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Reviews For: West Mountain Radio PWRcrimp Powerpole crimp tool

Category: DC Power Supply Distribution

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Review Summary For : West Mountain Radio PWRcrimp Powerpole crimp tool
Reviews: 23MSRP: $49.95
Description:
High performance Powerpole crimp tool for a reasonable price. Crimps all three sizes of Powerpole contacts; 15, 30 and 45 amp. Ratcheted mechanism assures proper crimps every time. Contact positioner holds contacts correctly while crimping. Far faster and better than soldering.
The highest strength and the lowest resistance connections possible. Long high leverage handle makes even 45 amp 10 gauge crimps easy.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.westmountainradio.com/HAMintro.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00234.5
NW0Q Rating: 2011-12-28
Worked Great Until It Fell Apart Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Great tool, easy to master but it self-destructed after 18 months of light use. Rivets popped out. No help from West Mountain, it was out of warranty. Caveat emptor.
W8NYY Rating: 2011-06-17
Sure Beats the Manual Tool Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Do yourself a favor. To really appreciate this tool, buy the manual crimping tool and use that for a year or two. Then buy this tool. You'll appreciate it's usefulness much more and won't find petty fault in it. It deserves a 5.
K6LCS Rating: 2011-06-16
Perfect PowerPole Partner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Perfect crimps every time. The only way I can re-create a previous "review" problem of bad crimps is if I were to place a connector in the wrong slot for its size. OR - insert a connector 180 degrees twisted in the right slot on the tool - but not allowing full insertion. But once you get the hang of it, this tool will provide years and years of successful, solid crimps.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by K6LCS on 2004-10-13

Makes converting your power cords quick and, well, actually fun. After installing on several cords at home, I took my setup to my local radio club and conducted a "PowerPole Party" for others. Consider purchasing one of these for your group or council and share it!
K1MAH Rating: 2011-06-16
Needs a little tweaking Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
From the West Mountain website:
"Contact positioner holds contacts correctly while crimping."

Well, that's not quite true for the one I have. The positioner allowed the contact piece to go too far into the tool, resulting in a flare at one end of the wire crimp and the leads not fitting into the housing. Much frustration (and wasted leads) until I realized what was wrong.
KD4AC Rating: 2006-09-24
Update Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
While I may have been a bit harsh in my review of the PWRcrimp, I can't say it's the best tool like the others say. Since the blade from one of the poles is permanently lodged inside the plastic recess, I simply removed and started having better results putting the connectors on. However, at least with mine, forget about making any connectors with 45 amp poles because the connector gets stuck in the crimper and you pretty much have to stand on the crimper and pull on the wire with both hands to get the damn thing free from the crimper....and yes, that's with the crimper open. With all the trouble I'm having, it's easier to just use a pair of pliers to fold the tabs of the connector over the wire and just solder them, which will make a better connection anyway.
K3BOY Rating: 2006-09-24
Makes perfect crimps. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I second the previous reviewer's (K6IOU) comments. I found that it helps to slightly squeeze the 45 amp contacts befor putting the contact & wire in the crimper will prevent any possibility of a jam. Also a tiny bit of oil on the jaws help. I've done dozens of crimps and have had 100% success.
K6IOU Rating: 2006-09-24
Work Flawlessly Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This crimping tool works flawlessly 'if' you understand the basic mechanics of what 'is' happening and what is supposed to happen.

After doing many powerpole connectors without them and being 'mostly' successful, now each and every one comes out perfectly and quickly.

A 'must have' if you install powerpoles.

DON
K6IOU
K2WO Rating: 2006-09-24
The Best! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
After using the original crimping pliers that were distributed by West Mountain (worked ok, but not great), I thought that I would give the PWRCrimp a shot. They are THE BEST! They work perfectly and flawlessly. If you are going to use Powerpoles, get one of these tools. They are definitely the way to go.
N9QNZ Rating: 2006-07-10
Ok, but could be better Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is a good tool, especially for the money. But, the design of the plastic "registration" block could have been much better. Basically, I found it is too easy for the contacts to slide too far into the registration block. Also, the contacts can rotate in the block. If the block tooling were modified, both of these conditions could be remedied.

I deal with this problem by very lightly crimping down on the empty contact first (when it is in the proper position) and then inserting the wire for a crimp.

Also, it would be nice if the tool released when the proper crimp pressure has been applied. But, again, this is a $50 tool.

Good for the money. Looking forward to version 2 of the plastic registration block.
AF0D Rating: 2006-06-17
sucks for 45A contacts, but great otherwise Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having used it a few times, I have been having trouble getting the 45A contacts to crimp properly. Sometimes they work, most of the time they get stuck in the crimper, destroying the contact.

For the smaller, closed contacts, it works just fine.

So, for the money -- if you never have 10 guage wire to crimp, it's a good buy.