Joining two greatly different wire sizes

[GordMay]

The hammer vice is a crude approximation of a “real” tool - which makes an uncalibrated single crimp, rather than an assured crimp-force double crimp.

Excerpted from ABYC E-11:

11.16.3.3. Each conductor-splice joining conductor to conductor, conductor to connectors, and conductor to terminals must be able to withstand a tensile force equal to at least the value shown in Table XVI for the smallest conductor size used in the splice for a one minute duration, and not break.

11.16.3.8. Solderless crimp on connectors shall be attached with the type of crimping tools designed for the connector used ...

[knottybuoyz]

TABLE XVI – TENSILE TEST VALUES FOR CONNECTIONS

CONDUCTOR SIZE TENSILE / GAUGE POUNDS

1/0 / 125lbs

My 1/0 battery cables were crimped using the hammer/vice type crimper. They held my substantial 240 lbs suspended from the ceiling joist for at least a minute!

Hammer/Vice crimper from 3 e-bay $30 which seemed affordable considering I only needed to do a dozen connections. I could have spent $100 or more on a conventional crimper as suggested I guess but I couldn't find one that would do the range of cable connections I needed. I would have had to buy at least two.

I guess time will tell if the connections hold up.

[GordMay]

As Rick indicates, a skilled and patient hand can make these abominations work (well).
I own, and have used one successfully (use a vice if you can - hammering is very clumsy).
As a (former) professional, I prefer to invest in the best tools available for the jobs I do. They pay excellent returns - in the quality of my product, and in time.

[hellosailor]

Gord, those Ancor crimpers both look like what I call (perhaps wrongly) "staking" tools, just pressing a stake into one side, not making a "proper" hexagonal crimp or other compression on the whole barrel. That's really UL approved??

The ring fitting...well, a 5mm wide hole means a big ring. I'm glad there's room on THAT breaker but it would stil be too big to fit on many other terminations, leaving the old question of "Oh, sure, that's gonna go into WHAT?"

Rick, last I heard the hammer devices were no good because you have no idea "how much is enough" so the result will be inconsistent.

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Gord, those Ancor crimpers both look like what I call (perhaps wrongly) "staking" tools, just pressing a stake into one side, not making a "proper" hexagonal crimp or other compression on the whole barrel. That's really UL approved??

That's what caught me with the IDEAL crimpers. Had to order another set of dies. Of course they don't tell you which dies are standard when they sell you the tool.

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Rick, last I heard the hammer devices were no good because you have no idea "how much is enough" so the result will be inconsistent.

Well I agree and I've seen worse crimps made with the proper tool that was poorly adjusted or just plain worn out. I had one cable made up at a local welding shop that fell apart about a year after I installed it. That's one of the factors that pursuaded me to buy the hammer crimper. Just nail it a couple of extra times with the ballpeen hammer! It'll stay stuck. I did stick it in the vice and cranked it down with a 4' piece of ss pipe. The deformation was about the same as 6 whacks with the ballpeen! I doubt very much it'll ever come apart. I was worried about possibly breaking the conductors going into the lug but after cutting one apart they all appeared fine and well compressed.