Crimping pliers for cable lugs. What are Nshvi tips and should I use them? For large cables
When crimping conductors, one of the main conditions for obtaining high-quality contact and its reliable operation in the future is the use professional tool. One of these tools is press pliers or crimpers, designed for crimping bushings, insulated, not insulated tips and automotive terminals.
Crimpers for automotive terminals and insulated lugs must have matrices with a double-circuit crimping profile - along the core and along the insulation. Also, its geometry and shape must correspond to the crimp part of the tip. 
As a rule, it is best to buy sets at once, which include the pliers themselves and all the necessary dies.
Among domestic producers The KVT company stands out and its two crimping kits:
Let's look at their configuration, differences and principles of operation. Both of these kits are designed for crimping both insulated and non-insulated ferrules.
Press tongs CTB
The CTB set includes:
- the press pliers themselves
- five numbered matrices
- plastic case
Press pliers have a mechanism for quick removal and replacement of dies. 
Keep in mind that any matrix, like any part, has the property of running-in. And during the first few dozen crimping cycles, it is quite possible that the tip may bite.
Sometimes a jam occurs such that the matrix jumps out of its quick-release mechanism. This does not at all mean that the instrument is of poor quality, and over time, after breaking in, you will forget about this inconvenience.
In general, quick-release dies are, of course, a positive thing, but in practice there really is a lack of some kind of mechanism for their rigid fixation. And the longer you use the crimper, the more this mechanism weakens.
STV press tongs are made of high quality steel. Equipped with a ratcheting mechanism that ensures full cycle compression. There is also an asterisk with which you can adjust the clamping force. 
At the top there is a lever that allows you to unlock the tool from any position.
If you choose the wrong die size and start crimping, the press pliers may not reach the very end, thereby blocking the handles in an intermediate position. This is where the unlocking lever is needed.
The handles are elongated to make it convenient to squeeze with two hands. For relatively large sections and a large volume of work, this is very helpful. 
Compared to other manufacturers, the small opening angle of the KVT crimper handles plays a significant role. With other models, in order to achieve a girth, sometimes you need not arms, but large paws. A small setting angle allows you to use the tool with much greater convenience and comfort. 
Dies for press jaws
Why do we need as many as 5 sets of matrices? There is not only a difference in the cross-section of the crimped tips, but also in their functionality and standard size. 
You can choose your ideal option for each type of tip.
In CTB press tongs, as in CTF, the dies are interchangeable, which makes these sets absolutely compatible and can significantly save your budget.
Most often it is necessary to use dies designed for crimping insulated and non-insulated bushings of the NShVI and NShV brands. The matrix is digitally marked along the cross section of the tip. 
These dies are specially designed to form a monolithic pin at the end of a stranded strand. 
To give mechanical strength on inner surface The crimping profile has special corrugation. 
The matrix of the MPK-02 model fits the most popular series sleeve tips cross section from 0.25 to 6mm2. 
What to do if you have a sleeve tip with a cross-section of as much as 25mm2? Here the matrix of the MPK-03 model will help you out. This matrix already crimps insulated and non-insulated sleeve lugs from 10 to 25mm2. 
To crimp double sleeve tips of the NShVI-2 brand, you need to use the MPK-06 matrix. It has 7 positions and crimps tips from 0.5 to 6mm2. 
Keep in mind that it is not included with the tool and you will have to purchase it separately. You can get acquainted with current prices and choose sets of matrices.
There is another way out of the situation. If you need to crimp the NSHVI-2 double tip, but it is not possible to purchase an additional matrix for it, use the ordinary MPK-02 matrix.
The only condition is that you need to crimp such an NShVI-2 with a connector one size larger.
That is, when you have a double tip with a cross-section of 4mm2 NShVI(2)-4-12, then you need to press it with a matrix designed for a single one under 6mm2. 
The set also includes an MPK-01 matrix for insulated connectors of the NKI, NVI brands and the like. It is designed for sections from 0.5 to 6mm2. 
Well, the last two sets of matrices are MPK-04 - for auto terminals and MPK-05 - for non-insulated copper lugs. 
The matrices are inserted into the pliers in such a way that the side of the matrix with the smallest cross-section of the crimping profile is always located at the edge of the jaws.
This crimper compresses the NSHVI sleeve tips with a trapezoid. This crimp profile is quite wide and can cause some problems with connecting individual equipment. Keep in mind that when connecting wires to starters of the second magnitude, after crimping the wires of relatively large cross-sections with a trapezoid, sometimes you have to insert them into the contacts sideways. 
CTF press pliers set
This set also includes 5 dies. True, there is no quick release mechanism here anymore.
To replace the matrix you will have to use a hex wrench. Which is not entirely convenient and can take much longer than the crimping process itself. 
You can, of course, do something on your own and somewhat modernize the process of removing matrices. To do this, you can solder nuts onto the factory screws, which can be easily twisted by hand without the use of hexagons and special wrenches. 
The kit also includes 2 spare matrix screws in case you lose the current one or damage the threads on them.
The lack of a quick release mechanism is of course one of the main disadvantages of this instrument. Imagine you are sitting in front of a cabinet with a couple of hundred conductors in it. They all go in order different sections and standard sizes and need to be crimped accordingly. How much extra time and nerves it will take you to unscrew and tighten the matrices is not a rhetorical question.
When inserting dies into CTF pliers, to avoid mistakes, look at the size of the slot for crimping. Large size insert towards the handles, the smaller ones - into the mouth of the tool’s nose. The vertical positioning of the matrices also plays a role. 
