Just realized I've been crimping those small gauge wires wrong for years

Had a service call last Tuesday for a flickering light in a kitchen remodel. Traced it back to a loose connection in a 16-gauge wire inside a junction box. I was using my standard crimp tool, but the connection just wouldn't hold tight. My apprentice pointed out I was using the wrong die size for wire that thin. Swapped to the smaller die, and it fixed it right up. How many of you actually check the die size for every single crimp, or do you just grab the tool like I did?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_harper1mo agoMost Upvoted

That's a good catch by your apprentice. I always check the die size now after a similar mistake on some 18-gauge thermostat wire. The right die makes all the difference.

wyatt_mitchell261mo ago

Yeah, that's the kind of mistake you only make once. I had a whole batch of connections fail on me years ago because the die was just a hair off for the wire gauge. Now it's a full stop, check the stamp, every single time. It feels slow, but it's way faster than a callback.

lilyp371mo ago

Honestly, I just grab the tool. If the crimp feels solid and tugs test passes, I'm moving on. Ain't got time to check every die stamp for a simple splice.