A cable lug is a wire connector that is sometimes known as a 'crimp lug' or 'terminal connector', and it enables cable to safely terminate to objects such as panels, busbars, transformers and batteries.
Cable lugs are crimped to bare wires to create a permanent mechanical and electrical bond but also to prevent overheating and loose connections, and they are commonly made from materials such as copper, nickel, aluminium and stainless steel, to match the application and wire material they are being used on.
Cable lugs have high levels of conductivity and are widely used across multiple sectors, including renewable energy, aerospace, automotive, defence, rail and marine.
Do Klauke L Series lugs come with a guarantee/warranty?
No warranty/guarantee is available for Klauke L-Series lugs due to different factors, such as the environment they are in, the cable type, etc. because any of these factors can influence the lifetime of a lug. However, you can refer to the IEC 61238-1 test which shows that the L Series Lug is a non-ageing connection.
Why do you have the inspection hole on the lugs? Doesn’t that let water in?
The inspection hole is there so the operator can ensure the cable is fully inserted prior to crimping. Cable lugs are generally designed for use in dry environments. If they are installed outside then suitable precautions should be taken, such as housing them in an enclosure or installing them with a heat shrink termination kit to prevent any water ingress to the cable.
Can I get use a copper cable lug on an aluminium cable?
No. Aluminium and copper connections will react chemically, then corrode and cause a high resistance joint. If you are using aluminium cables and need to terminate on a copper bus-bar, then use a bi-metal cable lug, where the interface between copper and aluminium is controlled in a special process called friction welding.
How many crimps do I need to put on a cable lug?
The number of crimps required varies according to the cable size and the crimping tool the operator has. As a general rule of thumb, if you can fit another crimp on, then do it. The worst case is where you haven’t made enough crimps, so the contact area is not sufficient enough to make a good connection. Crimps should be side by side but not overlapped and start crimping at the palm end, working back towards the cable entry. On DIN standard cable lugs there are marks on the barrel, which indicate how many crimps and where to place them.
Why are some cable lugs tin plated?
Tin plating is used heavily on copper cable lugs because copper is prone to oxidation. The tin plating provides a protective barrier against oxidation and environmental corrosion, especially in moist, salty or other chemically reactive atmospheres.
If copper cable lugs aren't tin plated then they could develop a non-conductive oxide layer, which can increase resistance and cause overheating.
What is the difference between compression lugs and tubular lugs?
Compression cable lugs adhere to DIN 46235 and can be used for crimping fine and super-fine stranded copper conductors (class 1, 2, 5 and 6) according to VDE 0295.
Tubular cable lugs are generally shorter than compression cable lugs, which means they use less copper and are generally not as expensive. However, this does mean that different models are needed for the various conductor classes.
What is a DIN standard?
DIN is short for Deutsches Institut für Normung, which is the German Institute for Standardisation and creates widely used standards for lugs, wire connectors and fasteners, as well as many other standards for other products.
Standardising products enhances safety by increasing quality assurance and encourages the free moving and exportation of goods. Some cable lugs have DIN standardisation so that it is known what other products they can work with from other manufacturers, ensures the lugs have a consistent quality, and can work on specific applications where a certain DIN standard is required to be met.
There are also EN standards, which are developed by a different standardisation body, CENELEC. They produce standards for the same reasons as mentioned above, however their standards have national pre-fixes to enable trade within the European single market, such as BS EN (UK) or DIN EN (Germany).
What is stranded cable?
Stranded cable is electrical cable that is made from many smaller wires that are twisted or bundled together. The wires are usually made from copper or aluminium (both materials are excellent conductors) and by twisting them together they are able to perform as one wire.
Stranded cable is commonly used because it is more flexible than solid cable and can handle vibration better due to its twisted structure. Cable lugs are used to terminate stranded cable because they provide mechanical stability when crimped, and improve safety because they prevent stranded cable from flaring or bending away from the contact area, which could cause overheating.
Are cable lugs reusable?
No, cable lugs are not reusable. Cable lugs are crimped to cable, which deforms the cable lug so that a permanent connection is made with the cable, and if the operator manages to part the cable from the lug, the lug will be damaged.
The best way to create a new connection with the cable is to cut the lug off, strip the cable end with a wire stripper and crimp a new cable lug back on to the bare wire.
Cable lugs are essential components in electrical and mechanical connections. They provide a secure and reliable way to attach cables to terminals, bus bars and other equipment.
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