Decent quality electrical crimp connectors

[Ttrees]

I reckon it'd be highly frowned upon to be looking for forked terminal connectors,
rather than looped connectors, especially on Far Eastern budget VFD's with cheaper parts.
Would have said earlier, but I wasn't sure if you were referring to the 12 volt or whatever pin type connector for the switches, and not the ones for the main input/output.


Besides, you'd be wanting the looped type connector for stacking both earths, plus the tail,
with a wee crimp or split washer to keep things snug to the enclosure, then the tail for the earth is installed into the VFD afterwards...

and as you've experienced those wee screws are a bit small to be looking for, should you drop one, I can sympathize with you there,
as you've only got three lives left, should it be the same deal as the Huanyang!
That is... should you ever think about disassembly again for any reason.

another route for searching you might see what Robert/Bob Minchin suggests,
or Perhaps Jack Forsberg on YT, since he has got a cheap source of them,
which he custom specifies designs from.
(I'm thinking if that there's a chance they couldn't fit better terminals, then he'd likely be sourcing the nicest bits for that, since I believe he sells'em, don't quote me on that though.)

 

[Spectric]

Besides, you'd be wanting the looped type connector for stacking both earths, plus the tail,

Unless you have a common earth point to which you connect the main ground and any CPC's. Buy from an electrical disributor, at least you will know they are copper and not some alloy with a hint of copper because it is the purity of the copper that cost. Think of each connection as a resister because that is in effect what they are, maybe only a few milli ohms but in a circuit they all add up so good connections with proper crimps helps.

 

[Chris152]

CPC (Farnell) have huge stocks of all you need.

Is Electrovision a known name? Would this kit by Electrovision look like a reasonable one? it seems to have the fork terminals I need now as well as a selection of others.
https://cpc.farnell.com/electrovision/y026g/500-assorted-terminals-connectors/dp/AR71386

 

[Chris152]

Unless you have a common earth point to which you connect the main ground and any CPC's. Buy from an electrical disributor, at least you will know they are copper and not some alloy with a hint of copper because it is the purity of the copper that cost. Think of each connection as a resister because that is in effect what they are, maybe only a few milli ohms but in a circuit they all add up so good connections with proper crimps helps.

I do plan to connect the earths to an earthing connector which will be on the box, and take one cable from there to the vfd. And point taken about copper.

Concerning the fork connector, is the problem that they can come loose? As the vfd will be housed in a steel wall box, the in and out power cables will be secured by glands so there'll be no tension on the connections, if so.

 

[Spectric]

When you have the square washers then the fork connectors are ok mechanically, what can happen in some situations is that the forks spread as the screw is tightened which leads on to the other issue. If you think of a ring terminal it has 360° s of contact which is better than the contact offered by a fork terminal and this effects contact resistance.

 

[Chris152]

Well, we were in our local hardware specialist today to get some bolts etc and as an aside, I asked if they stocked any crimp connectors. They did, so I bought a pack of 100 of these for about £7:
https://www.swaonline.co.uk/cable-terminations/preinsulated-terminals/fork-terminalsto the right size. They seem to tick the boxes I'm looking for and, as they're just up the road and incredibly helpful, I'll just pop up there in the future for the types I need. Hopefully, all sorted! (Tho I do still want to get a better crimper.)
Thanks all.

 

[Ttrees]

Unless you have a common earth point to which you connect the main ground and any CPC's. Buy from an electrical disributor, at least you will know they are copper and not some alloy with a hint of copper because it is the purity of the copper that cost. Think of each connection as a resister because that is in effect what they are, maybe only a few milli ohms but in a circuit they all add up so good connections with proper crimps helps.

Thanks for that useful snippet Spectric
By the inevitable chance, the crimp connector on me wee welder failed,
the one for attaching the hefty cable to the electrode holder/gun.
It broke before I think, and I repaired the (wings?) again, to grasp the cable.

That failed again last week, and knee deep in the work figured I'd make up another when done,
so simply cinched the cable down for the time being.
(Indeed, that's bearing in mind the last thing one would want to happen should the bare end fall on the work)

Anyway, the welder seems improved to me, so by your reasoning, since I doubt I'd be able to get a
crimp connector to suit the... (going out on a longshot here) ... pencil thickness cable,
with a comparable connector that is,
Seems I'd possibly be able to make a better one with some copper pipe, and a laminate of steel backer for structural reasons.

Seems over the top, granted, and no doubt there is only a maximum of amperage these conncetors are rated for, and my troubles are simply down to the original connector,
which I likely didn't help by presumably either scuffing the copper off,
or when the ends of the wings broke off, and rebent, I was making the bridge narrower.

Do you think it may be a possibility this would be a reasonable assumption?

Cheers
Tom

 

[Spectric]

the one for attaching the hefty cable to the electrode holder/gun.

What type of connector, some just use a lug like this where you unscrew the handle, attach cable and refit handle.

or to make life easier if you don't have a hefty crimp tool these from Reusable Cable Lug but other places sell them

View attachment 165768

These connections need to be secure or they will get very hot, cable is probably 70mm CSA and maybe you would be better of just buying a new electrode holder as they are not expensive.

https://www.weldingdirect.co.uk/Welding-Supplies/MMA-ARC-Welding-Supplies/MMA-Electrode-Holders