Crimp terminals only works when the terminal size matches the size of the wire. If the size of the terminal do not match the size of the wire, crimping result in heat in the connection, loose connection, or even failed circuits. Many person find themselves in these scenarios after a terminal has pulled free from a wire or a wire have overheated at a connection.
Using the chart that is provide will allow you to see the sizes of the terminals and the gauges of the wires to which they will fit. Using this chart will prevent you from have to guess at which type of terminal to use with your wire. There is another way to identify the size of the terminals: color coding.
Choose the Right Terminal for Your Wire
The color coding system allow individuals to visually determine the size of the terminals. Red terminals are for the smallest wires, blue is for the middle range of wires, yellow for the heavier wires, and gray and black for the most serious power cable. While it is not necessary to memorize the color code for the terminals, it is important that individuals learns to visually inspect the terminal to ensure that it belongs to the wire that they are attaching it to.
This will prevent individuals from forcing the terminal into a wire that is too thin or too thick. Several type of terminals exist for specific task. However, none of the terminal shapes change the importance of ensuring that the size of the terminal match that of the wire.
Ring terminals are used for tasks in which the terminal must stay in place, while spade terminals are used for tasks in which the terminal must be able to be slid under a screw head to disconnect the circuit. Butt splice terminals are used for joining two end of a wire in a circuit, and quick disconnects allow a circuit to be separated without the use of tools. Ferrules are used to prevent stranded wires from splaying open within screw terminals.
A ring terminal sized for 22-gauge wires will not work for inserting into a 10-gauge cable; the type of terminal does not change the size of the terminal’s barrel. Another factor to consider when selecting a terminal is the insulation of the terminal. Pre-insulated terminals has a colored sleeve of nylon or PVC material around the terminal; the color of the sleeve indicates the gauge of wire that should be used with the terminal.
Non-insulated terminals are made of bare metal; non-insulated terminals can handle higher temperature. However, non-insulated terminals will require an additional step to provide protection for the terminal after it has been crimped onto the wire. Non-insulated terminals may be used in a control panel where there is little room for a sleeve, but insulated terminals may be used in an engine bay to reduce the number of potential point of failure for the electrical system.
The physical size of the wire that is to be used with the terminal will impact the electrical system in which that wire is being used. Thin wires are easier to bend to allow them to pass through grommets in a panel. However, thin wires cannot carry much current without heating up.
Thick wires can carry more current; however, they become more difficult to bend to allow them to be routed to the components to which they are to be attached. Wires with a lower gauge number are thicker and can carry more current than those with higher gauge number. This rule is true regardless of the type of vehicle that is being used or the location of the electrical system.
Metric sizes are used for electrical components that are made by importing equipment from another country. The metric system for sizing wires is not the same as the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system. For example, 2.5 square millimeter is the same as approximately 14 AWG, and 6 square millimeter is the same as approximately 10 AWG.
In order to prevent forcing a terminal onto a wire, it is essential that the diameter of the wire be checked against the size of the terminal barrel. This measurement is required; it is not something that should be relied upon from the label of the terminal alone. Another factor that will impact the crimping of a terminal is the type of tool that you use.
One tool that can be purchased will have a ratchet mechanism that allow you to not release the handle on the tool until the terminal reaches full pressure against the wire. The full pressure from the tool will ensure that the terminal remain in place and that the crimp is strong. Hand tools without a ratchet will produce the same appearance for the crimp as the wire will accept the pressure from the tool; however, those crimps may fail a test that checks the strength of the crimp.
The amount of force required to crimp a terminal changes with the size of the terminal; the smaller the terminal, the less force that must be use to crimp the terminal onto a wire. Large terminals for battery cables requires more force than smaller terminals. Some people will attempt to solder electrical terminals onto a crimped wire to provide extra security for the connection.
However, soldering onto a crimp can cause the wire to break. When solder is heated, it wicks into the strands of the wire, and this action stiffen the wire at the edge of the terminal. The proper crimp provide strength and electrical contact for the wire; soldering onto this crimp will undo the advantages of properly crimping the wire.
Corrosion is another issue for electrical components that are exposed to the environment. If bare copper terminals are used in a marine environment, they will quickly oxidize; the terminals should be either tin-plated or use adhesive-lined heat shrink splices for these types of environment. Using the correct type of terminal will reduce the number of time in the future that the individual will need to replace a terminal.
Before you begin to crimp any electrical terminals, check three thing. First, check the gauge of the wire against the color of the terminal. Second, check the diameter of the terminal against the wire’s diameter.
Third, check the type of terminal against the requirements for the electrical system in which it will be used. By checking these three item, the crimping process will be a straightforward one.
