Woo Hoo! A Big Project!

[melville]

I have a new toy:



With it I can do this:



It crimps on both the wire and the housing simultaneously. I do need to get a wider variety of terminals for the various wire sizes and connection specifics. But no more of those hardware store terminals on my stuff anymore.

Using that, I was able to wire this in:



What is that, you ask? I'll tell you:



It's a double USB port. I can power my geocaching GPS device and save the batteries whilst in transit and at the same time charge something (camera or phone) in the tankbag.



The magnetic bit is the on/off switch. There's a bit of steel in the cap. If the cap is on, there's no power going to the unit. Remove cap, and the light colored bits glow faintly green indicating power to the unit.

Also got the freshly PC pegs mounted:



Fresh rubbers go on today and I'll finalize the exhaust reinstallation. Then I can put the tank back on and fire it up. Bit of a shame it's raining today.

[Chuey]

Where have you been getting the crimp on connectors with the cuff for the insulation?

Chuey

[melville]

Where have you been getting the crimp on connectors with the cuff for the insulation?

Chuey

Amazon.com! But I'm having trouble finding female spades for 10 or 12 gauge wire, which I'll need for the headlight stuff. I also need to find some 6mm (1/4") ring terminals. There are a few automotive electric shops in town. While they have disappointed me in the past, I may poke my head in to see if they have sources.

I don't think my crimperizer will do the flag terminals BMW uses, either. But there may be alternative anvils available for it.

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Melville, I like the looks and results of that crimper and I think I would like to have one of my very own. The trouble is identifying what you bought. When I look on Amazon I get lots of pro'skit crimpers designed for different terminals and applications. Is there more information on the package that can help me to narrow down the search? I do prefer Amazon.

Also do you have an identifier for the terminals you showed and used? That too could take a significant search, I think.

Thanks

Ken

[melville]

Melville, I like the looks and results of that crimper and I think I would like to have one of my very own. The trouble is identifying what you bought. When I look on Amazon I get lots of pro'skit crimpers designed for different terminals and applications. Is there more information on the package that can help me to narrow down the search? I do prefer Amazon.

Also do you have an identifier for the terminals you showed and used? That too could take a significant search, I think.

Thanks

Ken

No problem. The crimpificator:

http://www.amazon.com/Eclipse-300-005-R ... k129040-20

The terminals for 14 to 18 gauge wire:

http://www.amazon.com/Speaker-6-4mm-Fem ... k129040-20

Let me know if you find female spade terminals for 10 to 12 gauge wire.

[jagarra]

Here is a good source for terminals, they carry a really large variety of styles and manufacturers.


http://www.digikey.com/en/resources/con ... aQodSusMWg

[Chuey]

I've made some really nice main battery ground wires out of super choice welding cable. The ends, I was getting at the welding supply shop but found a great supply at a small local chain of hardware stores. For crimping duty, I've ground the edge of a cold chisel to where it's about 2mm flat on the former cutting edge. (I found the chisel and a whole set of cheapo related tools strewn along a back road on a bicycle ride so it's not a top quality chisel I've compromised.) I open the vise jaws just a bit less than 1/4" to cradle the connector and then smack it with that chisel two or three times. Validation testing consists of trying to pull the connection loose, which I can't do so I figure that it's A-O-K. Some artful double shrink tubing action finishes off my cables.

The other aspect that I think makes my cables nice is that I take two connectors and smash one of the wire sockets flat and silver solder it at a 90 degree angle to another which is then crimped onto the wire. This is used at the top of the ground wire to connect it to the battery. Therefore, the wire makes a straight path to the transmission bolt instead of an arc.

Chuey

[melville]

Another winter is done, and it's finally stopped raining. I spent the afternoon in the shed finishing my winter maintenance. I reinstalled the battery fresh off the tender to start.

The VW Bus dip relay I'd wired in had perished, so I replaced that and redid the terminals at that end of the harness I put together so I now have proper crimps and none of that hardware store crap. I got it back together and found I had no low beam. So the headlamp came out and I found that the low beam was out in the bulb.

A quick trip to NAPA and the replacement was soon at hand, only $7.04 with tax! Cheaper than my VWs!

After everything was buttoned up, I opened the fuel taps enough to fill the bowls, pulled the chokes, flipped everything to 'on' and pushed the red button. NANANANAVROOOOOOM!

I'm feeling good and I should get out on it this week even with jury duty starting tomorrow.

[Rob]

Rob V likes this post

[SteveD]

This thread is difficult with photobucket links.

Hey Melville, your colour scheme...red-burgundy with gold stripes? Is that an oem scheme?