on video The best way to tighten and connect the electric wire to the screw

 The best way to tighten and connect the electric wire to the screw

Tutorial for tightening the wire binding screws of the AL1200P24K Mechanical Lug to support up to four conductors each under proper torque.

NOTE: This video is a supplement to the instructions included with the equipment. Please read and understand these instructions before working on any electrical equipment.

Hey, I’m Donald Bell and in this Cool Tools video I’m going to show you a tool and a technique I recently learned about from engineer Jeremy S. Cook. I am shocked I never heard about it before and it’s already changed how I work. Hopefully it will have the same effect on you, and you can find a link to the tool down in the description.

This is a ferrule. It’s a kind of crimped connector for wires, but instead of putting a spade or a fork or a ring on the end, it creates this uniform, squared-off, slightly bumpy lead.

They come in all different sizes that are fitted to the specific gauge of stranded wire you’re using. This kit goes all the way down to the 22 gauge wire that I’ll typically use on electronics, all the way up to 7 gauge.

Ideally, you should be attaching them with a ferrule crimper like this one, that applies pressure from all four sides and imprints that bumpy texture. These crimpers will also indicate the range of wire gauges they’re designed for.

I purchased this kit on Amazon for under $30 that includes both the ferrules and the crimper.

The benefits of using a ferrule at the end of your wire may not make sense until you're faced with one of these -- a screw terminal.

Screw terminals are a useful way to connect and disconnect wires with nothing more than a screwdriver. That's why you'll find them everywhere.

Unfortunately, this kind of connection also invites trouble. When you shove some bare stranded wire into here, you’ll often get rogue strands that could bridge the connection and cause a short.

You can solve that problem by tinning the end with some solder, but then you’re left with a hard, irregular shape at the end of each wire. These are often harder for the terminal to grip onto, and depending on the shape you’re left with, it can rotate out or just vibrate loose over time.

Crimping a ferrule on the end of your stranded wire solves two main problems. First, it wrangles all the strands together. The insulated hood at the base of the ferrule also keeps any strays from making their way out. For a little extra insurance, you can run some heat shrink over the whole thing.

Second, it provides what should be the ideal input for the terminal. The squared off shape prevents it from rotating loose, and the texture gives it something to grip onto with just enough give to keep it under tension.

So that's the story with ferrules. Now the next time you see a block of screw terminals and think “there’s got to be a better way to do this”, instead of reaching for the soldering iron, reach for the ferrules and do it right.

Again, you can find a link to the kit in the description and you can find thousands of reader recommended tools like these at cool-tools.org.

 The best way to tighten and connect the electric wire to the screw

Tutorial for tightening the wire binding screws of the AL1200P24K Mechanical Lug to support up to four conductors each under proper torque.

NOTE: This video is a supplement to the instructions included with the equipment. Please read and understand these instructions before working on any electrical equipment.

Hey, I’m Donald Bell and in this Cool Tools video I’m going to show you a tool and a technique I recently learned about from engineer Jeremy S. Cook. I am shocked I never heard about it before and it’s already changed how I work. Hopefully it will have the same effect on you, and you can find a link to the tool down in the description.

This is a ferrule. It’s a kind of crimped connector for wires, but instead of putting a spade or a fork or a ring on the end, it creates this uniform, squared-off, slightly bumpy lead.

They come in all different sizes that are fitted to the specific gauge of stranded wire you’re using. This kit goes all the way down to the 22 gauge wire that I’ll typically use on electronics, all the way up to 7 gauge.

Ideally, you should be attaching them with a ferrule crimper like this one, that applies pressure from all four sides and imprints that bumpy texture. These crimpers will also indicate the range of wire gauges they’re designed for.

I purchased this kit on Amazon for under $30 that includes both the ferrules and the crimper.

The benefits of using a ferrule at the end of your wire may not make sense until you're faced with one of these -- a screw terminal.

Screw terminals are a useful way to connect and disconnect wires with nothing more than a screwdriver. That's why you'll find them everywhere.

Unfortunately, this kind of connection also invites trouble. When you shove some bare stranded wire into here, you’ll often get rogue strands that could bridge the connection and cause a short.

You can solve that problem by tinning the end with some solder, but then you’re left with a hard, irregular shape at the end of each wire. These are often harder for the terminal to grip onto, and depending on the shape you’re left with, it can rotate out or just vibrate loose over time.

Crimping a ferrule on the end of your stranded wire solves two main problems. First, it wrangles all the strands together. The insulated hood at the base of the ferrule also keeps any strays from making their way out. For a little extra insurance, you can run some heat shrink over the whole thing.

Second, it provides what should be the ideal input for the terminal. The squared off shape prevents it from rotating loose, and the texture gives it something to grip onto with just enough give to keep it under tension.

So that's the story with ferrules. Now the next time you see a block of screw terminals and think “there’s got to be a better way to do this”, instead of reaching for the soldering iron, reach for the ferrules and do it right.

Again, you can find a link to the kit in the description and you can find thousands of reader recommended tools like these at cool-tools.org.