chrisf
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 03:50 PM |
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Wire type / color quantity?
I’m doing my wiring from scratch. Shopping for wire, it seems I have three choices: Tefzel, Cross-link (I think you folks call it ‘thin’ wire, but may
be wrong) and primary wire (i.e. trailer wire). Between cross-link and primary wire, the cost difference per foot of wire is the same. However I can
only buy 100ft spools of the cross link. So the questions, is the cross-link significantly better than the primary wire?
Also, I estimate that I will need 6 different colors to wire the car. Having never wired a car before, I question whether this is enough or too much.
Any suggestions?
--Many thanks, Chris
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RogerM
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 03:55 PM |
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I would check out Premier Wiring, I'm sure Alan would send you a loom out to the States. With the prices he charges and the quality of the loom
there really is no better option .... probalby more expensive to do it to a similar quality yourself.
www.premierwiring.co.uk
[Edited on 7/4/05 by RogerM]
[Edited on 7/4/05 by RogerM]
[Edited on 7/4/05 by RogerM]
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white130d
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 04:20 PM |
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Chris, I have used these folks British Wiring alot for LR and Healey looms. The also sell all the stuff
required to make a harness. I plan on trying to replicate the standard british wiring color pattern (blue for headlights, green for indicators, etc)
and will buy the wire from them. They sell the Auto Sparks stuff from the UK. Should you call them tell Leslie that David from Thatched Roof Garage
sent you.
David.
"There's only 2 things that money can't buy, and that's true love and home grown tomatos" Guy Clark
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mookaloid
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 04:23 PM |
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I agree with Roger, Having Used a Premier loom I cannot imagine trying to make my own and doing either a better or a cheaper job!
Cheers
Mark
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chrisf
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 04:26 PM |
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Gents:
I should have specified that I'm not trying to save money here. I considered buying a loom in the US, but realized that I would butcher a
majority of it. My application is a bit unique, and I have the circuit designed. You you guys know if Premire uses the primary wire?
--Thanks, Chris
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clbarclay
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 05:47 PM |
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Regards the number of different colours of wire, the more the better in that it makes identifing a random wire much easier.
The flip side is that if you buy large rolls, then you will have a lot left over.
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wilkingj
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 06:31 PM |
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I have always used these chaps, not very impressive visually on the website and catalogue, but good prices and excellent service.
Blue Beehive
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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Bob C
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| posted on 7/4/05 at 07:51 PM |
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Last time I wired a car I got a single big reel of wire & identified each wire end with little coloured numbered rings (available from RS &
Farnell etc) The wiring diagram became a list eg
wire 47 fusebox #33 to rear left sidelight
etc. etc
I still have enough of the identifiers to do the locost.
Farnell sell what they call "automotive wire" is various cross sections, nice thin insulation & fuel/oil resistant.
cheers
Bob
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clbarclay
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| posted on 8/4/05 at 08:04 AM |
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Numbering the ends of wires is definantly better then no idenification. Its a bit like some of the most modern cars which have just the end couple of
inches of each wire colour coded the rest of the wire is plain.
The potential problem is when you want to T into the middle of a wire which is grouped with other wires and working out which is which. Especially if
parts of the loom are covered but conduit, bulkheads etc.
[Edited on 8/4/05 by clbarclay]
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Bob C
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| posted on 8/4/05 at 08:49 AM |
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easy answer to that is never T in.... go to one end or the other & use a piggyback spade or whatever & define a new wire number!
cheers
Bob
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Hasse
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| posted on 8/4/05 at 10:39 AM |
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Regarding type and quality:
I would say that the main difference between the types are heat resistance, at least for car use.
Mostly used type within automotive industry is PVC. This type is good for about 90-100 degC maximum. House hold quality of PVC normally good for about
70 degC maximum, in Sweden at least.
Tefzel is a trade mark for TPE and normally good for about 125 degC maximum.
Cross linked is a method to "cure" the insulation, and could be used on several different materials.
In my opinion PVC is a very good material for car use. Cheep, durable and with good chemical resistance. Protect it from mechanical wear and use it at
resonable temperatures and it will last longer than your car.
In my opinion you would only need the more expensive materials if you need to locate wires close to exhaust/turbo.
Also, stick to one type. Do not mix different types in the same "bundle" as different insulation types can affect eachother negatively,
(Chemically).
/Hasse
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 8/4/05 at 11:08 AM |
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I used the full colour scheme when I made my loom - if I was doing it again I'd buy 2 reels of thin-wall PVC insulation in a single colour (one
for low-current, the other for high current) and use number sleeves, as described above.
Whole reels are cheaper than buying by the metre, and there's far less waste.
cheers,
David
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