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Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:00 am

May be something that most people take for granted, but I was under my bus zip tying wires last night and wondered. Also like my electrical to be really neat and tidy.

How do you guys normally run wires from the back to the front (or vice versa)?

I have installed an aux battery on the drivers side and will be installing gauges so I'll be running wire for those. Looks like the main loom runs on the passenger side.

How long of wire too? Seems like it's at least 20 feet to be safe.

Thanks,

Casey

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:10 am

I used that platic spiral conduit.

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:16 am

One good tip I heard: Run a few extras in your bundle. You never know what you'll want to add in the future.

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:25 am

I've heard mention of people using the old test system wires for new installs....not sure which ones go all the way to the front from the back though....

I just finished yanking out all the cheezily installed wires on my bus too. I have contemplated running them in the metal tube which the main harness runs in (1972) but that tube is so rusty ....

Plastic wire conduit probably will be the way I go. need to run about 3 wires....Tach, Oil temp, and spare for later.

What is the best all around gauge to run?

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:28 am

I also ran some hefty wires for my headlights - I believe it was 14AWG. Ran those wires into some relays. What a difference!

Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:28 am

I would suggest 3/8" wiring loom from Home Depot or Lowes in black. Buy two 10' sections, some electrical tape (to wrap it every 6") and some wire tires (to tie it every 6") so that you can attach it to something solid and not moving under the busuntil it comes out at the drivers side left foot.

Mark both ends of the wire so you will know which ones go where. Some people use the wire to wire trailer lights, but you want about 14 gauge or so for the gauges (keeping in mind the the Dakota digital CHT has it own wire so buy that first).

Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:03 pm

I hadn't thought of running a spare wires. That's a really good idea.

I think what i'll do is go pick up a couple 50 feet sections and run them front to back probably in a plastic pipe

Couple 10, then a mess of 14. labeled.

Then I'll buy a terminal block for either end. :

Very nice and tidy.

-=casey=-

Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:21 pm

My '78 was the victim of the fire devil. It caught the right side of the engine compartment (dual carbs - setup just a few months before the fire)

I had to run a new set of wires from rear to front, plus the regular stuff in the engine compartment.

I was able to fish through the tube that carries the loom from rear to front with a 'replacement' harness, PLUS a pair of electrical wires, PLUS some plastic tubing, all inside the same tube.

Of course, I carefully cleaned out the tubing with a metal scouring pad like you use to clean kitchen pots and pans. A long nylon string to pull the scouring pad back and forth through the tube. And a small piece of rag at 6" on either side of the scouring pad so I did not pull the scouring pad out of the tube until I was finished.

The plastic tubing I got was like the stuff that is used for the automatic ice maker in the ice box (refrigerator). Home Depot.

I used speaker wire because it had two colors and I could connect the right end at the front to the item in the rear.

The wire is to be used for a tachometer at front, and for a 'backup light' in the rear when I go camping. The normal backup lights just will not handle the dark when in the woods. I need to see the low hanging branches in addition to the head stones on the ground.

(Camping overnight in a rural cemetery is DEFINITELY the way to insure 'privacy'. I think I will grab a few of those Halloween things that are motion sensitive and make a groaning noise if someone should come by. God, I hate myself when I get like this!!!... )

The plastic tube is for a vacuum gauge, to watch my engine vacuum while I drive, to keep a reasonable foot on the pedal. Also to see what the effects are should a vacuum leak develop.

Hint from Heloise

Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:40 pm

I did mine using the split plastic loom. And used tape on the wire bundle every few inches and ties on the loom. And didn't like it for a bunch of reasons so pulled it out. Mainly because it was a crappy way to do it. Then used some black vinyl or nylon tubing from Lowes. Don't remember the size, 3/8" or 1/2". On a '71 there is a line of round holes thru all the crossmembers on the passenger side not far from the original steel wiring tube. What ever the hole size was I used the largest tubing tha would fit. Maybe is was 3/8" ID x 1/2" OD. Then ran as many wires thru it as would possibly fit. Gauges, tach, security, and an extra. You have to pull them thru the tube all at once with a pull wire. Keep them straight, if they cross each other they won't fit. And I also used silicone spray to help. Had to drill a hole in front to get the tubing up thru the bottom to route the tube up behind the kick panel area. And continued it up to the area where the gauges are to eliminate any more spaghetti looking wiring mess. In the rear some of the wires enter into a new larger loom along with existing wires to feed across the engine to the coil area and then a smaller loom going down the where the senders are. Mark up your wiring diagram to show any additions or changes.

Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:45 pm

i bought a 30' roll of 4 wire trailer wiring (you know, the yellow, brown white and green all bound together) ran 4 wires at once and neatly zip tied it to the main harness running to the back of the bus. works perfect and i killed 4 birds with 1 stone 8)

Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:45 am

Just following up on this. Found this selection of wire harnesses... some really cost more (pre-jacketed 7 wire) and some run of the mill and cheaper (40ft 5 wire).

http://www.etrailer.com/c-trw.htm

thought I would share.

I'm probably going to go with one of the 40ft 5 wire. I have to think that 1 of them cut in half would be plenty to get 10 wires to a junction at either end.

Probably overkill, but that's what I'm into. Then I just need to pick up some jacketing material and go from there.

Right now, waiting for my bus to get back from the mechanic so I can do the stockpile of projects I have for it.

Casey

Tue Nov 17, 2009 8:54 am

For conduit, look at Krayloy Kwikflex.

Available from 3/8" ID to 2" ID. You can put anything from electrical to HVAC to coolant down it and it is UV stabilized and rated for outdoor use. If you're building your rig 'for keeps' the conduit will outlast the vehicle.

M

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:21 am

I just had to do a copy paste on this forums. Lots of excellent ideas I also am planning to run an extra battery for what ever's I need.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:29 am

i put together assorted wires, all in different colors & gauge thickness
then i used shrink tubing to keep them all together & clean
i ran the home made harness from behind the steering wheel
to the backof the bus

then on a piece of paper with my sons color markers i made a
quick diagram of what color went where
& notes on extra wires & put one copy in the bently & one copy in the bus

the homemade harness has all the gauge & tach wires that are in the
engine compartment
this harness runs under bus

i made another harness for all these wires than run along the walls

then from this fuse box to aux battery

if my westy ever has a next owner he will be glad that he has
a diagram of the hundreds of extra wires running everywhere in every color

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:33 am

Bought 4 rolls of wire different colors, clamped the ends in the vice, and tied the other ends 20' away. Then took a paint brush and model paint and put different color strips on them every few inches. Then I pulled what I needed through the tube using a wire fish. Added a VW style extra fuse box under the dash and made extra fused circuits. Now anytime I need power for something I have it.

I like the idea of suggested of running a fused heavy gauge wire forward for the headlights. That would take a load off the system at night and reduce wear on the light switch.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:35 am

Raul - that looks really nice.

Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:32 am

Is 20' long enough to make it from the front by the fuse box to the engine compartment?

I'm terminating in terminal blocks on both ends so they don't need to go anywhere once they're in there.

Thought I'd ask rather than trial and error.

Casey

Sun Feb 21, 2010 8:35 am

Well, I ended up doing the auxiliary wire loom. Documented it with pics and description in my blog.

First two posts are about the wireloom:
Make your own wire loom
Connecting Wire Loom on Bulkhead

This post is about an additional bulkhead up front for mounting electrical components behind the kick panel:
Electrical Bulkhead Upgrade

I'm really happy with both of these upgrades. I saw the bulkhead upgrade in another post that I can't find. Took it and made it. It's awesome.

20' of wire is more than enough BTW.

Casey

Sun Feb 21, 2010 8:45 am

Thank you for sharing that, great job!

Sun Feb 21, 2010 1:33 pm

Nice job!

My only suggestion would be to run the CHT wires at the same time, even if you are not ready to do the gauge right now. I used the dakota myself but the vdo or whatever also have specific wires that fit their needs.