Crimp terminals for stranded wire

I periodically need to use stranded cables, and some time ago I even reviewed a crimping tool. But you also need consumables for all that—in other words, the terminals themselves, preferably in different colors as well as different sizes. So I decided to buy this set.


I actually bought this set at the end of last year. It cost $14 at the time, and I also had one last $5/10 coupon, which brought the price down to $8.99. Not bad, if you ask me.
To be fair, I bought it and then somehow forgot I had it. But now I’ve decided to write about it after all.

A quick explanation of why stranded wire needs to be crimped in the first place.
Stranded wire is convenient, but it has one drawback. If you clamp it in a terminal block, the clamping force can weaken over time and the wire can pull out. This usually happens because the wire deforms, individual strands break, and so on. Of course, you can tin the wire before installation to make it more like solid-core wire, but solder can creep a little over time. The result is poor contact again, which heats up and softens the solder even more.
Crimp terminals make the connection more reliable. They’re stronger, don’t require a soldering iron to prepare, and usually have color-coded insulation, which is very handy during installation.


The set arrived wrapped in protective film and inside an extra bag, so there’s some protection against having to fish tiny terminals out of the shipping bag.


The box looks quite neat. The box was one reason I chose this particular set, since storing all these bits in little bags isn’t very convenient. This way, you get two in one.


There are two latches at the front, and the lid is attached with hinges rather than being molded as one piece, as is sometimes the case. A plus for the manufacturer.


The set is sorted into 16 compartments of different sizes, depending on the size and quantity of the terminals. A few still ended up in the wrong compartments during shipping, but that was quickly fixed.


The set contains 16 types of terminals, 2,120 pieces in total.
E0508 -22AWG - 0.5mm2 -(Orange) X 200pcs
E0508 -22AWG - 0.5mm2 -(White) X 200pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(Blue) X 100pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(Green) X 100pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(Yellow) X 100pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(Red) X 100pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(White) X 100pcs
E7508 -20AWG - 0.75mm2 -(Black) X 100pcs
E1008 -18AWG - 1.0mm2 -(Yellow) X 200pcs
E1008 -18AWG - 1.0mm2 -(Red) X 200pcs
E1510 -16AWG - 1.5mm2 -(Red) X 200pcs
E1510 -16AWG - 1.5mm2 -(Black) X 200pcs
E2508 -14AWG - 2.5mm2 -(Red) X 150pcs
E2508 -14AWG - 2.5mm2 -(Blue) X 150pcs
E16-12 -5AWG - 16mm2 -(Green) X 10pcs
E16-12 -5AWG - 16mm2 - (Red) X 10pcs



Ignoring the color options, that leaves six sizes:
E0508 22AWG 0.5mm2 X 400pcs
E7508 20AWG 0.75mm2 X 600pcs
E1008 18AWG 1.0mm2 X 400pcs
E1510 16AWG 1.5mm2 X 400pcs
E2508 14AWG 2.5mm2 X 300pcs
E16-12 5AWG 16mm2 X 20pcs

The largest quantity is for terminals for 0.75 mm² cable.
I most often use 0.5, 0.75, 1.5, and 2.5 mm² wire, which is why I chose this set. It also includes terminals for 1.0 mm² wire, but you can use those with the “economy” version of 1.5 mm² wire.
The 16 mm² size included in the set is probably the exception. It seems completely illogical here, since 4 and 6 mm² sizes are much more common for household use. What are you supposed to do with 16...


What review would be complete without measurements? Almost none—and I made no exception this time either.


For a quick test, I took wires of different gauges and the crimper from this review.


Since the gauge marked on a wire or cable doesn’t always match reality, I simply picked wires with gauges as close as possible to the ones required.
I crimped two terminals of each size, with one difference: I stripped more insulation from the wire for one terminal and less for the other, just as an experiment.


All the terminals crimped perfectly. I didn’t twist the wire strands together before fitting the terminal. The only wire whose strands needed a little twisting first was the 2.5 mm² one; the others went in as they were.


I couldn’t pull a terminal off the cable. I only managed to accidentally pull the insulation sleeve off the 2.5 mm terminal. I also found one loose sleeve in the box.


I like this set. It offers a good selection of the most commonly used sizes, a fairly sensible quantity, and a handy box.
I can’t confirm whether the terminals are actually copper. If you cut one off a wire, the cut surface looks the same color as the wire strands, and the terminals aren’t magnetic.

My only complaint about the set is the discrepancy between the claimed and actual number of terminals. As I mentioned above, my measurements suggest there are about 9–10% fewer than stated—instead of 2,120 pieces, there are actually around 1,900–1,950.
One minor quibble: I’m not sure why they included 20 terminals for 16 mm² wire. They’d have been better off including a couple dozen each for 4 and 6 mm wire.

That’s all. I hope you found the review useful.