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Wiring tidying


Iain T

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1 hour ago, Anglefire said:

I prefer to use thin wall in my cars. Carries more current for a given size. 

Me too. It's 3mm2 CSA, 12AWG thinwall cable. So only 3.1mm diameter, but 33 Amp capacity. Seems a good margin for 2 x 55 + 60 Watt lamps flashing on dips. 

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22 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

and we earth bonded all the body and chassis together , to eliminate rusty earths  of front to rear  

Pete

Seriously considering doing similar, Running a decent size of (black) cable along with the Loom when it goes back in, would not be the most major job. Tie all the various earths to it and teminate at the battery Neg; Terminal.

Pete

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ive got these and they have lasted  a good few years without failing  and they tackle the tough crimps well 

some crimps are weedy and crush very easily

so the terminals you use have a strong result with 

the squeeze effort you need to apply 

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/hand-tools/crimping-tools/0-5-6mm-ratchet-crimping-pliers/p/KEN5155220K

Pete

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I used an old crimper that I picked up as a really cheap kit ages ago from the cash n carry. It only  cost a couple of quid. Probably that's why it's cr*p. I also, contrary to much advice here, added just touch of solder to the connections after crimping. Solder is generally frowned on as vibrations crack the solder but for me it's a belt and braces thing.

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On 29/06/2021 at 09:07, dougbgt6 said:

Yes and no, it’s taking the load off the switch that brightens the lights. Over the years the switch innards tarnish and become resistive, you get a voltage drop and dimmer lights. More worryingly the switch gets hot.

Doug

Sorry I missed this post at the time.

The switch issues can be fixed by replacing the switch, though I can see why that may not be that popular an option. But putting relays in more or less anywhere fixes them just as well, if not better.

The losses in the wiring, however, have to be reduced by rewiring with thicker cables and shortening the runs. And the effect is greatest in running the thicker cable more or less directly and all the way from the battery to the bulbs, which means putting relays between the two.

I reckon if the existing wiring is all 16 gauge and carrying 10 Amps, and it's replaced with 12 gauge and shortened to about half the length by cutting out the run from the regulator/fuse box to the switches and back to the hole in the bulkhead, the voltage at the bulbs might go up by 4 or 5 percent (from 11.40V to 11.87V on a nominal 12V supply) . That may not sound a lot, but bulbs being none linear, they would be something like 20 percent brighter for it. There are some simplifications in the analysis, and the real answer might be much nearer to 10 percent brighter, but I think its a fair first approximation for the best you might get.

Where the relays go in that run has no impact on how much brighter the bulbs are, just on how much cable you have to run, since they can share a feed but must have separate outputs and controls. If they go into the existing wiring, the nearer the bulbs the more the effect. But if you replace the wire all the way to the bulbs, they can go anywhere.

But, I don't see the brightness as being broke anyway; so there's no reason for me to fix it by upgrading the wires and so having to put the relays between the battery and the lights. I just want to take the switch out of the path by using relays. In which case, they can go wherever is most convenient for access to connectors in the existing wires and to power and, if it matters, where they are least visible.

Graham

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12 minutes ago, Iain T said:

Also any suggestions re a good crimping tool for terminals etc. 

Thanks

Iain 

I got one of these to add to the one I already had and save swapping jaws for the 6sqmm cable I want to terminate:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254699726167?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Seems to work well and has a good range of jaws with it. I've yet to try it with the plastic crimp terminals I have no few of from days of yore, but it may solve some of the problems I've had with them too.

The included screwdriver seems a bit superfluous to me, but...

Graham

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8 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

No EV for you then 😁!!!

I call them stealth cars, 'cos the bu**ers creap up and I can't hear them. It seems two extremes here with AMG and Golf GTIs trying to be as load as possible then these almost silent stealth cars. I think my rant is for another post..... 

Iain 

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When the damned things have compulsory sound warnings, you will get a choice of sound in the setup routine...

