Calling all wiring snobs.

[ORANGECRUSHer]

A couple weeks ago I was working on my clutch system on my woodsbuggy and suddenly I was repulsed by my wiring and tore everything apart. I knew I could do better.
One of the goals is to scrub the auto style single conductors and go with control system type cable which has multiple conductors in one sheath all numbered up and down their jackets. Along with those I will use gland nuts or strain reliefs, whatever you want to call em at every box the cable goes in.
The thing I haven’t been able to decide is what to use for junction boxes where all the wires come together. I’ll definitely have one big box with about six bosch relays and a terminal strip. I’ve looked on Amazon and they have a lot of plastic IP65 project type boxes but nothing the right size.

So I’m looking for suggestions. I need it to look professional and above all organized.

I’m also thinking of utilizing DIN rail and terminal blocks like I use at work for control systems. Can anyone think of any reasons not to? I could even get the DIN relay blocks and cut down my size; bosch relays are so clunky.
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Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[ORANGECRUSHer]

I also need a switch box for overhead able to house about 14 switches and indicator leds.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[Dale M.]

You are making it way to complicated and expensive....

Buy bulk wire of many different colors and use either split sheath or expanded sleeving....

http://delcity.net
http://waytekwire.com

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[ORANGECRUSHer]

Well wire isn’t my problem, Dale.
I bought a bunch of aluminum sheet to weld up my own custom junction boxes. I was just hoping to find a source for these boxes i see on high end cars. Maybe they’re one-offs too? I just don’t find myself with the kind of fabricating time I used to have, unfortunately. I want wiring that is immaculate. Lol. I’m even putting labels at the ends of all the wires. I have a lot if wiring. If I was running a VW engine I could see your point, Dale, but it’s a odd-ball engine swap.
I guess im just weird. I just thought there’d be more if us out here. I like ridiculous amounts of flashing lights and switches and gages.
_________________
Brian H.
I may not know everything,but I will try to help if I can
OrangeCrushER Berrien Warrior 2.4L Quad4
LAZY MARY 1970 Baja 1835cc

[Scott SD]

Are you looking for the fuse block? Here is a link. Depends on how high end you want to go.

https://www.waytekwire.com/item/46057/EATON-s-Bussmann-Series-31S-002-0-ssVEC-Power/

Wiring a car can get real expensive. I am just starting to think about it on my car and plan to start identifying all of the end item components and estimate loads. I’ve been looking at a lot of race cars and the nicest example was a class 1 car. I want to wire at that level, just without the price tag.

[mkparker]

Check here for boxes. https://www.polycase.com/product-sizes

There are many very cool self contained switch systems out these days.

https://www.switchpros.com/

I'm not thinking I would go with DIN rails and snap in terminals. They're not really designed for vibration. I also wouldn't use multi-conductor cable. It's too much of a pain to break out certain wires and keep others intact. If you're cutting the cable at every junction box then what's the point?

I would try making my own multi-conductor twisted cable and break out wires as needed and eliminate junction boxes. Put it all in heat-shrink or nice sheathing.

Image from Hardwired Performance.
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Michael


Pit Boy 6163 Spec Trophy Truck

[Double-Double]

Getting ready to do my Rebel Wire kit and how did they wind it so nice MParker? That's beautiful!
_________________
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
—Matthew 16:24–25

[mkparker]

[Scott SD]

There is a video on YouTube somewhere that shows the loom being wrapped by hand. I found it when looking for Tefzel wire.

[Wulfthang]

[Powaypete]

Yeah, I like lites and switches and gauges too. Check FlEbay for 12vdc led's, coupla bucks for ten. They have them in all colors. I even found some flashing red and blue for important stuff like the radiator fans. For junction boxes, have you looked at H'Depot. They have a lot of plastic ones that are rugged and not bad looking.[/quote]

I bought the 10 you are talking about. They work as idiot lights but not as turn signal dash lights. They don't flash even though the exterior light do flash. WHY?? Only thing i can figure out is the draw is different to flash.

As for idiot lights for the Alt. and Oil Press. Don't use LED!!!

I like using a wiring kit, my Manx has the universal kit from Painless. As said before, get the Weatherproof connectors. They are weather proof and don't vibrate loose.
_________________
David

We're all here because we're not all there.

[Dale M.]

LEDS can be use as is for oil pressure as the oil pressure switch is not much more than a on off switch....

For alternator its a different issue.... As the is not enough resistance across led to keep form having "run on" or no indication at all...

Use a bit of modified circuit to make LEDS work as alternator lamp...

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[rayjay]

That twisted loom is show car nonsense. What if your wiring gets whacked in an accident and you have a short in the loom ? Now you are having to dig through all that twisted mess to find the problem wire. Just lay it out neatly and logically.


I did come up with an idea a few weeks back. You could use different colored sharpies or 1/4" long sections of heat shrink tubing to allow use of a few colors of insulation to be used for more circuits and still provide easy tracing. A red wire could be red-yel or red-blk or red-blu , etc.

[Dale M.]

Just use paper tags or number tapes when you run wires, then connect.....

Been there, done that ....Every thing powered correctly first try and no blown fuses....

Make wiring diagram (or list) and number each lead on diagram as you have number on each end of lead...

The secret to good wiring job is best pair of ratchet type crimpers you can afford and use dielectric grease in connection to prevent moisture and oxygen in connection to prevent corrosion...

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[Wulfthang]

LED's will flash just fine as long as they're part of the flasher circuit. I made my own wiring harness for my street legal rail. I used as many different colored wires as I could find and kept track of what they were for but that wasn't enough colors. So broke the wiring harness down into separate sections.

One section is for the engine wiring, another section for the lights, etc. etc. Each section has it's own color code chart. I laid each section out with a wire for everything that I thought I would need and then added a few extra in each harness. Each one was held together with a short piece of shrink tube. Then each one was slipped into an expandable nylon sleeve. I even color coded the nylon sleeves. I keep a copy of the color code chart inside the car for emergencies.

[Double-Double]

My harness literally says what each wire is for on it about every 5" anyways, so that's what I'm going to go with along with my Deutsch connectors.
_________________
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
—Matthew 16:24–25

[Matt Wilson]

These guys seem to have all sorts of engine swap wiring harness stuff and pre-wired switch panels,
https://www.painlessperformance.com/wc/50303

I've used their products in the past and the quality is pretty normal for most electrical stuff.
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1972 Standard Beetle
1969 Baja Beetle

[Double-Double]

[Matt Wilson]

Those Painless harnesses are nice since they put an inkjet print on the wire insulation of what the wire should connect. of course it's more custom, but if I were building a buggy or had a special engine swap, I'd totally go for a pre-wired switch panel, rather than do everything myself.
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1972 Standard Beetle
1969 Baja Beetle

[joem32380]

Just go with a Rebel wire harness and be done. cant get any easier or better.