Malaysian Standards for Cable Lugs and Connectors

In Malaysia, various types of cable lugs and links are imported into the country. They are from various manufacturers from overseas and hence made according to different standards. Some of these imported cable lugs and links have been found to be sub-standard with wrong dimensions and made with recycled Copper material.

A proper tool and die is also necessary to perform a good connection. Whether it is a small or big connector, a suitable and proper crimping tool is required. There are many type of crimping tools in the market today, which includes small mechanical tools, hand operated hydraulic tools and electric or battery operated tools. In Malaysia, a small hand indent tool is used on small connectors. Bigger connectors will require a hydraulic tool with hexagon dies. 

It is important to choose the right tools to requirement. Choosing a tool which can crimp from 1.5mm² to 1000mm² is not practical due to its weight, size and cost. The correct way is to select a small hand tool for 1.5 to 10mm2 connectors, a mid range hydraulic tool for 16mm² to 240mm² connectors and a big hydraulic tool for connectors up to 630mm². For big connectors, such as 300mm² or larger, an electric pump is strongly recommended so that it is easier for the installer. It is also important to make sure that the installer crimps the connectors according to instructions.

The problem arises when various tools are imported into the country without considering the suitability of its dies to match with the connectors. A good connection cannot be achieved without a matching die. For example, a German tool with dies cannot be used to achieve a good crimp with connectors from a different standard. Therefore a matching die is more important than the tool.

There is also a disconnect where cable connector manufacturers usually do not produce or offer matching crimping tools and vice versa, tools manufacturers do not sell cable connectors. The result is often mismatched of cable connectors and crimping tool/dies since the two items originate from different sources and even countries.  

To overcome this problem, a standard is required as reference for the connectors’ dimension and material. There is currently no International Standards for the dimension and material of connectors. However, some countries as listed below have adopted their own national standards to control and regulate the Copper connectors used in its respective countries.

For Malaysia, the Department of Standards Malaysia has developed and published a series of Malaysian Standards to standardize the dimension and material of cable connectors.

With the development and publication of these Malaysian Standards, it would be easier for owners, engineers, contractors and end-users to specify the right cable connectors for their requirements and ensure that the connectors are crimped with matching tools and dies.