A reasonable question arises: why do we need a CTF set with an inconvenient process for replacing dies, if there are CTB press pliers with a mechanism for their quick removal?
The fundamental difference between CTF is the parallel closure of matrices. This form of compression is the most important advantage over any other press tongs.
When using conventional press pliers, insulated and non-insulated ferrules are crimped first from one edge, then in the center, and only at the end is the entire ferrule crimped.
But the CTF model has such a design that its jaws close parallel from top to bottom. Therefore, crimping occurs evenly and immediately over the entire surface of the tip. 
Parallel closure of matrices provides more high quality connections.
True, it is possible that you have chosen the matrix and the tip seemingly correctly, but the wire after crimping is still poorly clamped inside the sleeve. How is this possible?
And the reason here lies in an unscrupulous manufacturer of cable products. They are the ones who can make the wire, relying on their technical specifications, and not according to GOST. As a result, the cross-section is not 1.5 mm2, but less than 1.25-1.3 mm2. You, by clamping it all with a 1.5mm2 matrix, naturally will not be able to achieve the result that is necessary. 
There is no need to adjust anything on new pliers. Factory settings are set optimal conditions crimping. However, during long-term use, the dies can become loose and backlash and slack appear.
Adjustment is carried out using an eccentric. Unscrew the stopper screw and twist the sprocket. Towards the plus side if you need to increase the convergence of the matrices and towards the minus side if, on the contrary, to weaken it.
The manufacturer KVT for its crimpers talks about a guaranteed crimping of tips of 30,000 cycles without loss of crimping quality. 
Also ctf pliers have:
- unlocking mechanism from any position
- handle lock button
By the way, the handles here are no longer elongated and it’s no longer possible to grasp them comfortably with both hands.
Why do you need to lock the handles? Imagine that you are standing on a stepladder and using one hand to press the tip sleeve into the junction box under the ceiling. You need to put it on the wire, insert it into the desired slot of the matrix and fix it before finally pressing it.
Doing this in one go will be problematic due to the awkward position and cramped working conditions. This is where the fixation mechanism is indispensable. They inserted the cartridge case, pressed it, intercepted it and pressed it properly. 
It is not recommended to crimp solid wires with CTB and CTF pliers. To do this, you need to apply more force and the ratchet mechanism must be designed for this. In this case, it is better to use other brands of tools from KVT. For example, crimper – PK-16u and PK-35u. 
In general, both sets of CTB and CTF can complement each other and be irreplaceable assistants when crimping insulated, non-insulated and other types of thin-walled sleeves and tips.
Of course, for a generalist it is quite enough to have one of these. However, remember that versatility does not always pay off. It is much more reliable to have a set of pliers, rather than a set of matrices for just one press pliers.
Sets of CTF and CTB press pliers can be purchased in online stores for around 5,000 rubles.
The pliers themselves with only one matrix will cost at least twice as much. You can choose the option you need.
NShVI is Insulated Pin Sleeve Ends - if with a plastic skirt and NShV - if without it. They are needed in the electrical business a little more than nothing because the topic is, for the most part, Kipovsky. But people like it.
Therefore, let's look at some methods of crimping tips, especially since there are many special crimpers for this task - a tool that is not capable of doing anything other than compressing bushings made of soft, thin metal.
Pressing... Then we’ll try to pull them off the end with our hands. 
The wire is cut and stripped with a small margin solely for clarity
Since this is not a comparative test, immediately, without undue intrigue, the 2ART9303 crimper from DKS wins at the start
Because he's sexy! And in an unexpectedly convenient pistol form factor. You just take it out, work calmly and comfortably, and everyone else suffers. 
This crimper presses square. 
Presses on the conscience. It doesn’t jam, it doesn’t warp the lips. To crimp the six, a noticeable force is required and as a result, one of the lugs could not be pulled off the wire by hand.
But similar in capabilities, capable of accepting from 0.25 to 6 squares, Chinese crimp HSC8-6-6
Presses with a hex. The tips come off without any problems. The small one can also be pulled off, but it didn’t work on camera after several attempts)
Another crimp with a larger caliber. It's already ten square
Presses square. Two and a half is too small for her, and six is compressed so tightly that her skirt came off in an attempt to pull the sleeve off the wire.
And finally universal tool for many tasks that you already have and that you can’t find better... Side cutters!
It is enough to simply bite the tip with them, securing it to the wire, and the terminal, for example, of a machine or any other that requires the application of a force of at least 2 Newton meters, will itself crimp everything as it should. 
It was not possible to pull the tip off the six. He lost his skirt, as in the case above, but the small one fell off, which, again, indicates that for small sections it is better to use a crimper, including in order not to spoil the same small terminals with a small, usually tightening torque , do not tear off the slots, do not lose the tips, and for thicker wires, side cutters will do.
Thank you for your attention.
Keep your tail on the pistol, the pistol on the DKS and master the side cutters!
For quality switching electrical wiring And cable routes It is important to use cable lugs with input distribution, grounding and other devices. They crimp the ends of the wires. This is not done with bare hands, but with the help of a special tool.
Crimpers, or pliers for crimping wire lugs, guarantee high-quality contact and reliable connection. They can be used for crimping tips various types- insulated and non-insulated, sleeve and sleeve. The device also allows you to crimp car terminals.
Features of crimping pliers
Press jaws vary in size and shape of the matrix, but have a common purpose. They use a tool to secure several conductors to each other or prepare a bundle of current-carrying wires for subsequent switching with terminals on electrical devices.