1. Wake the dead

2. Annoy the neighbours

3. GT6

4. Chelsea tractor

5. Standard saloon

6. Creep up behind and scare the sh1t out of pedestrians

You might also be able to download a custom sound from say MIG fighter downwards, off the internet or match the ring tone of your phone. Yes I have spent to much time in the sun today.

 

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11 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

When the damned things have compulsory sound warnings, you will get a choice of sound in the setup routine...

1. Wake the dead

2. Annoy the neighbours

3. GT6

4. Chelsea tractor

5. Standard saloon

6. Creep up behind and scare the sh1t out of pedestrians

You might also be able to download a custom sound from say MIG fighter downwards, off the internet or match the ring tone of your phone. Yes I have spent to much time in the sun today.

 

You got Sun?. Over here (East Coast) we have cloud, a North Wind straight from the Arctic, and Bl**dy cold for end of June @ 16C.😒

Pete

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24 degrees in the shade. 30+ in the green house, according to the thermometer. Even hotter tomorrow. On the lounger, ice cream on a stick (Lidl's yummy best), capucinno and feeling guilty that no works is being done on the spit. Life's a b1tch!!!

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14 minutes ago, Badwolf said:

24 degrees in the shade. 30+ in the green house, according to the thermometer. Even hotter tomorrow. On the lounger, ice cream on a stick (Lidl's yummy best), capucinno and feeling guilty that no works is being done on the spit. Life's a b1tch!!!

I'm same as you this year, did loads last year on the gt6 but never touched it this year, housework,ferrying kids and god knows what else. Hey ho, into year 12 ha

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Hindenburg?. R101?. Both Ghost ships?.

And don`t you just love it when others rub it in. Bah Humbug, enough to drive you to drink!. Never mind, "is it over the Yard Arm", the Gunwale will do!.

When Mine where Year 12, they had a bike and rode that to school!. Nasty daddy, wouldn`t drive them, all of 2-1/2miles.

Pete

 

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1 hour ago, A TR7 16V said:

I got one of these to add to the one I already had and save swapping jaws for the 6sqmm cable I want to terminate:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254699726167?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Seems to work well and has a good range of jaws with it. I've yet to try it with the plastic crimp terminals I have no few of from days of yore, but it may solve some of the problems I've had with them too.

The included screwdriver seems a bit superfluous to me, but...

Graham

Oddly, I just had to use exactly the jaws for the plastic insulated terminals, like the jaws pictured on the Cromwell one Pete Lewis linked to. I don't use the terminals they crimp anymore, normally I use this type with a separate sheath:

 s-l225.webp

 

 

Which need a different jaw set. I also need that type of jaw for the Lucus/RIST round pin multiway connectors on the Doly and the TR7.

But I needed to re-join a wire at the back of the alternator - the one that drives the dash lamp, etc. - and a crimp tube seemed best. 

It seemed to make a better job of it than the flat crimpers I got from RS, which made me lash out a tenner on a ratchet crimp tool. I'll see if it holds better. 

Graham

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19 hours ago, A TR7 16V said:

got one of these to add to the one I already had and save swapping jaws for the 6sqmm cable I want to terminate:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254699726167?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

Bought one very similar off Ebay so I'm ready! All I need to sort out now is what all the extra cables do and check how many amp are used. I won't use a fuse larger than the cable size, honest! 

Iain 

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On 30/06/2021 at 16:25, Iain T said:

Unfortunately I don't have electricity where I park the car so crimp only

Have you thought of a 12v soldering iron plugged into the lighter socket (and adding a lighter socket)? 

I got one from CPC for very little cost. I think I spent more on a stand for it. Seems to work well enough.

I can see there might be a problem if you need the iron to fit the lighter socket though.

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25 minutes ago, A TR7 16V said:

Have you thought of a 12v soldering iron plugged into the lighter socket (and adding a lighter socket)

I do have a USB power socket and once I sort out the wiring, the fuse box arrives tomorrow, I'll attempt to get some power to it. Simple enough the change to a lighter socket. 

I did buy a small gas powered soldering iron but that's a pile of poo! 

Iain 

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