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.........................................................................--- Crimping Lugs --

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I'm hesitant to put this page on the site as I know it might create let's say discord. Some will say the only safe way to crimp a lug on a wire is with one form or another of commercial wire crimper. These come in all models from cheap ones to very expensive ones and the opinions on which one to use will also cover a wide spectrum of views. A friend loaned me one that wasn't dirt cheap but still I did not like the results so stayed with what I've done in the past which I'll share below.

Please if you have a problem with crimping on lugs in this manner just proceed to the next page. Thank you.

I start by finding something that has some weight to it and figure out how to anchor it so that it won't be moving around as I hit the lug with a punch and a hand sledge hammer. At the boat yard I clamped a trailer hitch assembly to my work table there.

Then I clipped the lug to the end of the square tubing as shown. I previously had ground down two punches as shown above. One is a little more rounded on the edges and the small one is a little sharper on the edges of the face.

Before inserting the wire into the lug I coat it with dielectric.

I create a "H" pattern with first the longer faced punch and then drive the corners in with the smaller punch a little. You can feel when you have driven the top against the wire enough that it is tightly compressed against the bottom of the lug. The smaller punch then increases the pressure a little more in the corners and anchors the lug to the wire. Don't drive the lug all the way through the top of the lug.

I developed this pattern after seeing some lugs that had been put on with what appeared was a very professional tool. I see very little difference in these to those.

A close-up of the punches and the finished job.

Another one and finally as a last step....

.... apply heat shrink to the lugs.

The cables for the Blue Sea ACR (combiner) install in the boat.

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