awesome! There is no substitute for a quality crimp, not even solder. Solder is great as a conductor but is not a not considered a solid mechanical connection. So the two together is the best of both worlds. Since most solder joints require an additional mechanical connection, and that is only possible here by crimping, crimping is the proper way to go, even if solder is not added. Plus, solder will create an improved electrical connection that will resist corrosion.

@gbhoday7160 2 жыл бұрын

v.v useful! thankyou for your methodical and focused approach to your production.

@ceasargeorge2869 4 жыл бұрын

Great tip on the copper tubing...that is certainly a Macgyber move

@TheBeardedJeeper 5 жыл бұрын

Really great video! Makes me want to start making my own battery terminals

@badgerpa9 4 жыл бұрын

You can make me some if you are so gun ho.. Nice to see you man you have awesome videos too.

@AP9311 2 жыл бұрын

Matt, i know it's 2 year old video. But this is really helpful video for me, i have saved this video in my list. So i went out did some shopping, i am now stocked up on supplies for what i need to do. I did some solder only on 2 gage lug for dodge Cummins. Cables were bad, needed replacing. Now I'll try various versions like you did. Thanks for the video. I happened to find this video on Google :)

@lorddiablo8575 2 жыл бұрын

Your video is so detail showing the advantage & disadvantage of different types of connections ... Thanks !

@mattpence5655 5 жыл бұрын

I was told by John Deere ag tech school that crimping is always the better connection because soldering will crack and fail under vibrations but being there are humans involved they all will fail at one point or another lol

@mylesl2890 5 жыл бұрын

crimping is better because it makes a molecular bond. vibration doesn't necessarily crack solder if done correctly

@irredeemabledeplorable5227 5 жыл бұрын

Not to mention failing from the HEAT created from a deteriorated connection. If you're insistent on using solder, CRIMP it first and then flux and sweat in the solder. It will help prevent INTERNAL corrosion.

@anthonymarino4260 5 жыл бұрын

@@mylesl2890 every terminal in your car is crimped enough said

@knurlgnar24 4 жыл бұрын

@@anthonymarino4260 Untrue Anthony. Nearly every production vehicle today has a soldered (or metal impregnated) battery terminal design to prevent acid induced corrosion. Look at any older vehicle with a simple crimp and you'll see massive corrosion which is a major cause of 'battery failure' as perceived by vehicle owners. Almost no one does it that way anymore for good reason.

@JM-yx1lm 4 жыл бұрын

@@anthonymarino4260 that is not a standard to go by. Cars are built as cheap as possible. If thats the way you think in your head, i want to stay far away from you.

@reddyuda 5 жыл бұрын

Yes, last time I complained about not using a hydraulic crimper for a proper cold solder (which NASA says is better). Now I am satisfied, thank you bleepinjeep EDIT: I guess you did highlight the negatives of the cheaper hydraulic crimpers, I usually just take it to my local car audio shop which has a huge one that works great

@georgecrawford3051 2 жыл бұрын

The CORRECT method is to crimp FIRST, then solder. It is not necessary to drill a hole in the terminal as there is already one there... where the copper wire goes in. Flux cable before putting on the terminal. Now crimp terminal and cable together. You heat the terminal, (where you drilled the hole), to avoid melting the cable covering. When solder will melt touching it to the cable at the terminal opening, you fill terminal with solder. The reasons to do both crimp then solder is, it makes a much stronger hold and it will resist corrosion. The heat shrink tube is a good idea to help keep connection dryer and cleaner, thereby aiding in the corrosion protection. I've always used heat shrink since its invention. That is my method for over 50, yes fifty years. Thanks for the video. I will subscribe.

@MrRatkilr 3 ай бұрын

Once you crimp actually takes less solder. Been crimping then soldering for 30 years. Works for me.

@manest69 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome info Matt! Especially the dissection of the joints. I just recently did my cables. I did solder and crimp, in that order and they didn't turn out the best, but they are way better than they were. If I ever have to do them again I'll just crimp.

