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Author: Subject: What cable to make own loom
Bizarro

posted on 3/1/12 at 09:59 PM Reply With Quote
What cable to make own loom

Im at the point in my build to start thinking about wiring.

This is my first, and hopefully not my last build, so I want to learn as much as possible and am thinking about doing the loom from scratch.

Its going to be a pretty basic loom. Electrically Im not a novice but have never wired a car before, so a few questions for starters:

Is there standard wire colours I should be using for lights etc?

Approximately how much of each gauge cable do I need to buy? The build is standard MK Indy using sierra column switch gear, no wipers/heater etc..

As a guide, Im thinking about buying Kit Car Electrics by Peter Wallage and John Wallage (£7 on Amazon), anybody used it, is it worth it?

Cheers

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austin man

posted on 3/1/12 at 10:08 PM Reply With Quote
I sourced trailer cable for my lighting it comes in multiple cores so easier and tidier than single cables and potentially cheaper. purchased off ebay
7 Core Trailer and Caravan Lights Wire/Cable 1m | eBay

[Edited on 3/1/12 by austin man]





Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone

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Mr C

posted on 3/1/12 at 10:19 PM Reply With Quote
It was the first time I attempted anything like this as well, it was one of the most satisfying aspects of the build thus far. I used John Dickens (complete kit car) book on electrics which was easy to follow. my colour coding was based on the lucas colour coding though I didn't stick to it by the letter, using the major colours only for some applications.

I would also recommend thin wall wiring, it's amazing the difference in size to normal wiring, much less bulk. In terms of ratings the book will give you a guide I used mainly 11 amp and 16 amp wire

Well done for giving it a go, and all the best with it.





Girl walks into a bar and asks for a double entendre, so the barman gave her one

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chrisbeale

posted on 3/1/12 at 10:46 PM Reply With Quote
I'm about to re do my dash wiring. It's a mess at the moment, spliced and knotts everywhere. I'm using 16awg thin wall cable for the whole thing, excluding ammeter. It's going to be a challenge trying to work out where everything goes but I do have the disadvantage of being an aircraft lecky.
Planes are so much simpler.

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mad4x4

posted on 4/1/12 at 12:20 AM Reply With Quote
I used the wire from the sierra loom gavem me heaps of colors . Just buitl up m own loom for the bits i needed.

knew I should have drawn it out when I did it in case i ever need to dedug.





Scot's do it better in Kilts.

MK INDY's Don't Self Centre Regardless of MK Setting !

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James

posted on 4/1/12 at 01:15 AM Reply With Quote
Premier Loom for about £100 was one of the best purchases I made with the car.

Premier or DIY, either way, mad4x4 it totally right. Discipline yourself to make a wiring diagram.

5 years after SVA and I'm messing with wiring now and it's much harder as I have to work out what each wire does. A simple layout diagram would have saved a lot of time!

Cheers,
James





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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights." - Muhammad Ali

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jossey

posted on 4/1/12 at 09:58 AM Reply With Quote
Just be careful making your own loom I re did a loom on a widow maker bike and the resistance was different with the new wiring and messed with the sensors on the :-( took weeks to figure out the issues





Thanks



David Johnson

Building my tiger avon slowly but surely.

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r1_pete

posted on 4/1/12 at 10:15 AM Reply With Quote
I have a .XLS detailling the Lucas standard wiring colours, I've re wired several cars now, the latest being my E Type, and find it more useful than the wiring diagram for the car.

U2U me your email address if you want a copy, I cant attach .XLS to the post.

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Bizarro

posted on 4/1/12 at 10:41 AM Reply With Quote
Cheers for all the replies

quote:
Originally posted by James
Premier Loom for about £100 was one of the best purchases I made with the car.

Premier or DIY, either way, mad4x4 it totally right. Discipline yourself to make a wiring diagram.

Cheers,
James


I would go the Premier loom way but they want £160 for their loom and I figure I can buy a lot of wire for 160!

Eddie99 on here has given me a more affordable price to provide a loom with relays and drawings, so Im thinking about going that way as an easier option rather than making my own from scratch.

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macc man

posted on 4/1/12 at 03:13 PM Reply With Quote
I bought a premier loom a few years back for £100. Best money I spent in my opinon. I tried using a Sierra and Escort hybrid loom and wasted loads of time and gave up in the end. Keep it simple if you make your own.
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