Dryer / range cord crimp rings

Last Edited By Krjb Donovan
Last Updated: Mar 11, 2014 05:25 PM GMT

Question

Three things.

1. I want to know what crimper the manufacturer of dryer / range cords (GE, etc.) use to make the really nice crimps for the crimped ring terminals.

2. Being that it's probably some very pricey automated machine, I secondly want to know what I could get that would make a similar crimp like that. I'm looking at Panduit's products for tubular ring terminals (page A14 on http://www.panduit.com/groups/MPM-NL/documents/ApplicationGuide/105127.pdf) and I see CT-1700, CT-720, CT-930, CT-980, CT-2001 and I have no clue which one would be best for a range of 12-6AWG and if I would even get close to the quality of the manufactures' cords. Maybe a ct-1550 and a ct-1700?

3. Finally Type P (seam = CT-1701) vs. Type S (non-seamed = CT-1700) non-insulated terminals. What is the best S or P or is it just a matter of speed (quality is the same)?

Answer

How odd that you would ask that question, I wrote an article on HOW2 or HOW Too, the website where you can write articles on how to do a huge variety of tasks, not just industrial or electrical, but I wrote an article on how to crimp, and what crimp tool to use, it was a requested question,

I stayed pretty generic, and I will see if I can find the article, and send the link your way, but it doesn't cover the specifics you are asking, still a good starting point,

You ask great questions, can I ask what you are doing with these crimps?

I am always curious as to what people are doing, they have some terrific ideas, so many times I learn a lot just answering questions, if it is some kind of invention, I understand, but if it is something you can disclose, I would really be interested,

This is going to be long to get all this on one reply so I will do my best, first:

http://www.sourceresearch.net/

http://www.toolup.com/greenlee/crimping/manual-crimping-tools/


Basically, each MFG uses their own crimp device, I would guess most are hydraulic, or pneumatic, or electrical automated crimping devices, but as you will see with Greenlee, there is an endless amount of choices dependent on the type use, environment, so on, of the cord in question, we have crimpers with all kinds of dies, for all kinds of different crimps, amphenol being one, and a very popular crimp for multiple connectors, with dozens or hundreds of conductors, on one plug.

Singular terminals, is the same thing, for example, we use non split ring terminals and drill holes in the barrels on larger applications. Then we may or may not use a mechanical crimp, but after regardless, we use silver solder, by warming the terminal barrel and melting the silver solder down the drilled holes, filling and welding the conductor to the barrel.

About as good as you can get, washers, dryers so on, are not welded, most are mechanically crimped by using a specific crimper tool and die, that their engineers deemed the best and cost effective method.


2 As far as specific terminals and crimpers, I would say the choices you have selected are as good as anything, Greenlee, as you see in the links above are just as good, and you could find 10 engineers who would go either way,

Bottom line, no matter what you are connecting, if the conductor is bare minimum, and stranded, as power cords for dryers would be for flexibility, it is critical that the removal of whatever kind of sheath, is done without cutting, dinging, or removing any strands of the conductor.

A very common mistake, creating a joint that is not large enough to carry the current. We see failed connectors all the time, as manufacturers use the bare minimum wire size, and if it is compromised at all, the connection cannot withstand the current, causing heat, and failure at the terminal.

Next sizing the terminal by AWG is often tricky, I have seen size 6 of one brand so small it barely fit an 8.

As in my article, it is a science all to itself.

Then the ring, must match and be able to mate the connection, or stud, or whatever, and be large enough to carry the current.

Everything revolves around amperage, and capacity of amperage, not only by type, but by installation procedures.

If you are going to be doing multiple crimps, if you are manufacturer something with a cord, you need to investigate as many sources as cost will allow, it takes time to experiment, but any good crimping outfit should provide a correct and decent terminal with the correct tool and correct die for the crimp. The same crimp and die, can be used by a hand crimper to a certain size, after that it is too large for a hand type crimp, then comes the hydraulic type, or other powered type crimp.

So speed, size, amount, and all that comes into play.

A good article: http://www.terminaltown.com/Pages/Page7.html

A good chart: http://www.tycoelectronics.com/catalog/cinf/en/c/123/0?RQS=

So there is not one answer to the 3rd question, it all depends on use, cost, etc, again, we go the extra step, a mechanical crimp, and then we weld through the drilled holes in the barrel to add, it is overkill in most applications, but for no more than what it is, we have no failures, so keep on researching and let me know what you are doing, if you can or choose, and maybe if I knew exactly what application, I could be more specific repair@mearservice.com 816-650-4030

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