@davidmarberry5565 5 жыл бұрын

i have had the best luck with crimping then soldering

@Fozzi21 5 жыл бұрын

I've always soldered because I've never had the crimper..but recently been lookin at crimpers..one thing I also do is use "liquid electrical tape" on the gap and let it dry a bit.. then heat shrink

@briangaudet7661 5 жыл бұрын

adding a dielectric grease to the straight crimp helps long term in my past

@woodhonky3890 5 жыл бұрын

dielectric means non-conductive.

@briangaudet7661 5 жыл бұрын

woodhonky correct it’s meant to mitigate corrosion not it increase conductivity

@cencoast_7.340 4 жыл бұрын

@@woodhonky3890 Cmon man get with it!

@trevorshiffermiller2412 2 жыл бұрын

Watched your video before doing my first battery connections. Great video on how to use the different tools and make them work well. I will be using the $29 version because I needed the cutter and crimper.

@justincherewyk9758 3 жыл бұрын

Matt, Great video, I'm glad I watch before redoing the negative feed for my winch. Crimp with the hammer and then soldered. Rock Soild joint. Thanks again.

@miraclo3 4 жыл бұрын

15:00 if that nug is ever getting hot enough to melt the solder, you have much much bigger problems on your hands. if anything, melting the soldering and coming disconnected is more safe then it not and burning things down.

@sinistersparky9657 4 жыл бұрын

Hate to be picky but _not true._ Melting point for most electrical solder is about 370 deg F - he did state the problem of a high resistance connection specifically at the winch motor - we do not want a 2/0 cable falling out of a winch and welding itself to the bumper until the battery explodes. It's better that other things like circuit breakers do that job. For the same reasons, we don't want molten lead and copper on top of a lead-acid (and hydrogen and oxygen gases) battery melting their way through the case - crimped and soldered is a fantastic way to go for high current critical loads as well as high end audio power connectors. Crimped is the next best for automotive but it must be a proper crimp. For low current devices, soldering beats crimped, even in automotive. For the record, I solder for a living. But more importantly, as a Master electrician, I join wires for a living 🧓⚡👷‍♂️

@badgerpa9 4 жыл бұрын

@@sinistersparky9657 Do you enjoy joining the poky brown things together? I disagree I would like to see Matt show us 2/0 cable overheat and fall on a bumper and explode the battery, also some tin and lead melting on top of a battery and burning a hole in the battery would be neat to see. Maybe Matt could video it for the channel it would get some views. I got sucked into IBEW years ago and do hope you the best in the profession. Hope you did not have to join the ununion.

@cencoast_7.340 4 жыл бұрын

@@badgerpa9 Hey loved you comment lol. I was actually looking into the IBEW so I'm curious are you not suggesting it?

@brandenhennnessee1032 4 жыл бұрын

@@cencoast_7.340 Give me a fucking break. Anyone who would speak I'll of the ibew has never been a member or was to worthless to stay one the job and off the books. Why the hell would you not want free school, good pay, good benefits, incredible retirement, a yellow ticket in your pocket that lets you walk in and work for any union contractor in the country, a brotherhood with your fellow workers, and numerous other benefits ? PM me if you have any questions about joining the ibew.

@aivkara 4 жыл бұрын

@@badgerpa9 This week I have had to replace one 12V 100Ah battery in a 24V 4-ton truck system which had a hole burned in it next to the positive terminal, and then repair (seal) the new battery which got damaged the exact same way the following day. This was caused by the copper wire and brass allow terminal fitting melting while pulling starting current... No solder involved, it actually melted the bolt-on fitting. That's how hot it can get. WAY hotter than for melting solder! The blob of metal that dropped off burned a 1/4" (6.5mm) hole straight through the top of the battery casing. Sadly I didn't get video of it happening, it happened while the truck was out on the open road.

@andrewwilson8317 5 жыл бұрын

There is a white anti oxidising compound that the ends of the cable a dipped in to prevent any oxidisation of the cable from moisture contamination. The reason your hydraulic crimp pulled apart is that the dies are for thicker walled forged copper tags. The forged copper tags are well worth considering as they are plated to resist oxidisation, they conduct no less amps than the cable, make stronger crimps and have greater mechanical strength. Heavy cables is not really an area where you should be looking to make any relatively small savings! My top tip is to invest in the very best you can get,the cost difference is less than a can of beer! The tools can be hired or pooled if money is a real factor. Lost count of the Ammon of problems I have come across caused by badly done cable and wire ends.

