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Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 10:48 pm
by tomb22
I put together a wire size and amperage table for 12 volts DC. It's baste on wire length.

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What is everybody doing with the wires between the door jam and the door. Do those stainless flexible wire sleeves work well. I think I've seen them in the Speedway catolog

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sat Oct 14, 2017 11:01 pm
by lavron
tomb22 wrote:What is everybody doing with the wires between the door jam and the door.
Not doing anything I don't have any wires in my door :P

I am really learning a lot from this thread, thanks for starting it.

See Ya,
Mike

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 11:32 am
by Lou's Comet
tomb22 wrote:I put together a wire size and amperage table for 12 volts DC. It's baste on wire length.

Image


What is everybody doing with the wires between the door jam and the door. Do those stainless flexible wire sleeves work well. I think I've seen them in the Speedway catolog
Nice table Tomb, here is one I found on the net that also has the "typical" amperage draw of components and suggested wire gauge that I found interesting.

https://www.kayjayco.com/techAmpsNSAE2Metric.htm

Edit* had wrong link sorry.. https://www.kayjayco.com/techPractical.htm

If you go to the upper menu bar on the page and click on the links "technical information" or "selecting wire and battery cable" more interesting reading.


I'm with Lavron, not going to have any wires going into my door. Not sure what stainless sleeves your looking at but if they are like these ones from Speedway I used on this truck for the headlights.

Image

I would stay away from them. They were a PIA. Plus not sure how they would handle the constant opening and closing of the doors.

If I was running wires into my doors I would prob go with something like one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/FREE-2-DAY-SHIP ... 2295870613

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-Life-W ... 1842561722

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 12:51 pm
by Lou's Comet
Been looking at fuse blocks and I still really, really like the one that Tomb and Kingspeedy linked to,,,, but just not going to work for me without modifications. That power distribution is way cool and clean with the relays and fuses side by side. My problems are I need some circuits ign hot and others batt hot. With that block with one supply wire it would be either/or??

Also not sure the relays I want to use with the dual 87 terminals would work correctly in that block. It also has a 60amp fuse on the feed wire to protect the box with a 80 amp limit on it. Which prob good enough for my build but IMO would be borderline and no room for future upgrades if desired.

I have a preliminary list of what circuits/fuses I need/want to get a idea of what size fuse blocks I will need.

Here is my list, if you see something that I missed or something I might want to change please speak up!

For the fuse block that will be batt hot (hot all the time)
1 ) High beam relay feed
2 ) Low beam relay feed
3 ) Headlight switch
4 ) Horn relay feed
5 ) Horn switch
6 ) Ignition switch
7 ) Brake light switch
8 ) Cigarette lighter
9 ) Power/Heated seats, although I may make a small stand alone for the seats

For the fuse block that will be ignition hot (hot with key)
1 ) Wipers
2 ) Heater blower motor
3 ) Turn signals / 4 Ways
4 ) Gauges
5 ) Tach
6 ) Ignition Coil
7 ) Line Lock
8 ) Radio, though don't plan on Radio right now prob a future upgrade and would be nice tho have it ready
9 ) Back up lights, maybe future upgrade, but for now thinking of having a dash indicator light that's on when in reverse.

If need be I could prob piggy back a few of these like tach and gauges on one fuse if I needed more circuits.

The ign hot block will be activated by a larger relay, around 100 Amps?? So I would like to keep all the ignition hot circuits in one block so only need one larger relay. Plus with it wired this way I will only need 3 wires going to my ignition switch.

The batt hot could be 2 smaller blocks maybe a 4 and a 6 or two 6's. I would keep the 2 headlight relays, the headlight switch, and brake lights on the 4 circuit if I go that route, and the rest on the second block.

Been looking at the Summit and Jeggs blocks, they have covers and are pretty small for what they are. 100 amp max on them, one wire supply feed and some have led indicators to show blown fuses, not sure how I feel about the LEDs

Couple I am looking at

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance- ... 8/10002/-1

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-900366/overview/

Some have screw on terminals some push on not sure on which I would want. Plus they have mini fuse ones that are a little smaller again not sure which way I want to go.

Just my preliminary thoughts/ideas on we're I am heading, any comments-opinions more than welcome.

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 1:58 pm
by Kingspeedy2
What gauge wire is used for majority of the circuits on the comet ?
14gauge? i assume most new harmesses are the same.
The reason i ask is i am going to be dropping into the US and will be getting a selection of connectors but my american auto harness is sitting at home.

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 3:37 pm
by Comechero65
To run wires into the doors I used the harness as used in mustangs with the pony interior for the door lights and speakers. No speakers in my doors but I have the comet/mustang style door lights and the electric door locks all incorperated into that harness. It's sealed at both ends of the tube that connects to the body and door shell so is waterproof and the whole thing easily flexes as doors are opened and closed.
As to fuse blocks I retained the stock fuse block and have added one aux power circuit with circuit breaker mounted to the starter solenoid and switched off and on under the dash by a ign sw triggered relay. Not having a lot of extra loads this setup works for my needs. And not likely to have anything new added. I could always add another similar circuit should the need arise.
Ron

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 3:55 pm
by tomb22
Lou I saw where you can get that same power block with fuses and relays not bussed. You then can do what you want with it. I saw it on ebay. It was a bussman.

I liked the rubber wire sleeve from Summit. I'm going to have power locks, power windows and the courtesy light which adds up to about 8 wires unless I combine the grounds which I don't want too.

I looked at the blocks you mentioned and they certainly would work. They didn't look weather proof but I know your thinking of having them inside the car.

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 4:09 pm
by tomb22
Kingspeedy2 wrote:What gauge wire is used for majority of the circuits on the comet ?
14gauge? i assume most new harmesses are the same.
The reason i ask is i am going to be dropping into the US and will be getting a selection of connectors but my american auto harness is sitting at home.

Most of the wire in the harness is 16 and 18 gauge

tom

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:25 pm
by Lou's Comet
Kingspeedy2 wrote:What gauge wire is used for majority of the circuits on the comet ?
14gauge? i assume most new harmesses are the same.
The reason i ask is i am going to be dropping into the US and will be getting a selection of connectors but my american auto harness is sitting at home.
I would assume most new harnesses are the same or close, I have the left overs from a Ron Franis kit I used earlier this year and most of the wires were 16ga.

You could call American Auto and ask them what they use.

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 7:44 pm
by Lou's Comet
tomb22 wrote:Lou I saw where you can get that same power block with fuses and relays not bussed. You then can do what you want with it. I saw it on ebay. It was a bussman.

I liked the rubber wire sleeve from Summit. I'm going to have power locks, power windows and the courtesy light which adds up to about 8 wires unless I combine the grounds which I don't want too.

I looked at the blocks you mentioned and they certainly would work. They didn't look weather proof but I know your thinking of having them inside the car.
Yea seen that too, not sure where I am putting the fuse blocks so pretty much need to do that first. Going to see what available space I have and then figure out what I can fit in that space. I do have some room under the dash where the radio use to be.

Like the ones from summit too, look like they have nice grommets built into the ends.

Still looking at blocks tho :) found this site which has some nice blocks, has high ratings on Amazon.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/catego ... s/ST_Blade

They don't say they are weather proof. But for the ones with the covers they do say,,
"Water from heavy seas or water projected in powerful jets shall not enter the enclosure in harmful quantities."

LOL

Looking at this stuff on the Internet is like Kingspeedy said,,, looking in a Sears Christmas Wishbook.

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 9:05 pm
by tomb22
Lou wrote The ign hot block will be activated by a larger relay, around 100 Amps?? So I would like to keep all the ignition hot circuits in one block so only need one larger relay.

I was wondering what your planing on adding to have such a big fuse block for the ign hot. I would think 50 amps would be more than enough. The list of items you have don't amount to much load.

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2017 9:28 pm
by Lou's Comet
tomb22 wrote:Lou wrote The ign hot block will be activated by a larger relay, around 100 Amps?? So I would like to keep all the ignition hot circuits in one block so only need one larger relay.

