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Common readers will know that I like the Wago lever nuts for making stable, dependable connections in home mains voltage wiring. However one other connector I discover myself utilizing loads is the jelly crimp. In truth, I used some immediately to repair some damaged wires in a doorbell.
Jelly crimps are the mainstay of telecom installations and restore (no less than right here within the U.Ok.). I used to be launched to them a few years in the past by an engineer who gave me a handful of them, and ever since I have been hooked.
Additionally: The way to strip wires like a professional (and my must-have instruments)
These connectors come underneath a number of completely different names, however jelly crimps is what they’re greatest often called.
A pack of splice connectors that present a waterproof adhesive atop cables.
The “jelly” bit within the title comes from the truth that the ends are full of a dielectric silicone sealant that each provides further insulation and likewise makes the connection weatherproof.
They arrive in two-way (referred to as UY) or three-way configurations (referred to as UR), relying on whether or not you wish to join two or three wires collectively, and so they have been particularly designed for becoming a member of solid-core copper or aluminum phone and communications wires.
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Together with the UY and UR configuration variations, there are additionally completely different sizes relying on the outer diameter of the wire you are going to be connecting utilizing the jelly crimp. Common UR and UY are for thinner 22-26 awg wires with an insulation outer diameter of 1.52mm, whereas the UY2 and UR2 sizes accommodate the thicker 19-26 awg wires with a most insulation outer diameter of two.08mm.
A UY2 jelly crimp that is oozing a little bit of the silicone gel onto my arms
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You may discover a number of completely different manufacturers on the market, and they are often hit or miss, and I’ve seen low-cost ones collapse or not include any gel. I’ve a supply within the telecom enterprise that retains me provided, however if you happen to’re having to purchase them on-line, I like to recommend going for the 3M Scotchlok model.
I discover the two-way ones to be essentially the most helpful, with a 100 pack of UY and a 100-pack of UY2 being sufficient to cater to my wants.
The crimp is stuffed with a non-conductive jelly that waterproofs the joint
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They’re useless simple to make use of.
You chop the cable, poke the ends in all the best way (no have to strip the insulation), and squeeze the button to snap them down and chew by way of the cable.
That simple!
Their major use is on phone wiring, however I’ve additionally used them on alarm techniques, doorbells, audio system, and different low-voltage purposes. These connectors can deal with as much as 50V, so do not use them on mains voltage in case somebody — presumably you — dies.
Jelly crimps are nice for low voltage purposes, right here carrying 12V to a fan
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The connections are extremely dependable, and so long as they don’t seem to be submerged in water, they’ll final for many years (and even submerged ones have an extended life, in my expertise).
Squeezing a jelly crimp with a Knipex waterpump pliers
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There’s a particular instrument for doing the squeezing that you may choose up for $15. When you crimp loads then this may make sense, however I discover I can use my finger and thumb, or a pair of Knipex mini waterpump pliers to do the job.
A totally crimped jelly crimp
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Did I point out that they’re extremely satisfying to “pop”?
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET