APP crimp tool

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APP crimp tool

Dave G.
I bought the cheaper crimping tool together with the 15 and 30 Amp APP
connector set.
It does *not* give a satisfactory crimp - the wires can (and do) pul out of the
connector..
I now solder the wires into the contacts.
The more expensive crimp tool, that presumably does a better job is
beyond my price range considering the few times I would use it...

YMMV......

--
Dave G.   KK7SS
'65 MK III Sprite in Richland, WA
"Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity.
But I'm not so sure about the universe."  ... Albert Einstein.

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RE: APP crimp tool

Darwin, Keith
-----Original Message-----

I bought the cheaper crimping tool together with the 15 and 30 Amp APP
connector set.
It does *not* give a satisfactory crimp - the wires can (and do) pul out
of the connector..
I now solder the wires into the contacts.
The more expensive crimp tool, that presumably does a better job is
beyond my price range considering the few times I would use it...
---------------------------

And THIS is why I'm hating APP connectors!

They should be crimped but the crimper is $50 or something like that.
The can be soldered but everyone agrees that is not the preferred
attachment method.

I have 1 rig,  I need 1 (yes, one) APP connector.  I'm not going to pay
$50 for a crimper and soldering, while it is what I've done, leaves that
part of me that wants to do it right rather unsatisfied.

In the grand scheme, it is a small thing, but it is a thing none the
less.  I'm just glad my factory built K3 will come with a pre-made
cable.  I wonder, does the K3 use APP on both the 10 and 100 watt rigs,
or only on the 100 (like the K2)? Hmmm.

73!

- Keith N1AS -
- K2 5411.ssb.100 -
- K3 Wave 3, in final assembly, any day now, ... -

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Re: APP crimp tool

w7aqk
In reply to this post by Dave G.
I balked at first at the $50 price tag for the Anderson crimper.  But
finally I gave in and bought one.  Good move on my part!  The Anderson
crimping tool is ratcheted, and accomodates all sizes of connectors.  It
applies just the right amount of pressure, and at the right places, to make
a good connection.  Being specifically designed for the Anderson Power
Poles, it works better--that's all there is to it!  I'm probably down to
pennies a crimp now (spreading the cost of the tool over the number of
applications), so the pain is gone!  So, if you are really serious about
using the APP's, don't short-change yourself with a bad crimper.

Dave W7AQK

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave G." <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 11:02 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] APP crimp tool


>I bought the cheaper crimping tool together with the 15 and 30 Amp APP
> connector set.
> It does *not* give a satisfactory crimp - the wires can (and do) pul out
> of the
> connector..
> I now solder the wires into the contacts.
> The more expensive crimp tool, that presumably does a better job is
> beyond my price range considering the few times I would use it...
>
> YMMV......
>
> --
> Dave G.   KK7SS
> '65 MK III Sprite in Richland, WA
> "Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity.
> But I'm not so sure about the universe."  ... Albert Einstein.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com 

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Re: APP crimp tool

Joseph Trombino, Jr
In reply to this post by Dave G.
Howdy Dave:

I bought the more expensive Anderson PowerPole (APP) crimper and it works
beautifully....makes a great crimp and the wire(s) will not pull out.

I changed my entire station over to APP's along with my mobile FM rigs and
am glad that I did....I also use RigRunners at my 3 operating positions and
that sure makes hosing up the various pieces of gear a simple process.

You will not only make superb crimps with the tool but you will be very
popular in your ham community as you will be called upon to install APP's on
other hams gear after they see your superb power cables with APP's on them
(grin).

                                    73, Joe W2KJ


>I bought the cheaper crimping tool together with the 15 and 30 Amp APP
> connector set.
> It does *not* give a satisfactory crimp - the wires can (and do) pul out
> of the
> connector..
> I now solder the wires into the contacts.
> The more expensive crimp tool, that presumably does a better job is
> beyond my price range considering the few times I would use it...
>
> YMMV......

> Dave G.   KK7SS

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RE: Hosing gear (APP crimp tool)

Darwin, Keith
-----Original Message-----
...RigRunners at my 3 operating positions ... makes hosing up the
various pieces of gear a simple process.
------------------------

I know it's just a typo.  I know Joe meant "hooking", but I can't
resist.  It's just so funny as written LOL!

- Keith N1AS -
- K2 5411.ssb.100 -
- K3 TBD -

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Re: Hosing gear (APP crimp tool)

Joseph Trombino, Jr
Nope...no typo Keith....everybody knows when you connect something up to
something else it is called "hosing up" (grin).

It is a technical term I learned in Tech School (grin).

                            73, Joe W2KJ

Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Hosing gear (APP crimp tool)


-----Original Message-----
...RigRunners at my 3 operating positions ... makes hosing up the
various pieces of gear a simple process.
------------------------

I know it's just a typo.  I know Joe meant "hooking", but I can't
resist.  It's just so funny as written LOL!