Often the need for crimping arises when connecting cables consisting of several cores. They should not be placed in terminals without proper preparation, since due to low vibrations during movement electric current some veins will become compacted. This will lead to the appearance of free space and, accordingly, weakening of the contact.
This is precisely what contributed to the fact that several decades ago, when there was no cable lugs, exclusively single-core wires were used for installation of power electrical wiring. With the advent of press jaws, everything has changed significantly.
Despite the recommendation for the use of single-core cables in power wiring, multi-core wires were used and crimped. Instead of pincers, then (and now) the operation was carried out using a powerful press, which created the required force. The operating principle of the press resembles a car jack, and most equipment models are equipped with a hydraulic drive. Today, bulky devices are used for high-quality crimping of thick power cables.
The crimping process is trivially simple: a special sleeve is put on the end of the stripped cable, which is placed in crimping pliers and then fixed. Remember the network cable that is inserted into the rear socket of the system unit: it is crimped using press pliers, and a transparent RJ45 tip acts as a sleeve. It's not the only one possible variant: There are double-sided grommets that accept the ends of different cables on both sides. As a result, we have a better and more reliable alternative to conventional twisting or soldering of wires.
Main types and varieties of ticks
Structurally, crimping pliers can be divided into two main types - diaphragm pliers and those that work on the principle of pliers.
The second option is considered more common: when you press the handles, the tool compresses the bushing with two working planes, but, unlike pliers, there are cutouts of the desired shape on the edges, which serve as guides. This device is suitable for crimping U-shaped lugs.
The main advantage of the tool is its versatility, since the tips can be crimped from any side. The versatility ends when it comes to liner sizes: specific press jaws are designed for a small dimensional range of sleeves.
If you crimp frequently or are currently working on a large wiring project, you are more likely to crimp wires with both large and small sizes of cable lugs. Thus, you need to keep several crimpers on hand for different bushings.
There is an excellent alternative: crimpers with a set of removable dies installed on a cassette. To change, the working part of the tool is inserted into the hole in the cassette, then pulled towards you, and the matrix is inside. All that remains is to insert the base into the hole with the matrix of the desired shape. Remember high-quality razors with removable blades - a similar principle works.
As for diaphragm press pliers, they allow crimping from four or six sides. Exact amount depends on the diaphragm mechanism. The full circumference of the sleeve improves the quality of the connection and ensures maximum crimp density. In addition, this device automatically adjusts to the thickness of the sleeve used, so there is no need to change dies.
But even such a tool has a drawback - you can crimp the end of one wire, since on the other side there is a closed “working head”. Using diaphragm pliers, you cannot crimp two wires instead of twisting them.
Application area
Now let’s look at the main areas of using press pliers for terminating wires. Depending on the specific situation, choose a tool of the desired shape and design.
For stranded wires and thin-walled ferrules
These crimpers are used for crimping small-section wires (starting from 0.5 mm) with pin sleeve cable lugs. IEK produces high-quality equipment. The electrical cable is crimped to maximum force so that the spring mechanism is activated.
The need for crimping a multi-core cable arises when it is connected to terminals on circuit breakers, distribution boards, boxes and other devices. The presence of high-quality bushings and tools eliminates fraying of the cable strands, since reliable crimping occurs, ensuring continuous electrical connection during switching.
Without cable lugs and subsequent crimping, all that remains is to either twist or solder the wires to the terminals of the distribution and panel devices. In this case, be prepared for frequent breakdowns of the veins, disruption of communication with subsequent short circuits and equipment overheating. By the way, this option is still acceptable, but for a cable with one core.
For stranded wires and thick-walled ferrules
For high-quality crimping of multi-core power cables with thick tips, press pliers of other sizes are used. Each individual instrument is characterized by a unique work area. For example, for the PK-16 press jaws from KVT there are five of them. Zones are marked with special marks on the crimper jaws. For example, the crimp range can be 1.5-16 mm. After crimping, a special mark remains on the back of the bushing.
Important! Many tools, including the PK-16, use exclusively multi-core cable for crimping. If you try to do this with a single-core wire, the core may break due to excessive force.
Crimping begins with preparatory stage. First you need to strip the ends of the cable, then insert it all the way into the sleeve, excluding any free space inside. That is why the sleeves need to be selected to match the diameter of the cable so that it fits freely inside, but does not dangle there like a failed plug in glass bottle. This is very important because this criterion The quality of the future crimp depends.
All protruding wires need to be bitten off. Afterwards, insulation is performed: for this, heat-shrinkable tubes with a hair dryer are used. To increase reliability, the upper part is wrapped with electrical tape. But this is completely optional: the tube will be enough.
Please note that instruments may be marked with or without the letter “U”. For example, in the case of PK-16-U, the ratcheting mechanism is located inside the handle. Also, the efforts applied during crimping using PK-16 and PK-16-U will be different. In the second case, less force is required.
For large cables
In the case of a large cross-section power wire, a large pliers should be used instead of a pliers. Hydraulic Press. This type of crimper appeared much earlier than crimpers, but, as in the case with them, what kind of high-voltage cable can be crimped depends on its dimensions. The tool is not used in the domestic sphere, since the crimped bushings, tips and sleeves have considerable dimensions. This option, for example, is suitable for laying and switching power wires in electrical panels in the entrances of houses, etc.
