newbie connector question

I'm trying to install a 700 watt inverter in my Jeep.

I am using 4awg cable and I just came across something that has me stumped.

I'm using connectors that are gold plated and barrel shaped. When I stick the wire in one end, it bumps up against a little nub in the middle. That's all good.

How do I crimp this monster to enable the wiring to stay inside?!?!?!? Am I supposed to crimp it? How much wire should be bare to insert it into the connector?
Oh yeah, there's a black rubber sleeve that fits over the connector too... I'm sure thats there for protection/insulation.

This is the first time I've used this heavy of wiring and I'm stumped.
Please enlighen me! Thanks!

Almost everyone here believes you should soder you connection instead of crimping it, but when ever I have to crimp on a 4gauge wire I just use diagonal pliers and crimp it at like 2 or 3 spots to make sure the wire stays in there.  I used cable cutters once and it seamed easier as long as you don't cut trough it.  You have to slide on the rubber insullation on before you crimp it so you can slide it ontop the connection when crimped.  I put electrical tape over the insulation so that the little sleeve doesn't slide off later on.

I forgot what was the best method.  Was it to soder the wire and then put it into a high quality crip-on connection or was it to carefully tangle the wires together, soder them and put some heat shrink insullation on it.

-------------
Poly Dollies

These connectors are hard to crimp! I've tried everything I can think of the get them to crimp and they're not going!

I was thinking of bolt cutters not cable cutters. sorry. 

It is really easy to crimp them with bolt cutters.  I have a 16" pair form home depot that cost me about $20 which have come really handy.

-------------
Poly Dollies

ok, let me see if I can find a set of bolt cutters....

Quick easy affective and fun.....Get a hammer....Put the wire in the crimp...Lay it on something hard like concrete...Take the hammer and smash the hell out of it....Has always worked for me when I need to crimp 1/0 and 4Ga....After you get it mashed down good just give it a little tug to make sure its secured good......

Or if you have a battery terminal crimper (The one you place the wire and crimp inside and hit with hammer) works really good....

-------------
Making the World A Louder Place

def bolt cutters they work great

-------------
89 honda crx 1 15" Power HX2 jblbp1200.1 rockford coaxials 4 channel comin soon

And I thought that I was the only person that used a hammer to smash the hell out of a crimp on large wires! It does work very good.

-------------
'85 Toy

the hammer works really good if you have one lying around.  i have tried pliers but they didnt work at all.  Also a rubber mallot works pretty good just make sure the wire is in there tight enough, after that  just throw on the rubber sleeve and some electrical tape for back up.

-------------
LEO

i take a #3 tipped phillips head screwdriver. stick the wire in the terminal..hit it lightly with a 5lb sledge. then take the screw driver on top of the terminal, and drive it in. I normally do it in 2 spots.. it works very well.and looks and holds better than beating the sh*t out of it with a hammer.

-------------
2 Memphis HPO 12s
1 Memphis 1000D
2 Memphis 8s
1 Memphis MC200
4 Memphis 3way 6 1/2s
1 Memphis MC3004
4 Memphis Tweeters
1 Memphis 3-way electronic crossover
2 Memphis 5 1/4
2 Memphis 4s

How about you take it to a local car audio shop and have them crimp it with a heavy duty wire gauge crimper to ensure the connection won't come apart... Then if you'd like you can probably use a torch of some sort to heat 4 gauge enough to solder it But I don't believe its necessary... They might charge you a labor fee but it shouldn't be more than like $5, just my .02

-------------

You could also use a tool thats made to crimp 4 gauge wire. Check West Marine or Boats US. The wire sets on the lower half of the crimper and you hit the upper half with a hammer. Costs about $32 USD. Made by Ancor.

Doesnt anyone use a bench vice to do this. Thats always how I crimp on the power cable ends. Then you just solder and your gold.

-------------
double-secret reverse-osmosis speaker-cone-induced high-level interference distortion, Its a killer

I actually use a specialized crimper for this.  I routinely use 6 g, 4 g, wiring for emergency vehicle applications.  We use only copper terminals for ease of crimp and soldering.  If we make the cables on the bench, we solder the connectors on them using just a regular propane bottle torch.  The connector is held in the vise, I put in a "slug" made of coiled solder in the connector, I heat the copper until the solder melts, hold the heat on it for an additional 3-5 seconds, remove the heat and insert the cable and hold in place.  Just make certain the flame stays away from the solder as you do not want to burn the flux.  If you do it correctly, you will make a very good connector.  Holding the cable in while heating the connector just makes for a messy installation as it will start to melt the insulation off of the cable.

Personally, crimping with hammers, vises, doesn't make for a good connection and looks tacky.  Try to achieve a method that pinches the middle, very much like a non-insulated butt connector crimp would do.

Sean

-------------
Emergency Vehicle Technician
Got Freedom? Thank a vet!