@FishFind3000 Жыл бұрын

Oxidation is only an issue with aluminum wires.

@troubleshooter1975 Жыл бұрын

@@FishFind3000 Copper oxidizes too! Also, battery acid fumes or migration can happen.. Apparently you have never encountered a green rotting battery cable end.

@troubleshooter1975 Жыл бұрын

I did calculations (which I don't have handy) and IIRC, you have to go a size or two smaller on the die size when crimping thin wall or homemade terminals (I think I figured two sizes for typical stranded wire). There are charts for circular mil area, diameter of stranded wire (air volume that you'll be compressing), tubing wall thickness (you'll need to convert to area), and area of a hexagon; for those that are mathematically proficient, and want to determine the ideal hex die size... Ideally it will compress some of the air volume. I don't think you can compress it to solid copper... [I don't remember if my calculations came out to two sizes smaller, or if the ideal size was in between available sizes; but I think you should feel significantly higher force before the dies close fully, or you are not fully crimped].

@edwardojr2838 2 жыл бұрын

I've always crimped & soldered, now im thinking crimp by itself is not bad at all. Great in depth video, I enjoyed it alot

@SmalltimR 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome test - thank you so much for taking the time to do this - most helpful indeed

@douglas2lee929 2 жыл бұрын

Crimp AND solder. Crimp for mechanical strength and retention. Solder to fill all (most) voids and maximize conductivity, thus minimizing resistance. At least, those are my thoughts. This is a REALLY good video on how to construct and fasten lugs. It helped me a lot!

@PowerstrokeEconoline 8 ай бұрын

Solder isn't ideal for high vibration environments and is more susceptible to corrosion. Where the solder ends creates a pivot point that eventually fails. A very well done solder connection will do better than a poor crimp, but a high quality crimp is the best option.

@TheALan556 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for this informative trial I favour the hammered crimper as I thought neat and when you cut through I was impressed how solid it looked

@dennissecor8092 2 жыл бұрын

Hammer crimp and solder, looks like the way to go, great video, thank you for sharing!

@TheMetalheadHomestead 5 жыл бұрын

I use both methods at work, and over the years I've gone to using solder on smaller connections (16-24 awg) and crimps on anything larger. It's just my personal preference because, at a basic level I was seeing a lot of small crimp/large solder failures.

@andrewmckinney2161 5 жыл бұрын

I always thought soldering was the best but now the hammer crimper is my favorite

@bleepinjeep 5 жыл бұрын

Sweet!

@707SonomaComa 3 жыл бұрын

Why not do both?

@stump426 5 жыл бұрын

I solder my connections, until I saw how convenient the crimp method is. I may be changing my procedure as well. Thanks for the great video.

@stinkycheese804 4 жыл бұрын

He made either type look more time consuming than it is, for illustration purposes. When it comes down to actually doing it in the wild, we're talking about near equal convenience and time spent except that the hammer crimper is not convenient at all if you have no sturdy hard surface to put it on.

@Ascriv1 5 жыл бұрын

that was an awesome video. I got into this video thinking this will be a basic knowledge tutorial, and that I would likely learn nothing much from it. but, in turn, I learned a lot from it and you go really in-depth. normally I always tried tin the wire and then crimp it by the hammer method, but as you found out tinning doesn't work, and then I'll give up a hammer it out (which is what I normally do). lol, when I go and wire my winch I'm going to try the crimp and solder method you did. thanks a lot.

@ouisi7 5 жыл бұрын

When crimping, you should only do it once. Doing it multiple times has a chance to loosen the previous crimps and it fatigues the metal. Do it once, cut it open and it should look exactly like the others.

@bankworkshop5980 5 жыл бұрын

Nice to known.

@Arkie407 5 жыл бұрын

Exactly what I was about to comment! The 2nd crimp will work AGAINST the first, thereby loosening & weakening it. ONE well placed solid crimp gets it done.

@42lookc 5 жыл бұрын

@@Arkie407 I didn't know that for sure, but that's what I thought when I saw it being done. Thanks.