To compress the matrix, you need to apply a lot of force to the lever. If the valve is slightly open, the rod begins to slowly move away. A fully open valve allows the stem to be quickly removed all the way to the stop. During full compression of the matrices, blocking occurs. In this case, there is no possibility of excess pressure forming, which could damage the mechanism.
Since the dies are selected depending on the overall dimensions, the hydraulic press is produced together with a cassette of several dies. Top part magnetized, so it automatically returns to its original position. Only the lower element of the press changes. Regardless of the position of the equipment, parts will not fly out. The tool has a rubberized handle that increases electrical safety.
Crimping two wires using a double-sided bushing is necessary in cases when dismantling electrical shield followed by transfer to another location. There is a need to expand copper wires cross section 6-12 sq. mm.
For serial crimping of wires
This option is excellent because it prevents air from getting inside the sleeve. This is very important if you want to connect copper and aluminum wires in series, which can oxidize when exposed to oxygen.
For crimping computer cables
Crimpers for crimping twisted pair cables used as a computer LAN cable belong to a separate category. They work similarly to pliers with two jaws: instead of a metal sleeve, a specially shaped matrix is used, which allows you to install an RJ 45 plug on a computer or telephone wire. Instead of crimping, such a tool displaces the contacts, cutting through the insulation on individual wires and pressing them tightly against the wires.
How to use crimping pliers correctly
The process of crimping a cable using a sleeve or lug is intuitively simple. The wire is placed inside one of the listed elements, to which the pliers matrix is connected, the handles are compressed and high-quality contact is formed. In practice, everything is much more complicated than it seems. If this is your first time crimping wires, then the connections will probably be far from ideal. It is not uncommon for a seemingly well-made contact to deteriorate over time.
If the shape of the terminals is not maintained
The reason for this may be incorrect settings when squeezing the two jaws of the matrix. The applied forces and shape are selected depending on the wire being crimped and the lugs. That is why, as stated above, you should have two or more tools on hand so as not to have to constantly change the spring settings for different cables and sleeves.
The quality of the work performed depends on the material used to produce the liner and the thickness of the bushings and tips. Dense terminals are much easier to crimp: they are able to maintain their shape better than when using products made of soft material.
Also pay attention to the important requirement that the U-shaped tips must be placed correctly. A certain misalignment of the part may extend beyond the error zone.
Twisting stranded wires before crimping
Experienced electricians who have often soldered and twisted wires may have a habit of doing this even before the crimping process. This action is strictly prohibited when crimping stranded ferrules. It is very simple to check the validity of this condition: cross two stranded wires with each other, then squeeze them with pliers. You will notice how the wire is deformed and will be broken, so the electrical connection on the current-carrying core will decrease.
Without twisting, the wire will be parallel, and in case of deformation, the wires will fill the voids, without squeezing.
To summarize, I would like to remember a simple rule: for each job you need your own tool. This is a general concept, but in the case of press jaws everything is much more complicated. If there is no desire to constantly reconfigure the spring, which is very difficult to do, then a separate device is selected depending on the type of wire being crimped. Final choice Which tool to buy and how many varieties to use, depend on the amount of daily work associated with crimping.
However, please forgive me for the quality of the photos: the idea for the post came to me this evening, and I took some of the photos in the light of a table lamp, so their white balance and focusing are off. But since I don’t teach specifics and don’t repeat stupid ones, but general principles and deep ideas, then I can convey information to you with the help of these photos.
Please go to cat. The entire post is divided into several parts to make it easier to read. I also discovered the band Uriah Heep, to which the post at 02:32 in the morning somehow went well. Hm. Sometimes I wonder if I should add a note indicating which music or film was used to write which post. So, the post was written to the looped “Uriah Heep - Come Back to Me (Acoustically Driven 2001)”, performed acoustically.
The time when shields were assembled with “hard” wire is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Together with those who are still screaming with foam at the mouth that somewhere in the PUE it is written that boards should be mounted only with single-core (for example, electricians from housing offices and management companies periodically try to prove this to me). This is crap and nonsense, because some shields are simply impossible to assemble with a single core due to its rigidity and other problems.
Any installer who starts collecting panels in large quantities and loves his work, his hands, his tools, gradually reaches flexible (stranded) wire and after that never returns to monocore. And in my posts I teach you to love yourself and your work. Well, your instrument and the world around you. In the end, sooner or later you come to the understanding that you are not working for money, but to improve the world and help other people. In this case, money somehow appears by itself.
So. It is more convenient to work with a soft wire, because it is easier to bend, it can be laid beautifully in bundles, and shorter connections can be made on larger sections: it will be easy to lead the wire where it is needed, because its flexibility is much higher than that of a monocore.
But there is the most important problem. Not all things are designed for stranded (soft) core. For example, according to the rules, fixed wiring must be done with cables. And the cables are made monocore for a bunch of different reasons, and all sorts of sockets and switches are designed for monocore. For example, spring contacts of switches, WAGO terminals, spring zero bars and other things. There are also a number of things in which the wire is clamped with the end of a screw. These are Chinese terminals, and some connectors and clamps of all kinds of equipment.
If you hold stranded core into such contacts directly, the screw will cut the wires of the core, and little of the useful cross-section will remain. This is bad. Some of the Kulibins are trying to tin the vein the old fashioned way. This is even worse because the solder flows under pressure and melts at a low temperature. Did you know, for example, that during some short circuits, copper busbars and all their fasteners are designed to heat up to +300 degrees? What will happen to the soldered or tinned wire in such cases? The solder will melt, the contact pressure will weaken, the contact will weaken even more and begin to heat up even more. Until it burns off.
