Warning: That old coax cable trick almost took out a whole panel

I was working with a new guy in Atlanta last Tuesday who kept twisting coax ends by hand instead of using a proper crimper, and he said 'it's fine, I've done it this way for years' right before a connector popped off during a continuity check. Have any of you seen a bad crimp cause a total system failure mid-flight or am I just being paranoid?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo2381d ago

Done it this way for years" usually means they've been lucky, not good. Bad crimps can absolutely kill a panel if a connector vibrates loose or shorts something during power-up. Tell the new guy to spend the $20 on a good ratcheting crimper, it's cheap insurance for his whole setup.

cameronb521d ago

Is it just me or does this apply to everything in life, not just electrical work? I've seen guys brag about using the same dull drill bit for twenty years because they "know how to work it," but they're really just making way more work for themselves. Same with hand tools in general or even kitchen knives. Spending a little extra on the right gear once is way cheaper than fixing a mistake that costs you time and money later, not to mention the frustration. Your mileage may vary depending on how often you do this stuff, but in my experience, that $20 crimper pays for itself the first time it saves a bad connection. I've watched too many people burn through expensive components because they trusted a cheap tool or a decades-old habit.