@kylebowness580 4 жыл бұрын

The manufacturer of the crimped says to do it twice. You think since they make the product that they would research it a little more. I only do mine once even though directions say otherwise.

@andreafalconiero9089 4 жыл бұрын

@@Arkie407 I think that depends on how the crimp is applied. With a hex crimp, rotating the lug 45 degrees could cause it to loosen. If you don't then a second crimp beside the first may not be necessary, but it shouldn't do any harm. The benefit of a second crimp will be greatest with a narrow-width crimping tool.

@tl1024 5 жыл бұрын

According to Trojan battery (with infrared photos), crimped and soldered results in lowest terminal temp when under load. I build cables for golf carts every day, I hammer crimp then solder, plus good heatshrink.

@Roller76 5 жыл бұрын

Yes TL! I was talking to the video like, dude cover the wire with flux, then push the terminal end on and crimp it, finally you heat up the end and the solder will pull in like plumbers do with copper pipe. Then like he mentioned about using a winch making it hot the crimping holds the wire in the terminal. Boom. I've worked on stereo systems since I was about 16 (am now 45) and soldering is the best for a clean connection. Plus, the better the connection there is less resistance for power or audio signal. If a power wire has more resistance it will get hot. It also applies in the home which has caused many house fires because of too many items plugged in an outlet. Anyways, crimp and solder. I mean, is it going to take that much longer?

@Khorsathedark 5 жыл бұрын

Awesome video Matt. I know that I will be crimping when I do my cables. I don't mind soldering small wires on my RCs or other small uses, but on a cable that large. Hell, I'll put my muscles to use.

@timoy4988 4 жыл бұрын

Fanbleepintastic!! Everything I need to know to make a decision on how to attach anything to a battery. Thanks for sharing.

@TheLusus 4 жыл бұрын

In my profession (marine electritian) we always crimp due to the enviroment is both warm and vibrating. Our experience is that soldered connections ar prone to crack when exposed to vibrations over time.

@707SonomaComa 3 жыл бұрын

Would doing the crimp & solder method work too? Would it be better in those conditions?

@alanwheelock1460 5 жыл бұрын

Crimp and solder, Solder is better fighting corosion . I like how you drilled little hole and added there. 2 thumbs up

@nullernullson6749 5 жыл бұрын

Just buy tinned wire (that is tinned the entire length from factory) if you want tinned wire and use a quality crimp tool.

@JM-mn7iq 5 жыл бұрын

2nd for crimp and solder, crimp provides mechanical strength, and the solder helps keep corrosion out. Adhesive lined heat shrink is a must as well.

@jatorresrv 2 жыл бұрын

Much appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to go through and over those, and sharing.

@stever7638 Жыл бұрын

Great video, I'm a huge fan of the hex crimp, Especially when dealing with vibrations, solder can be a little brittle and a crimp is not. The copper pipe trick was really slick.

@vros5477 4 жыл бұрын

I've been super gluing all my cables. 🚨💆‍♂️

@joluma09 5 жыл бұрын

$20 seems super easy to use.other two seem like a pain in the rear!

@bobdodge3171 4 жыл бұрын

If it turns out to be a pain in the rear.. Your really using them wrong.

@RadDadisRad 4 жыл бұрын

I wouldn’t think that $20 tool would be a pain in the rear for a trail side repair

@JimmyMakingitwork 3 жыл бұрын

Unless you’re working in an area other than a work bench and holding the wire, terminal end and the tool while swinging a hammer is difficult.

@jdub1922 Жыл бұрын

Best tip ever was the make your own lugs part! Thanks!

@fredguerra4917 10 ай бұрын

The best video on the subject I have seen. Thanks for taking the time.

@Jack_The_Biker 5 жыл бұрын

Anyone else think done by the cheapest bidder for the lowest price when they hear military grade?

@FlossinBobRoss 7 ай бұрын

Absolutely 😂

@niconine268 5 ай бұрын

Yeah

@130rne Ай бұрын

Yep for 5x the civilian cost

@davidedelman2984 23 күн бұрын

No such thing as “Military Grade”. It’s a marketing scheme.