Here I probably need to say why I think that all soldering and twisting should be prohibited in power engineering. The fact is that some wire connections are low-tech. The quality of execution depends on the specific person who makes them. Well, for example, one will make a twist 3 cm long and solder, and the other will make a twist 5 cm long. Who is right? How to evaluate this? Testing in the laboratory. But what next? A person will get tired, think, miss a couple of turns of his twist... and the technology is broken.
Other connections (pressure testing, spring terminals), if you use them not thoughtlessly, but considering where which is better, they are technological: contact is made either due to the technology of the terminal itself, or due to a certain tool, which is standard for everyone and does the same thing in different hands.
So, in order to turn a soft wire into a “hard” one, special tips are made. In shield assemblies, we use tips of the NShVI and NShVI(2) types. This is a thin metal tube with an insulating skirt. Don't confuse them with cartridge cases! The task of the NSHVI tip is only to hold the wire wires together. And the task of the sleeve is to create hellish clamping force and electrical contact. Therefore, the sleeve is much thicker, and those Kulibins who use NShVI as an analogue of sleeves are very wrong with the word “completely”.
In no case should a monocore (rigid, solid) wire be crimped with NShVI lugs. This, by the way, is what happens when assembling the shield. Inside the shield we assemble everything with PuGV wire and NShVI lugs, and “outside” the external lines are connected with monocore.
But what if we need to tighten the wire under a bolt or screw? And for this they came up with TML tips. You can press a wire (solid or flexible, multi-wire) into this tip, like into a sleeve, and screw the tip itself where necessary. This solution is used to supply power to buses, to connect PE or powerful power lines and cables.
And since the NSHVI is a thin-walled tube, in principle, in some cases we can stuff several wires of a smaller cross-section, or one large and one small wire, into this tip. This is something that does not work with monocore when assembling shields. For example, we need to power a frail LED light bulb from an input of 16 squares. What to do? In the case of a monocore, we would have to make some kind of “loop” and seamlessly insert the monocore into this light bulb. The light bulb would have burst.
And in the case of NShVI, we will slip a thin 1.5 square wire under the 16 square NShVI and connect it to the light bulb. At the same time I give a remark. In this case, the LED light bulb does not need to be protected. There's not much to breathe there. And if it were a voltmeter or another device, then it would be good to plug a fuse into this 1.5 square piece of wire. In large shields I began to do this.
2. Tool. Hand size. Why haven't I been able to get hooked on Knipex?
Here they also asked me to tell you about my instrument. OK, I’ll tell you why I can’t get rid of the KVT and why I chose just such a tool that was not intended by the manufacturer for the tasks that I assigned to it.
What types of tools are there for crimping tips? There are special pliers with fixed dies (for KVT these are STK-type pliers). The matrices of these pliers sometimes go wrong if the wire has a low cross-section. Well, you also have to keep a bunch of pliers: for single, for double tips. And another pliers for large sections.
Pliers with a set of dies. This is what I didn’t like right away, because I often need to change the crimping section. Take the same example about the input of 16 squares and 1.5 for a light bulb. I press my NShVI by 16 squares, and then I need to compress my NShVI by 1.5 squares. What, rearrange the matrix? This is a labor-intensive process, you can’t do much. Therefore, I immediately brushed aside such ticks.
To assemble all my shields I now need the following tool:
- KVT WS-04A. This is my most basic and very favorite tool. I recommend it to those who are starting to get into panelboards or repairs. This tool, due to the undocumented feature of crimping NSHVI, covers most of the tasks of assembling panels.
The tool can bite and strip cables up to approximately 10..16 squares. It also has grooves into which NShVI tips fit up to 1x10 (with difficulty up to 1x16) or 2x6 (with difficulty up to 2x10) squares. I’ll tell you more about this feature when I get to the NSHVI itself.
Important! There is the same tool WS-04 B with dies for crimping NShVI. But I don’t like it: the matrices there are made without taking into account counterfeit wires and wires of undersized cross-sections and they press the NSHVI only up to 6 squares. And with matrix grooves from WS-04 A you can press more sections.
Using WS-04 A I press the tips into 6 squares. I also chose WS-04A because it’s not worth cluttering workplace a bunch of tools. It’s good when part of the tool is universal (of course, if this versatility does not interfere with the work and quality of the tool). - KVT PKVk-10. This tool is positioned as a universal crimp for NShVI with sections from 0.5 to 10 squares. But in reality this is not entirely true. To press the NSHVI even 6 squares, you need to have a strong hand and press with all your strength. And if you adjust the pressing force downward, it will not press small NShVIs well.
But this thing is cool and very compact when you need to crawl into difficult place shield and press something there. I use it for crimping very small sections - up to 2.5..4 squares. - KVT STK-03. These are tough pliers for crimping NShVI for 10, 16, 25 squares. With them I press the NSHVI into 10, 16 squares. And in the position for 16 squares you can press NShVI (2) into 10 squares. I will also tell you about this technique.
Since I assemble the shields in parts - first the thick input, then the small lines - it turns out that first I work with these pliers, and then I put them aside and do not clutter up the table. - KVT PK-16. These press pliers are suitable for crimping TML sleeves and tips up to 6..10 squares, although they are stated to be up to 16 squares. If your hands are sensitive and you love them, then you won’t force yourself trying to squeeze your hands as hard as you can. The press jaws are not very good, but they are cheap. Now there is a reinforced version of the PK-16u, which is more durable.