- Keith N1AS -
- K2 5411.ssb.100 -
- K3 TBD -

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RE: APP crimp tool

AC7AC
In reply to this post by Darwin, Keith
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RE: APP crimp tool

Terry Schieler
Someone previously wrote:  "Some of Elecraft's customers are faced with
having to spend $50 for a tool to use only one time? Why?", although they
have a choice to do it either way.  Why do you say that?  Elecraft does not
require them to use a crimp tool.


I purchased the cheapo crimper years ago along with Westmountain Radio's,
RigRunner.  I then commenced to destroy a number of APP connections... so I
purchased the $50 model.  If you are going to crimp APP's, this is the best
approach.  

Of course I have rediscovered my affection for flying radio controlled model
aircraft and that hobby is very quickly adopting the Anderson Power Pole
connectors as a standard.  So I get a lot of use out of the expensive APP
crimper now and sleep better knowing that one of my expensive models might
be more apt to stay the course up there with good connectors,
well-connected.

I may have overlooked it in this thread, but I don't recall that anyone has
mentioned that one could also *borrow* the "best" crimper from a local ham
club member.  Remember when we used to borrow tools and test equipment?

73,

Terry, WØFM

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Re: APP crimp tool

n6wg
In reply to this post by AC7AC
"That's why soldering
is typically not used in concealed wiring in buildings, aircraft and
other
sensitive locations."

Interesting point, Ron.  Don't think I've ever seen that mentioned
before.
Logical, when you think about it.

Thanks and 73
Bob N6WG

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[hidden email]>
To: "'Darwin, Keith'" <[hidden email]>;
<[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2008 9:24 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] APP crimp tool


Keith N1AS wrote:

They should be crimped but the crimper is $50 or something like that.
The
can be soldered but everyone agrees that is not the preferred
attachment
method.

-----------------------------------------

Not so, Keith. Wayne and many others (including myself for what it's
worth)
prefer SOLDERING over crimping. Crimping works fine, if you use the
right
tool and know how to use it properly, but soldering produces a joint
that is
just as good - electrically and mechanically - as the best crimp.

The one caveat about soldering is that if you have an extreme short
circuit
that is melting the wires and starting  a fire the heat might also
melt the
solder causing it to run out of the connector causing another poor,
high
resistance connection that can create even more heat. That's why
soldering
is typically not used in concealed wiring in buildings, aircraft and
other
sensitive locations. While crimping is generally used in hidden
locations, a
less-than-perfect crimp in a conductor carrying significant current is
sure
to cause a hot spot and possible fire.

Concerns with fires and melting solder shouldn't be a concern with the
connectors plugged into the back of radios in our ham shacks.
Hopefully we
have fuses, breakers and other safeguards against fire-causing short
circuits. I never saw any hesitation to solder power leads in other
exposed
places in commercial work either.

The reason some such cables are crimped instead of soldered is to cut
labor
costs. Properly done, crimping produces a good connection and one can
crimp
several connectors in the same length of time it takes to solder one
properly. The small savings in time is hardly a concern for most of us
working in our ham shacks.

Ron AC7AC


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Re: APP crimp tool

Phil Kane-2
In reply to this post by Dave G.
On 3/31/2008 11:02 PM, Dave G. wrote:

> The more expensive crimp tool, that presumably does a better job is
> beyond my price range considering the few times I would use it...

I hesitated a while before I bought the "expensive" proper crimp tool,
figuring that I would only use it a few times, and suffered with bad
crimps.

Now that I have used it more times than I had imagined, I sure am happy
that I did buy it.  For some reason I seem to go through bags-full of
those connectors to construct or repair power, adapter, and extension
cables for all the gear here and at several installations that I maintain.

I have subsequently bought the "expensive" proper crimp tool for UHF
("PL-259") connectors for RG-8X coax, and similarly have used it quite a
bit, most recently to make the proper cables to allow switching of two
antennas and a dummy load with my K2/100.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

 From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County)  Oregon
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Re: APP crimp tool

Tim Heasman
In reply to this post by n6wg
Hi all,

When I first started my engineering education in 1962 I was taught to join
multi strand cable by splicing and soldering the joint and then insulating
with rubber tape and then covering with black sticky tape.  This was fine
until aluminium cable turned up and joints could only be made in terminal
blocks etc.  These joints tended to go high resistance due to the oxide, and
cause overheating and damage to the cables etc.  Crimped connectors etc were
the answer to this problem.  When lugs were required on copper cables they
used to be soldered, these days they are also crimped.

Regards

Tim
gm4lmh

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Re: APP crimp tool

Vic K2VCO
In reply to this post by AC7AC
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> The one caveat about soldering is that if you have an extreme short circuit
> that is melting the wires and starting  a fire the heat might also melt the
> solder causing it to run out of the connector causing another poor, high
> resistance connection that can create even more heat.

Also, when stranded wire is soldered, the solder wicks back into it,
which creates a stiff section of wire sticking out the back of the
connector. The point at which the stiff part ends and the flexible part
begins is vulnerable to being bent sharply and breaking...or just some
of the strands break, which can lead to heat, etc.

That's why some have suggested soldering, but being careful to keep the
solder at the front.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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