@jeromekaidor7254 4 жыл бұрын

It would indeed be interesting to measure the resistance of the various techniques - especially crimped versus soldered. In the real world, such small resistances are measured with a four wire ohmmeter. It's not hard to make one up. You flow current through the joint and measure it. At the same time, you measure the voltage across the joint with a multimeter. In the typical automotive shop, you might have one of those battery testers with resistance coils - put it in series with a battery and flow a bunch of current into the connection. Meanwhile, probe the two sides of the connection with a cheap voltmeter. R = E/I. The power of this technique is that the resistance of the test leads doesn't matter.

@jjglistens5312 Жыл бұрын

You should test this and make a video would be really interesting

@jeffreystroman2811 8 ай бұрын

It's called a voltage drop test, much less expensive than an accurate low ohms device and the added benefit of loading the junction being tested in a real world scenario

@marbbridges 2 жыл бұрын

First of all I love your video, it was really great. I've been doing electric motors and Transformers for 40 years. We never trusted just cramping, but I'm sure it always has to do with application at hand. We always soldered with a copper silver alloy. We always did both, soldering is just as good. When you make good contact it's not going nowhere it's all preference

@mrhalfstep 3 жыл бұрын

Very helpful to this discussion. Thanks for making the content.

@daschntzl5893 3 жыл бұрын

"try not to hit your thumb" Was this a reference to when you did the bread trick and smacked your thumb?! LoL

@evilutionltd 4 жыл бұрын

Using an induction heater to heat the lug for soldering would be interesting.

@stinkycheese804 4 жыл бұрын

Use a multi-hundred dollar tool (if it's a decent induction heater) instead of a $15 torch that does fine? Okay then, whatever floats your boat but you could have it done with the torch by the time you went to get the extension cord to use the induction heater.

@evilutionltd 4 жыл бұрын

@@stinkycheese804 Some people have an induction heater already, I wasn't suggesting people buy it specifically for the task. Per heat unit (BTU, calorie etc), the torch is less efficient.

@stinkycheese804 4 жыл бұрын

@@evilutionltd If they have the induction heater, they already knew what when how etc so why would then need a video? Heat unit efficiency makes no difference whatsoever when doing a repair, are you smoking crack? Even if you are off the grid with a limited power source, it would be non-applicable since the torch doesn't use electricity. Even if it does the job good, so does a torch and that takes less time, no wear on more expensive equipment. Win/Win.

@danielsnell7830 2 жыл бұрын

do you understand why an induction works? inducing a current in metal that conducts well is probably not going to heat the copper very much.

@bbanditrat 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, no fake show here, awesome video, teach, learn and decide. After this, a $20 tool with my big hammer is how I will do it moving forward. Thanks again for your knowledge.

@musicbox4022 2 жыл бұрын

standard crimping practice is to place the fitting in the tool first… get tool perfectly aligned and ready… then insert the wire just before pressure. This practice allows for better control. I love the make your own fitting idea!! Great!

@MyGoogleYoutube 5 жыл бұрын

I recently completed a project and used the Temco crimper you used. I found it was easier to hold the lug in the crimper and pump it until the lug was snug in the die. Then put the wire in and crimp. I used tinned lugs as opposed to bare copper ones. Unfortunately, I learned about adhesive lined heat shrink after the project. Instead I used dielectric grease around where the lug meets the cable sheathing. Then used the heat shrink tubing. Thank you for cutting the lugs in half.... Neat to see. In a future video can you over crimp a few lugs and cut them open? What are the risks of over crimping?

@danallen9345 5 жыл бұрын

I do the solder then crimp with a hammer crimper I do the crimp while still hot then reheat after crimp. The solder should give better connection and reduce chances of corrosion.

@nullernullson6749 5 жыл бұрын

A quality crimp done by a good tool is a gas tight cold weld joint, you can't even flow solder through it. A quality crimp connection is absolutely superior to a soldered one. If you want additional corrosion protection use cable that is tinned from factory.

@windmillacres679 4 жыл бұрын

@@nullernullson6749 well, I don't have a high end crimper and could never justify the cost. I tin my cable, tin my lug, crimp and then reheat and add solder (if needed). Then shrink wrap. Never had one fail. My big concern is corrosion. (Especially near batteries.)