In general, if you need to crimp TMLs once every couple of months or press the cartridges once during repairs, then the PK-16u is your choice (take the reinforced version right away). - KVT PGRs-70. This is my new acquisition - a hydraulic press for TML and cartridges as a replacement for the PK-16. The press has replaceable dies from 4 to 70 squares, which is enough for my eyes for my new tasks (it’s easy to press TMLs for 50 square). It’s a great pleasure to press the TMLs of my common sections (6, 10, 16 squares) - your hands don’t get tired, no effort is required.
So why not Knipex or Wiedmuller? Damn, because HANDS. My hands are designed in such a way that the longer my fingers are extended, the less force I can create with them. I like my hands and I don't want to be some kind of super macho. I love my sensitive fingers, so I wanted a tool that had handles that diverged at a slight angle.
I took a lot of photos for the article. Look how the WS-04 lies in my hands. The main working fingers (index, middle, ring) fit perfectly on the handle of the instrument and I can control its pressing or squeeze it with force.
Tools like Knippex (I wanted to buy their crimp from Valentinich, but I felt it and got confused because of the handles) have handles that diverge like on STK pliers. You see, my fingers are barely enough anymore. What saves me in STK is that the handles first squeeze the jaws idle and when the jaws of the matrix reach the very tip, the squeezed handles allow me to grab the pliers more conveniently and apply force.
Also note that I'm holding them backwards. As far as I understand, the red handle should move, and the black one should lie in the corner between the large and index fingers. But at the same time, the matrix with grooves moves in my hands, and I have to hold the tip and wire - they move along with the matrix. And if I hold the pliers as in the photo, then the wire and tip do not move.
Well, PKVk-10 also has widely diverging handles. Don't think that my fingers are short and my palm is not like a child's. I just don't like forcing my fingers to do things they're not meant to do. Let the instrument suffer, not my hands.
In another position of the tool the same garbage:
Actually, that’s why pretentious brands didn’t work for me, although I tried them. But they did not pass the test for force and opening of the handles.
3. NShVI, NShVI (2) tips and methods of working with them.
Well, now let’s move on to the NShVI tips themselves. I have already written about why these tips are created. Two of their features should be mentioned:
- Skirt color. This color encodes the cross section of the tip. We usually adopt the KVT standard, where the tip of 1.5 squares corresponds to black; 2.5 squares - blue; 4 squares - gray; 6 squares - yellow; 10 squares - red. There is also either a branded or Chinese standard, in which six or ten can be brown, green or whatever the hell. Typically, such tips are of poor quality and the skirts themselves crack.
So don’t try to look for “10 square lugs for phase and zero.” The color should code the wire cross-section - that's all. - Package. Most often, the tips come in packs of 100 pieces, which are packed in packages of five, that is, 500 pieces each. Not everyone sells individual tips. For example, in Moscow this is Elektromontazh or the store where Igor Valentinich used to work - ElektroMaster.
- Double tips. There is no need to try to invent something to connect two wires in one place. There are tips for this NSHVI(2). These lugs are immediately designed to connect two wires of the specified cross-section. That is, NSHVI(2) for 6 squares will accept two wires of 6 squares each.
Here are different samples of tips and the same one crimping Tools, which I talked about above when I talked about hands and arms. The bold blue tip is 50 squares =). By the way, double NShVIs are not produced for large sections. The maximum double NSHVI seems to be 16 squares.
Let's take a look at my favorite stripper KVT WS-04A in action. I will try it on maximum sections - 10 sq. mm.
First, she bites the wire. Anyone who can fit into the teeth. I sometimes managed to bite NYM or VVG 3x1.5 or even 3x2.5 squares the second time. In the case of assembling shields, this means that it can cut off large cross-section wires. I bite off the six with nippers with carbide jaws, but I bite off the ten and 16 with a scraper.
Well, she also strips the wire. Standardly, it has a stripping length adjuster, which didn’t work for me and just gets in the way. Therefore, I unscrew it, and determine the stripping length by the right rivet. For a six, the wire should not reach the rivet a little, and for a ten, it should go a little over it:
Usually it is enough to squeeze a dozen tips so that the eye and hands remember the position of the wire - and then stripping proceeds on an intuitive level, without consuming the brain.
So we have stripped our wire. It is noteworthy that this cleaner cleans everything it comes across. It can even remove the insulation from a flat VVG or ShVVP in order to connect temporary structures at sites. One movement - they pulled off the top insulation, the second - they stripped two or three conductors at once. Just keep in mind that the thicker the wire or cable, the greater the load on the jaws, which are actually intended for one wire. Therefore, if you constantly clean VVG with such a cleaner, it will quickly die.
Well, what I really like is that the remainder of the insulation is held by the stripping sponge if you continue to squeeze the handles. I usually take it to a trash box (a box from OT63F3 switches is great). As a result, I don’t have anything lying around in my workspace and it’s clean.
And of course, I found a screw zero bar to screw the bare ten into. Do you see how she was crushed there? Do you see that some of the wires have simply moved to the sides and are not even pressed?
But what happens to the wire strands after such pressure and a screw:
We are not happy with this. By the way, this is also bad because if the wire is moved, then all these wires will break one by one, the pressing force will weaken, and as a result we will get poor contact.
Look at the matrices (grooves, teeth) of the stripper WS0-04A. It is precisely thanks to the lower teeth that the undocumented freebie and crimping of the NShVI is obtained. If you want to order a Chinese analogue of such a scraper, then order it with exactly these teeth!
