Your last generator Maintenance Run

[Fallon]

I wish it was possible to make OEM style crimp connections. Too many variables, with connectors, dies and wire size and type.

Yes & no. You can, but it's not cheap. I've got a kit of assorted Deutch & Weatherpack connectors as well as the crimper for both. Your looking at $250 or so. But it's kind of one of those lifetime items, the crimper at least. Having the kit on-hand means you are going to do it right the first time & not re-do it later. At $40 or so itself the crimper isnt really different than a decent soldering iron.

Delphi Weather Pack Connector Kit WP-1104: Sealed Weatherproof Automotive Electrical Connectors 20-12 Gauge 1104 Piece Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005AJUGN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_45aeDb7BZ2NDK

 

[Industrial Toys]

I wanted to see the crimper, but it's missing from their kit.

I once bought (still have) a very high dollar crimping tool, that came out of a factory shutting down, at the Dayton Ham Vention. Tried crimping the appropriate red or blue connectors and the wire just pulled right out. The Die has the flattened parts on both sides of center but hardly squeezes the center. I have used it a few times as a hammer since.

 

[Fallon]

I wanted to see the crimper, but it's missing from their kit.

I once bought (still have) a very high dollar crimping tool, that came out of a factory shutting down, at the Dayton Ham Vention. Tried crimping the appropriate red or blue connectors and the wire just pulled right out. The Die has the flattened parts on both sides of center but hardly squeezes the center. I have used it a few times as a hammer since.

Actually dug through my Amazon history & found the kit I got. It's a bit short on connectors, but the crimper works well. I've picked up additional plug kits since for various projects.

Astro Pneumatic Tool 9478 Weather Pack Interchangeable Ratcheting Crimping Tool & Accessory Set (220 Piece) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CN99TCA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MjbeDb4RA4913

 

[Industrial Toys]

Interesting. I ordered a hydraulic crimper with many dies from E-Bay, much cheaper than the other (China) sellers. It never came and E-Bay gave me my money back.

 

[Fallon]

Interesting. I ordered a hydraulic crimper with many dies from E-Bay, much cheaper than the other (China) sellers. It never came and E-Bay gave me my money back.

One of the 15 ton ones? I got one for bigger cable from one of the dozens of clones on Amazon. It's worked decent for putting Anderson plugs on jumper cables, battery cables & 100@ of wire for my generator. Kind of fiddily to work well, but gets a good crimp, unlike the hammer type ones.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Bugs me. If they spent another fifty cents on good seals those things might be really good and last a while. I might still get one. I am a little mystified how a crimper can work at all on an insulated terminal. Tht plastic just crushes and absorbs much of the crimping force. That's why I have gone to a straight pliar type, Klein or Channellock crimper, that has a prong that just jams through the plastic into the metal sleeve. But, I don't really like the quality or look.

 

[LouNY]

Bugs me. If they spent another fifty cents on good seals those things might be really good and last a while. I might still get one. I am a little mystified how a crimper can work at all on an insulated terminal. Tht plastic just crushes and absorbs much of the crimping force. That's why I have gone to a straight pliar type, Klein or Channellock crimper, that has a prong that just jams through the plastic into the metal sleeve. But, I don't really like the quality or look.

That is the style of crimper that I use quite often;
one thing to watch for is the seam on your terminals,
they will hold better if the seam is centered in the round portion of the crimp and your stud crimps in the solid portion of the terminal barrel.
They also make some nice ratcheting crimpers that will put the proper amount of torque on the crimp for the designed terminals.

 

[Fallon]

Bugs me. If they spent another fifty cents on good seals those things might be really good and last a while. I might still get one. I am a little mystified how a crimper can work at all on an insulated terminal. Tht plastic just crushes and absorbs much of the crimping force. That's why I have gone to a straight pliar type, Klein or Channellock crimper, that has a prong that just jams through the plastic into the metal sleeve. But, I don't really like the quality or look.

Seals? On the hydraulic crimpers or on electrical connectors?

10 Tons Hydraulic Wire Battery Cable Lug Terminal Crimper Crimping Tool With 9 Pairs of Dies https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XR8BY65/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kyqeDbZMHH992 looks like mine, although there are tones of no-name clones (which mine is too). The seals are fine. My issue is the rough sloppy casting for the track the dies slide in. The lug you are crimping tends to twist a bit. Tolerances are bit sloppy on the dies so a little wing extrudes in each side where the dies meet. Flipping the lug 90 degrees & re-crimping gets rid of it.

I concur on the cheap red/yellow/blue crimp connectors. They are destined to be weak no matter how good the crimper is. I use the plyer type with a nub mostly as well if I have to use those cheap crimp connectors. I've moved on to Deutch, Weatherpack, or Anderson & PowerPoles for most anything I care about.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I always wondered about the orientation of the seam. What's best.

Jut like so much other stuff. The "JUNK" is always made to look just like the real "Good" thing. You could also maybe go to an auto parts store, spend five times as much as the cheap china crimps and be buying the same thing.

 

[thepumpguysc]

I used my new{old} DuroMax 10k watt gen. for the 1st time to power my house over the weekend..
It worked flawlessly..
We had a pop-up tornado that skipped over me & got the power poles..
I had ran it for about 5-6hrs before I thought about seeing if it would run my 3ton a/c unit..
I thought, whats the worst that could happen, trip the breaker??
So I turned the a/c on while the gen. was still powering everything else in the house..
The gen. dipped afew rpms & the a/c kicked on & ran for 2-3 hrs..
I was thoroughly impressed.!!!
I noticed the 10k watter is on sale again.. but its 600. something?? I paid 499. beats the heck outa the 11-1200.. that it usually is..