Wiring

[uglyota]

So I was doing some wiring the other day and realized I don't know a lot about how to do a clean wiring job.

I can make the wires the correct length and solder and shrinkwrap all my connections, but when it comes to using loom, does it go around bare wire and then you wrap the loom with tape to keep the wires clean? I did that and put a zip tie at each end. Is loom even the best stuff to use, or should you just use non-adhesive vinyl tape?

A few more hints to start the thread: I was wiring a GM relay into my starter circuit. It's like the Painless starter relay kit, but it was free . Not a bad idea to pick up a few of these next time you're at the junkyard. And don't just pick up the relay, get the whole socket assy with enough wire to solder to. Anybody know how many volts it takes to activate the coil on these? How many amps it's good for?

Check out Waytek for some cool wiring products, like a few different types of self-resetting breakers and good shrink tubing.

Also post up examples of nice wiring jobs you've seen, and hints for how to do a clean job of wiring a rig.

[agjohn02]

i use loom extensively. i loom up a bundle of wires that i tape every foot or so and then tape a couple rounds around the loom every foot or so and at the ends to keep the wire in the loom.

im getting a low voltage signal to my starter. im about to put a relay in to remedy it. relays are a great way to get around a new wiring harness. there is too much resistance in my stock 33 yr old harness to get proper voltage to all the things i need to. i put new silver star headlights in and they were no brighter than the old ones until i put the headlights on a relay.

[uglyota]

yeah I'm in love with relays. I'm trying to think of a good way to run a common hot for several relays...Is there something like a power strip-type junction block that has all the terminals hot? I swear I've seen something like it but I can't find it.

[agjohn02]

sure there is.

[AggieTJ2007]

check out the fuse boxes in jeeps. they use regular automotive relays and have a spot of a fuse and a common hot

[uglyota]

sure there is.

thanks a bunch. Now how hard would it have been to type "bus bar?"

[agjohn02]

thanks a bunch. Now how hard would it have been to type "bus bar?"

but then you wouldnt have wasted near as much time looking for it...

[robertf03]

i've got 2 of those jeep relay boxes in the trash can right now. want me to dig them out for you eric?

[uglyota]

sure, rather than spend $25 on the busbar I like...you coming to the wedding?

I was kind of hoping you'd chime in with some wiring tricks...as well as Fred and Jimmeh and Scott...

[agjohn02]

Anybody know how many volts it takes to activate the coil on these? How many amps it's good for?

i dunno how much voltage it takes but its not much.

most are 30A i think.

[Sharpe]

As I've said before, the king of junkyard relays come from mid 90's cadi's. There are 5 or 6 up on the firewall all right next to each other, and they have weatherproof seals and 12 gauge power leads, and are 30 amp. For the bus bar, look on the passenger side of the firewall on early 90's chevy pickups, they have a fairly small one with 5 posts. For wiring, I would recomend running a wrap of electrical tape every 10 inches or so, then covering it with loom and calling it good. I wrapped the entire length of all my wires with tape and then put loom around it, which makes trouble shooting basically impossible. Look in pigpen's buldup thread for a pic of the bus bar and the back side of my switch panel.

[AggieTJ2007]

I can tell you that they will work on 9volts cause I use a 9volt batter to test automotive relays

[uglyota]

so it turns out the relay brackets are like 50 cents each from waytek, and you can avoid the rotten wiring that junkyard ones are bound to have.
It's also hard to find a bus bar rated for over 15 amps except for marine apps, good hint on the junkyard one Robert

[BMFScout]

I don't know much, but I always solder everything if possible. David Oliver will tell you a mil spec connector will be fine, and I'm sure it will, but I'll still solder. I solder the joint by fanning out the two leads then shoving them together end to end like the are playing swords then twist them together. It lays really flat that way, and there is no ends sticking up when you put the shrink wrap on. We use a cordless butane soldering iron, no cords to get in the way, and a heat gun for the shrink wrap. It controls the heat way better than a lighter. The GM round relays are the bomb, and if you are smooth you can steal, I mean purchase, the mount for it as well off the firewall. Another trick when messing with a harness is to use masking tape at first temporarily to keep the schmuck off the wires until final assembly. Wrap the wires every foot or so, then use loom, nothing fancy. I think the reason Fred/flems efi wiring looks so good is that each wire is the correct length. They will shorten a wire, even if it is just a foot or so too long, just so it's neat. Something else I like to do I picked up at the airport is to run zip ties to keep the wiring off of stuff. My favorite move is to put a zip tie loosely around the wiring and what I want to zip tie it to. Then run another zip tie around the first zip tie, between the wiring and what you are tieing it to. Then tighten them both down, this will keep the wiring near what you tied it to, but a zip ties width away from it as well, no chafing. Don't be afraid to use a dab of silicone and seat the wiring in it to keep it from chafing as well. If you really want to be a badass, some adel clamps will keep everything in check.

[agjohn02]

I don't know much, but I always solder everything if possible. David Oliver will tell you a mil spec connector will be fine, and I'm sure it will, but I'll still solder. I solder the joint by fanning out the two leads then shoving them together end to end like the are playing swords then twist them together. It lays really flat that way, and there is no ends sticking up when you put the shrink wrap on. We use a cordless butane soldering iron, no cords to get in the way, and a heat gun for the shrink wrap. It controls the heat way better than a lighter. The GM round relays are the bomb, and if you are smooth you can steal, I mean purchase, the mount for it as well off the firewall. Another trick when messing with a harness is to use masking tape at first temporarily to keep the schmuck off the wires until final assembly. Wrap the wires every foot or so, then use loom, nothing fancy. I think the reason Fred/flems efi wiring looks so good is that each wire is the correct length. They will shorten a wire, even if it is just a foot or so too long, just so it's neat. Something else I like to do I picked up at the airport is to run zip ties to keep the wiring off of stuff. My favorite move is to put a zip tie loosely around the wiring and what I want to zip tie it to. Then run another zip tie around the first zip tie, between the wiring and what you are tieing it to. Then tighten them both down, this will keep the wiring near what you tied it to, but a zip ties width away from it as well, no chafing. Don't be afraid to use a dab of silicone and seat the wiring in it to keep it from chafing as well. If you really want to be a badass, some adel clamps will keep everything in check.

how much of that did you pick up from darrel? is that common practice in aviation?