Our NShVI tip can be placed in this tooth like this:
And then press it with a stripper. There is a pressed place on the tip:
The groove itself compresses the tip in this way - quite tightly. The tip crimped in this way is difficult to remove from the wire, I tried it.
Well, if we repeat such crimps, moving the tip, then in the end we will get a picture like the one in the photo below. In fact, if you immediately twist your tip into the shield, you don’t need to pervert it so beautifully. It is enough to make two or three crimping points, and then the tip will be flattened with a contact screw.
Now let's screw our tip into the shredder and tighten it properly. Here, perhaps, we should mention another ficus for those who don’t just look at photos in a row, but also read the text around them. In general, if you clamp a wire with an NShVI tip somewhere, then you can safely lower maximum section terminal one step. Let's say, if on some cross-module it is indicated that it accepts a monocore of 16 squares, then most likely the NSHVI for 16 squares will not fit there, but will only fit into 10 squares.
After using the tip, the following is obtained. The pressure of the screw is now distributed over all the cores, because the tip prevents them from moving apart. And due to the thickness of the tip wall, the screw does not damage individual wires. In this case, such a screwed wire can be bent as much as you want - the individual wires are “tied into a bundle” and will not break.
Let's play around with PKVk-10. As I said, I use it for small sections. It is a pleasure to press them with it. Sticked the tip in, squeezed - and got it!
This crimper has a different design: the jaws have four edges and converge on all sides. The result is not a trapezoidal, but a rectangular crimp profile. Sometimes this helps to win precious microns of tip width that does not want to fit into some particularly small automation terminal.
Sometimes the crimper malfunctions (from frequent use it gets a little loose) and it crushes part of the tip. It's not scary if you're not a perfectionist.
Well, here is a double tip NSHVI (2) for 6 squares. When I first bought them, I was terribly confused with their sections and tried to look for NShVI (2) for 12 squares. In fact, everything has been calculated for you and me. These lugs have a wider wire skirt and are specially designed for two wires. Sometimes I see shields where people use a 10 tip for 2x6 squares. This is bad. I did this myself, but as soon as I started collecting more than one shield every three months, I bought NSHVI(2). Don't waste your money, do it right!
Such NSHVI can also be safely lived with the same WS-04A. This is why I say that if you want to do your own electrical repairs and assemble a small panel, then start with WS-04A.
The result is a digestible contraption. It should be taken into account that NShVI(2) is 6 squares slightly longer than a regular NShVI and in order for it to fit correctly into the machine or RCD, it will need to be bitten off a little (by ~2 mm).
Well, I squeeze the big tips with pliers STK-03:
It turns out like this. The matrix is cool and presses the tip very well!
4. Clamping of wires of different sections into one NShVI tip
Now let's talk about the undocumented features of installing shields with soft wire using NShVI tips. The first task is to remove the small wire from the large cross-section wire. It is implemented due to the fact that not all wires have thick insulation, and the tip skirt is made with a reserve in diameter.
Therefore, we can simply slip a small-section wire next to the larger one. Here I have a wire for 6 squares and 1.5 squares.
I strip the small wire longer than the main one and move it forward so that it goes into the tip first:
In this way. I need the wire insulation to fit into the skirt of the lug.
After this, all I have to do is push the main wire all the way in and crimp the tip.
The same thing can be done with double tips. I’ll take ten and the same one and a half rubles as an example.
We start again with one and a half rubles. We bring it inward to the beginning of the metal tip, and then push in the main wires.
I press NShVI (2) tips for 10 squares on the matrix “16” of STK-03 pliers. To prevent the pliers from snapping, I hold the ratchet lever.
It turns out that this is the crimping, also durable and high quality.
I also developed this same technique to the point where you can simply take several small-section wires (for example, 4 pieces of 1.5 squares each) and push them all together into a suitable NShVI (it is better to use a double tip NShVI (2)). This is necessary if we divide the lines in the panel into terminals and we need, for example, to take a zero from one machine or RCD to several different terminals at once (where a jumper is not suitable).
Then we can make something like this. In NSHVI(2), three wires of 2.5 or four wires of 1.5 fit into 4 squares.
5. Production of long NShVI (for meters)
I’ll make a separate point about long tips. They are most often needed to connect meters, because a regular NShVI tip is enough for exactly half of the terminal. If you constantly work with meters (or those that require such long NShVI), then you can clearly order them. But for example, I connect one meter every six months.
So I just press the two tips one after the other. There are two ways to do this. One is to press two NShVIs against each other and bite off the skirt of the second one. But there it is difficult for the veins to get into the tip tube - after all, it does not have a skirt on the opposite side.
Therefore, I do the opposite - I bite off the skirt at the tip (my side cutters with carbide jaws are just visible here). To do this, it is enough to bite it sharply almost to the very edge. Then it cracks and is easily removed.
As a result, with careful execution, we get this design:
That's all with NSHVI. Let's move on to more evil things. And then I'll go get some sleep ;)
6. TML tips and tools for crimping them. Shells.
Well, now let's dive into the world of thicker copper. TML-type terminals accept both monocore and stranded cores, because they are actually made from GML sleeves, which are used for. One of the edges of the sleeve is simply flattened and a hole is stamped in it. Therefore, everything that I will describe below will be applicable to cartridge cases.
