Not all wire connectors are the same. You can find them in many different styles. Hook connectors, for instance, are used for the same purpose of connecting wires to circuit terminals as most other connectors, but they feature a unique design. What are hook connectors exactly, and how do they work?
What Are Hook Connectors?
Also known as hook terminals, hook connectors are wire connectors that are characterized by a hooked end. You can install them on the exposed end of an electrical wire. Once installed, you can then connect the hook connectors to a circuit terminal via the hooked end.
Other common types of connectors include spade and ring. Spade connectors feature a spade-shaped end, whereas ring connectors feature a ring-shaped end. Only hook connectors feature a hook-shaped end. You can identify them by looking for a hooked end.
How Hook Connectors Work
Hook connectors offer a conductive pathway for electricity. The core as well as the hooked end is made of a conductive material, such as aluminum. When connected to a circuit terminal, electricity will flow through the hook connector and the wire on which it’s installed.
Opposite of the hooked end is an insulative sleeve. Hook connectors have a conductive hook on one end and a sleeve of plastic-like insulation on the other end. The insulative sleeve, of course, is not made of a conductive material. After stripping the wire, you can place the exposed wire into this insulative sleeve, after which you can crimp or heat shrink it.
There are crimp-style and heat shrink-style hook connectors. Crimp-style hook connectors require crimping, whereas heat shrink-style hook connectors require heat shrinking. Regardless, they both have an insulative sleeve; they simply use different installation methods.
Benefits of Hook Connectors
Hook connectors are easy to use. Whether crimp style or heat shrink style, you can install them in just a few minutes. Once you’ve stripped the end of the wire, you can place the hook connector on the wire, followed by crimping or heat shrinking it. You can then connect it to the circuit terminal via the hooked end. The hooked end is conductive, so it will allow electricity to flow through the wire and connector to the circuit terminal.
Hook connectors are inexpensive. The price is comparable to that of spade and ring connectors, which are also inexpensive. With their low price, they are commonly used in both commercial and consumer electrical applications.
