$19 VS $499 Crimper! Professional VS DIY! Hammer VS Crimper! Who will win?!
June 29, 2026 · 21 min · 153K views
Man holds crimping tools and drill, comparing them on a workbench.
What this video covers
Will Prowse tests six crimping methods and multiple pre-made cable brands at 300 amps, measuring voltage drop in millivolts to rank connection quality for 4/0 AWG battery cables.0:37
A budget electric crimper (~$200, the SLSD70) outperformed every other tool tested, including the $499 Swansoft electric crimper and a UL-listed Burndy tool, achieving ~19–20 millivolts of voltage drop.13:30 The Swansoft's included 4/0 dies proved undersized, producing 33–41 mV results; switching to a 2/0 die on the same crimper dropped resistance to 21 mV, confirming the die — not the crimper body — was the failure point.11:44 A GrowLush hydraulic crimper (~$39) matched top results at 19 mV.9:42 A hammer crimper with cheap lugs produced 64 mV and generated noticeable heat at 300 A. Adding a second crimp to a single-point leverage crimper cut resistance significantly in most cases.9:41 Among pre-made cables, Current Connected (4 AWG, UL-listed lugs, two crimps) led at 19.3 mV; Spartan Power Cables finished last.4:27 Washer size between lug and bus bar had minimal effect; placing a washer between lug and bus bar dramatically increased resistance.2:10 Proper torque improved connections slightly; over-tightening did not help.0:55 Cable gauge and crimp quality contribute roughly equally to total resistance.14:31
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