As a small business owner, you have to wear many hats. Part of the job is making sure that everything in your workplace runs like clockwork.
However, there isn’t always time to call an electrician or other professionals for every trouble that comes along.
This is why you need to at least know some basic troubleshooting for your equipment. It also doesn’t hurt to acquire different skill sets to help you deal with these problems.
Learning how to crimp wires is one such skill. Most electrical issues are caused by a poor connection between wires in an electrical circuit. Crimping can form an effective and dependable joint between two wires.
According to Bates Electric, a firm of electricians near Louisville KY, the best part about learning wire crimping is that you can do this with very little training.
Are you ready to learn a new skill? Then please continue reading.
Get the Right Tool for the Job
To crimp a connector or terminal onto a wire, you’ll need a specialized tool.
And no, the pliers in your toolbox are NOT crimpers. They do a poor job of keeping a tight bond between the wire and the barrel of your connector.
Invest in a good set of wire crimpers. They can produce a secure coupling and will serve you for many, many years.
There are different types of crimpers but we recommend a tool with a built-in ratchet. The ratchet prevents the jaws from opening back up so you can apply consistent pressure while crimping.
Know Your Wires and Connectors
The size of the wire that you’re working with is the most important detail. This will determine what “die” or notch to use on your crimping tool.
The wire gauge is also used for the selection of insulated terminals. These are color-coded.
- Red wire insulation = 22 to 16-gauge
- Blue wire insulation = 16 to 14-gauge
- Yellow wire insulation = 12 to 10-gauge
- Wires larger than 10 gauge requires a non-insulated terminal
Once you know the wire gauge, the next step is to choose a matching-sized connector. Crimp connectors come in a variety of styles.
Some of the common types are the ring, spade, and quick-disconnect connectors. You can also get cable fittings customized for a specific application.
How to Crimp Wires and Connectors Together
The crimping process itself is very simple. But you only have once chance per attempt. No continues and no extra lives.
Don’t worry because we’ll show you how to get a good crimp with minimal mistakes. Here are the steps.
- Strip the insulation from the wire. Expose enough wire to fit inside the barrel of the connector. Usually, about half an inch of bare wire is sufficient. Always practice safe stripping.
- Insert the wire into the barrel. Make sure that all strands are accounted for and that the wire doesn’t extend past the barrel more than a quarter inch.
- Insert the barrel into the appropriate crimper slot. Again, double-check that the marking on the notch of the crimper matches the wire gauge.
- Squeeze the handles of the crimping tool with considerable force.
- Check if the connection is sturdy. It should be able to withstand getting pulled apart by hand. If not, the crimp was done improperly and you have to start over.
That’s it. It’s not too difficult, right?
Putting It All Together
Now that you know how to crimp wires, you’re ready to fix common electrical problems from car troubles to equipment failure.
For more useful tips on how to enhance your workplace, feel free to browse this site.