These lugs are useful when you need to screw PE onto the panel body, make a transition from a steel grounding strip to copper near the facade of the house, how to connect the old floor panel body to the riser zero... and much more. Here's what you need to know about TML tips:
- They differ not only in cross-section, but also in the diameter of the hole for the screw/bolt. For example, you can find TMLs for 10 squares for an 8 mm or 10 mm bolt.
- The shape of their plane, which is screwed on, does not fit in all places. For example, not all tips fit into machines with a molded case (TMax and others). My TMax XT1 barely fit TMLs of 25 square meters. Therefore, for such cases, you need to either buy special tips (at KVT they are called TML DIN, I think), which have a narrow contact pad specially designed for such machines, or order special elongated leads for the machine (this is useful if no one knows who will connect the cables after the machines and it will not have special tips).
Well, it’s clear that these tips have a thick wall and you can’t press them in with any WS-04 or pliers. And this is where press pliers are needed. If you need to press TMLs once or twice or press about 100 cartridges once during a repair for repairs in your apartment, then you can take the KVT PK-16 or PK-16u (reinforced version, I haven’t bought it and won’t - because it’s hydraulic bought a press).
ATTENTION! I periodically see attempts here to wriggle out. For some reason, some people try to press the tips of NShVI with such press pliers. This is not at all correct! Such pliers develop a lot of pressure and press pointwise, and because of this they can break the thin tubes of the NSHVI tip! Don't do that! Buy the same WS-04A!
Over time, the PC-16 develops the following glitch: if you often press sections into 10 or 16 squares (which, however, they are designed for), then their jaws break out like this:
My PC-16s served me faithfully for about four years, because I pressed or mostly TMLs into 6 squares (a 10-square PuGV fit into them with force). But as soon as I started pressing dozens of them, the jaws began to bend.
I will show you how to pressurize a TML with such pliers. We clean our ten to the length of the crimp:
Well, we continue to press. The effort that must be applied to the PK-16 is hellish. My hands don't like it. As I already said, choose the right tool, feel yourself, your strength and hands. It’s one thing if you press something once a month. And if every... at least a week, then take care of your hands! Love yourself!
This is how the lips warp:
For crimping TMLki, two points are enough. I did one in the front and one in the back. Do you see how the tip was cut off during crimping due to the skew of the jaws?
It looks the same from the back. This is not fatal and will work, so PK-16 (I say it again) have the right to life. By the way, if you selected everything correctly, the conventional matrix number will be printed on the tip. This means that the pressure for crimping was sufficient.
Well, what should you do when you need to press something into sections larger than 10 or 16 squares? For example, I needed to press TMLs for 25 and 50 squares:
I'm sorry, what? Buy a hydraulic press! When I was afraid to buy it, I thought it would cost about 20-40 thousand. But it turned out that it costs 6-8 rubles, depending on the model! This means it is available quickly if you start needing to press a lot. Let's say, you can even buy it for some object with an advance payment. And this is good!
I bought a PGRs-70 press. He presses everything he can (TML, GML), from 4 to 70 squares. The kit includes the entire set of matrices for these sections. Such a press is already a serious contraption that makes the work much easier.
The press develops pressure up to 5 tons. So he will crush his fingers in a moment. Also in press models with the letter “c” (PRG With) automatic pressure release is provided when pressure testing is completed. I note that this pressure release rarely works for me. I noticed that this has to do with the speed of pressure applied to the handle of the press. If you press sharply and strongly, the automatic pressure release works. But if it’s gentle and smooth, like me, then it doesn’t work.
These are the matrices that come with the press:
The matrices snap into the holes at the bottom and top of the press:
This press has a small bug. Sometimes the matrices can be slightly skewed. But unlike PK-16, here this will not affect the quality of crimping, because the matrices are wide and they should (as it seems to me, according to the designers’ intention) automatically align.
To pressurize something with it, you need to close the tap. The tap is a small twist on the press cylinder. It closes by hand very easily. If it is closed, then the press pumps up pressure and does not release it. And if you open the tap, the pressure is released, and the press cylinder smoothly moves down.
This is how I press the tips. First, I adjust the dies closer to the crimping site, so as not to do three things at once (hold the press, the tip and pump the lever):
After this, I move the jaws with light pressure to grab the tip with them:
Well, then I press all the way.
After that, I step back and repeat the crimping process just once for beauty.
Let's have some fun?
This is what it looks like (25 and 50 squares)::
I thought that it would be difficult to press on large sections. No matter how it is! As I pressed lightly on the handles, I pressed. The press doesn’t care what you have clamped there: 6 squares or 50. I liked it so much that now I press everything only with this press and on the PC-16 I didn’t give a damn. Well, then you just need to put heat-shrink on the tips and you’ll get something like this (machines without covers):
Actually, I bought this press to crimp these wires.
7. Working knife.
Well, as a bonus, I want to tell you about my favorite knife, which I once found in Leroy (now they are not sold there) and at Rozhdestvenka on Mitki. This knife fits perfectly in the hand, doesn’t slip anywhere, and I use it everywhere - to trim, trim, cut.
This knife has a magazine inside replaceable blades(you can charge 3-4 pieces). And these blades can be quickly changed automatically.
To change the blade, you need to move it all the way forward. Then the piece of iron that secures the blade will rise and release the blade. And then we move the handle all the way back, and it picks up a new blade from the magazine.
Well, there is also a screw to secure this blade.
I won’t part with this knife either, because it covers all my tasks. When the blade is twisted, it can cut plastic without any problems! I finished this post at 04:31. Go to sleep!
