Looking to purchase a crimper for overhead service connections

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wirenut3

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Northern New Jersey
I'm looking to buy a small hand crimper(hydraulic?) for doing overhead service connections. What is your favorite brand and tool? Also, which dies do you most commonly use and with which kind of barrel/ butt splice do you use with the recommended die?
 
Hand crimpers the large ones that sometimes need the strength of a gorilla to operate are going to cost at least $300.00. Hydraulic or battery powered ones are going to be maybe $7-800 if you are lucky otherwise $1000+.

you need to ask yourself how many times a week you are going to need them and purchase according to your needs.
 
wirenut3 said:
My primary use will be residental. What do you use for your business for that type of termination?
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All I have is the hand crimper that takes the strength of a gorilla to operate on certain connector/conductor combinations, but I figure I don't use it enough to justify buying a hydraulic or electric one.

I always tell POCO guys that they can just forget to pick theirs up before they leave the site, as well as a few other tools they have. I wouldn't mind if they accidently left a boom truck behind but that is not likely to happen:cool:
 
kwired said:
All I have is the hand crimper that takes the strength of a gorilla to operate on certain connector/conductor combinations, but I figure I don't use it enough to justify buying a hydraulic or electric one.

I always tell POCO guys that they can just forget to pick theirs up before they leave the site, as well as a few other tools they have. I wouldn't mind if they accidently left a boom truck behind but that is not likely to happen:cool:
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POCO is so inconsiderate. Always picking up their tools.

We use the gorrila strength version and lately a smaller single hand ratchet type for 8 to 1 cu. We can borrow an electric unit for the larger wires from one of the wholesale houses if we buy the lugs or splices from them.

The Burndy tool has two built in die that handles most of the connections with a 3rd needed for crimping 6 bare. We generally use an H tap vs butt connection because of the wider range.

One of my past helpers used the wrong die for a crimp he attempted and broke the handle out of the Burndy. I made sure to call him "Sir" after that.
 
If your intent is to use on live wires and you're getting it on ebay, just make sure you don't get one of the older models with metal handles. The company I used to work for had a T&B color coded crimper for butt splices and a second one for H-taps and both had metal handles - hugely scary to use on services. What's worse, the owner didn't maintain the rubber handles and I hit some aluminum siding once. Judging by the burn marks on them, so did a few other guys over the years...

I found a nice Greenlee wood handled ratcheting crimper that has interchangeable dies. Heavy, but works well.

Edit to add: Ratcheting crimps also require less spread than the non-ratcheting kind which can be important when you're in an awkward position on an extension ladder.
 
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Cordless crimpers are nice - but expensive. There's the whole issue of dies, which crimpers are acceptable these days, etc. On the plus side, there's one Greenlee model that also has a head for cutting ACSR.

My problem with crimpers - especially the ones that look like bolt cutters - is that sometimes you just don't have room to position the tool properly.

For economy, the bolt-cutter style can't be beat. Most have revolving dies for different size connectors. Pay real close attention to model numbers; the one on the wall at the parts house probably does not have the best selection of die sizes.

Otherwise ... ask your PoCo lineman to show you his. Around here they use a Burndy model that's not much larger than a pair of vise-grips.

Be realistic in evaluating your needs. For example, 99% of service changes are either #2 or #2-0 (00) wire. Only if you're doing industrial panel work will you regularly run into anything larger.

When I need a crimper, I borrow one from the parts house. Well - technically - I buy it, use it, and return it. No, I'm not being clever .... the parts house has two sets reserved for this very purpose. They just want some paperwork to ensure they get it back. Ask your supplier if he will do the same.
 
renosteinke said:
When I need a crimper, I borrow one from the parts house. Well - technically - I buy it, use it, and return it. No, I'm not being clever .... the parts house has two sets reserved for this very purpose. They just want some paperwork to ensure they get it back. Ask your supplier if he will do the same.
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If you mess up and short the crimper to another conductor when connecting a live service you will likely end up keeping the crimper.

Do they do the same thing with benders that will bend large raceways?
 
Ha! I wish!

It's be real nice if I could rent a 555 or a tugger. You don't want to know what I've done when the $10,000 equipment wasn't available!
 
POCO crimps ours also. On 200 Amp they have a powder shot type wedge clamp. On anything bigger it is a POCO polaris/Ilsco/Panduit insulated splice block with hex head terminals.

Only one of our supply houses out of 6 has the "loan-a-crimper." Buy the splice or terminal lug and you can "borrow" the crimper for 24 hours.

I would love to find a decent battery operated one for the shop.
 
wirenut3 said:
Probably not! I've seen a guy use his truck tire as a bender and then as a tugger!
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ptonsparky said:
and this is a problem how? The fewer +$10,000 single use pieces of equipment I have the better.
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I have used trucks, tractors, cranes, and maybe a few other machines as tuggers also. They work great.

Never used one for a bender that I recall other then using exhaust for PVC bending. That works just as well if not better than devices made for PVC bending especially if you want a long radius bend.
 
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