Teeny Tiny Terminators

[KapnKerfuffle]

So I'm trying to hook buttons up to my Ultimarc U360 button harness.  The wire gauge is tiny, 26 AWG if I read the tiny print on the wire right.  Anyway I'm trying to use solderless, push-on crimp terminators and they don't crimp very well.  I thought I had the smallest.  Is it possible to connect these wires to the microswitches without soldering?

[MonMotha]

AWG26 pretty much doesn't crimp into any of those quick connect terminals nicely.  If you fold it back over on itself a few times, it might hold.  Smallest wire that reliably holds in a red terminal is generally AWG22 or maybe AWG24 if you're lucky.  Stranded wire holds better than solid.

[Ginsu Victim]

I just folded it over a few times. Crimped on just fine.

[Kevin Mullins]

I'll usually strip a little extra, fold it over itself and the fold it over the sheathing as well, then crimp.

[KapnKerfuffle]

Never thought of folding them over.  I think I will give that a try.  Thanks!

[ubiquityman]

Never thought of folding them over.  I think I will give that a try.  Thanks!

1. Make sure you have the correct tool.  I use 24 AWG wire for the 0.10" header sockets.  24 AWG would also be OK.
I'm using a DB crimp tool.  It's not 100% correct, but it does a pretty good job.

2. Folding the wire is OK.  Never twist the wires for a crimp.  It can cause wires to break when crimping.

[Ginsu Victim]

Never twist the wires for a crimp.  It can cause wires to break when crimping.

Guess I'll stop doing that.

[KapnKerfuffle]

Folding the wire is OK.  Never twist the wires for a crimp.  It can cause wires to break when crimping.

Really?  I also twist them.  I guess so they don't fray out when I insert them into a terminal or something (or just 'cause I'm anal retentive).  You are saying just leave them straight?  Interesting.  I may have to form a committee to discuss to debate taking this under advisement.   

[RayB]

The thread title had me expecting something like this:

[ubiquityman]

Folding the wire is OK.  Never twist the wires for a crimp.  It can cause wires to break when crimping.

Really?  I also twist them.  I guess so they don't fray out when I insert them into a terminal or something (or just 'cause I'm anal retentive).  You are saying just leave them straight?  Interesting.  I may have to form a committee to discuss to debate taking this under advisement.  

You need to leave them straight.
The easiest way to understand this is to look at how barrel pins are crimped.



If you leave them straight, then the crimp action allows the open ends of the barrel to separate the strands of wire into two parallel bunches and then compress them tightly to hold them.  The force is applied evenly along the length of the wire.

If you twist the wires, how can the ends of the pin separate the wire into two bunches?  It can't.
What happens is when the open ends of the barrel comes down on the wire, the sides of the barrel can act like knives and cut/break the strands of wire, weakening the crimp.

I've read some online help that says to "twist the wire" before crimping.  That's just plain wrong IMO.

Wires should be twisted together for wire nuts or for soldering.  Not for crimping.

[lilshawn]

if i have to do tiny wires, and must crimp, i strip back about 2x what i need and fold it over then solder it, gives it some bulk to clamp onto.

i use the same method for the screw down terminal blocks

[HaRuMaN]

The thread title had me expecting something like this:

Haha, same here.

[Ginsu Victim]

The thread title had me expecting something like this:

Haha, same here.

Yep, me too.

[daywane]

Folding the wire is OK.  Never twist the wires for a crimp.  It can cause wires to break when crimping.

Really?  I also twist them.  I guess so they don't fray out when I insert them into a terminal or something (or just 'cause I'm anal retentive).  You are saying just leave them straight?  Interesting.  I may have to form a committee to discuss to debate taking this under advisement.  

You need to leave them straight.
The easiest way to understand this is to look at how barrel pins are crimped.



If you leave them straight, then the crimp action allows the open ends of the barrel to separate the strands of wire into two parallel bunches and then compress them tightly to hold them.  The force is applied evenly along the length of the wire.

If you twist the wires, how can the ends of the pin separate the wire into two bunches?  It can't.
What happens is when the open ends of the barrel comes down on the wire, the sides of the barrel can act like knives and cut/break the strands of wire, weakening the crimp.

I've read some online help that says to "twist the wire" before crimping.  That's just plain wrong IMO.

Wires should be twisted together for wire nuts or for soldering.  Not for crimping.

I understand . I just learned what Ihave been doing wrong for many years now