Views: 32 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2019-11-15 Origin: Site
This article will focus on the different types of terminals and how to select the required terminals.
When choosing a terminal connector, you need to know that each wire gauge has the correct sizes and matches the correct crimping die. The choice of the insulation terminals depends on the insulation color. Any wire larger than 10 requires a non-insulated terminal. These terminals are usually fitted with a slidable silicone insulation sleeve, but this is not always the case.
Spade Type – Also referred to as disconnects, spade terminals are the most common electrical terminal you will find on a car. There are three types- male, female, and fork. Spades are most often used to connect wires to relays and components. They come in different widths, but most use the common standard size.
Male – This is the blade side. Male blade terminals are used to connect to female spades, T-taps, and can sometimes be used to replace a specialty plug in a pinch.
Female – This is the socket side. This is the most common connector you will use to connect wires to components.
Fork – Forked spades are used to connect wires to components that use a clamping hold down. They can be replaced in many cases with ring terminals, but for installation ease, the fork allows the wires to be installed or removed quickly.
Ring – The ring terminal is used almost exclusively for ground connections, but larger ring terminals are used for battery connections. In some cases, you can swap a ring terminal for a forked spade.
Barrel – These terminals are intended for wire to wire connections. When a wire gets pinched or broken, you usually can’t just run an entirely new wire, you have to splice it. These are your go-to terminals for that.
Butt – This is the main wire to wire splice connector that you should use. Butt splices have a crimp terminal on either end. One wire goes into one side; another wire goes into the other side. This keeps the wires running in a continuous line, making it easier to secure and bundle with other wires.
Cap – Also referred to as “crimp caps”, these are a common connector used in stereo installations. They are functional and work well, but they only have one hole for the wires, so if you use this to make a splice, then the wires will make a 90-degree turn in and out of the connector, which doesn’t work well for wrapping up the wires in a loom. They do serve a purpose and make good connections. When using crimp caps, twist the wires together before inserting them into the cap and crimping.
Bullet Connectors – These are quick-connects similar to spade terminals, but with a round barrel design. These are less common, but found in older cars as factory connectors. You can use these in place of spade terminals, but be aware that they are not as easy to find and harder to connect and disconnect that spades. It is very easy to accidentally pull the wire out of the terminal when trying to separate a barrel connector. These come in male and female halves.