I was wondering what your planing on adding to have such a big fuse block for the ign hot. I would think 50 amps would be more than enough. The list of items you have don't amount to much load.
Figured 100 would be the max the block is rated for so somewhere around that. Might as well match the block? could be 90? Not really sure yet.

Might move the power/heated seats to the ign hot box. Going to swap the drivers and pass seat so the controls are by the driveshaft tunnel instead of by the door, so you don't see the switches when you open the doors. Thinking something may be left between the seats and rest against the switches, maybe draw power when car is sitting?? I'm probably just over thinking it, lol. Radio, amp, power windows may be something down the line. Never know.

Also like the idea of only being under 50/60% of the components capabilities instead of like 80/90% if that makes any sense.

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 2:34 pm
by Kingspeedy2
I have been researching a little more on some of the Relay holders (power distribution centres) that I have previously posted about.
seems like there are 2 types .Bussed and Non bussed.Both the little fuse and Bussman ones are rear terminal so they will have to either stand off a little to allow the wires to come out or you will have to inset them into a pocket and route the wires out. Little fuse does make a side terminal one but it looks like its $350 US .
I am no electrician so correct me if I am wrong ..An advantage to the bussed units is there is less wiring as they would either have a common internal connection either the positive or negative depending on whether you want to control the positive or ground (I am not sure of the pros and cons of which side to switch) so you would have 1 large wire in..and only 1 set of separate wires out..without the buss you just have a relay holder so you need individual wires or jumpers for each circuit in and out..more wiring but more flexibility.It would also be easier to have ignition hot and not in the same enclosure...I do imagine you could sever the common buss so you could effectively have 2 busses in 1 box.. also I was about to order the very tidy looking pre wired busman from ebay that's in my previous post then I had a thought.Unless I could order specific color wires I would have a mix of colors in my circuits .For example say the stock wire from the headlight to the switch is brown and now yo want to have the relay in there for a headlight upgrade..now your picking one of the circuits on the pre wired unit..(probably no brown) but have yellow . so you have brown to yellow and then off to brown again to the headlight..So brown yellow brown..just as an example..I know it would be confusing for my little brain.
Therefore in my opinion if you want the slickest set up, wire your own so you can have consistent wire colors throughout the circuit and hot or not options.
Another thing is you can scrap all these boxes and by a waterproof electrical enclosure for about $12. you can drill it and make it however you want.
Lou .I love your idea about the relay with the extra terminal to reduce extra wires.

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 6:59 pm
by Lou's Comet
Kingspeedy here is a block with a split bus and the wires attach from the sides.

https://powerwerx.com/blue-sea-5032-12- ... gJCDvD_BwE

You could have 6 batt hot and 6 ignition hot without modifying the block. Has a cover, and the side connections for the wires so you wouldn't have to raise it. It also has a ground bus, prob because it is marine application and boats are fiberglass. But if you were building a panel and had your relays on the same panel you could run the grounds from the relays to the ground bus and have one thicker gauge ground wire running to batt or chassis ground. Would be nice a clean way to ground the relays. The ground bus would be handy if you were doing a fiberglassed body car too.

Also a lot cheaper than$350

Yea I like the dual feed relays! Going to make it easier for my setup. I am even going to use one for my horn relay. I plan on moving my horns off of the rad support and mounting one on each side on the frame rails or bumper brackets. With the dual tab relay I can run two wires, 1 inside each fender for the left and right horn.

Lou

Re: Wiring ideas for your car

Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 7:21 pm
by Lou's Comet
Wiring ideas wouldn't be complete without more on zip ties

A buddy of mine gave me a bag of these a few years back, so don't know where to get them...but will be looking for them soon as only have a couple dozen left. But they are pretty cool zip ties. They have the Christmas tree push thing attached to them. So you don't have to wrap them around something. Just need a 1/4" hole to push the clip part through. Hard to explain right but here is a picture

Image

Makes for a very clean looking attachment. And in the future I will be doing as John said and heating/melting the end sticking out which will make it even nicer.

Lou