IMO, any OEM that recommends a ferrule does not use fine-strand rated compression lugs in their equipment.
Rated lugs do exist, they just don’t seem to be spec’ed by OEMs. I don’t like ferrules on battery cable and always use fine-stranded compression PDBs when building custom battery combiners. *Kirk Herander / **kirkh@vermont.solar <kirkh@vermont.solar>* *Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC* *Celebrating our 34st Anniversary 1991-2025!!* dba Vermont Solar Engineering 802.559.1225 On Wed, Sep 3, 2025 at 5:38 PM jay via RE-wrenches < re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote: > From my memory none of the compression lug style are rated for fine stand, > at least without a ferrule. > > Because strands can get into the threads and bind, making it seam like its > tight but its not. > > But I could be wrong > > > On Sep 3, 2025, at 2:39 PM, Ray Walters via RE-wrenches < > re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote: > > I've got to ask: Are none of the lugs on these Chinese inverters approved > for fine strand cable? I just have not had a problem with that, but I've > mostly used Magnum, Midnite, and Outback equipment over the years. What > were the lugs on the old Trace DC 250 boxes? Were they fine strand rated? > They sure were tough to get 4/0 into, as William mentioned. > > Ray > Remote Solar > On 9/3/2025 12:57 PM, Kent via RE-wrenches wrote: > > William, > > If the only reason the ferrule wouldn't fit after using the hex crimper > was the ridge left where the dies meet, you could rotate the cable 120 > degrees and crimp the ferrule again. > > I doubt that the indenter crimper will do a decent job with large ferrules. > > I do like your thin piece of copper solution. Not UL approved but I dare > say wrench approved. > Kent Osterberg > Blue Mountain Solar > > > On 9/2/2025 8:55 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches wrote: > > Friends: > > > Thank you for all of your input on this question. I feel it only right I > report back how this turned out > > > I tried a crimper like this: > > > > > > It left a jagged ridge on both sides of the ferrule where the dies met. > > > The crimper below was suggested but I have not tried it: > > This was suggested but I have not tried it either: > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
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