Thread: Wiring my Car

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Sean, are you talking the wire that goes to the ignition switch???? If so, I would say the extra jumper could be for an accessory that you would want to have powered with the ignition switch in the off position.... If you do use the jumper, make sure you install an inline fuse in the wire for the accessory you wire into it... Personally, I don't like anything except the lights that isn't "powered up" by the ignition switch.

That's probably what it is, I just capped it off for now cause the headlights already have a power wire to the switch.

Thanks,
Sean

Sean that's the Harmon Kardon wire! I believe it powers the rediculously expensive subwoofer, make you go deaf and everyone in a mile of you, stereo system!

That'll come later!

I ran into another confusing step that deals with my fan. I have an aftermarket Spal fan that comes with all it's own wiring, it's pretty straight forward and has good directions. The problem is with the wiring kit, it has one wire that goes to the engine labeled "fan", under the dash is one "fan power" and another "fan fan". I would think the fan power goes to the kit on the ignition wire but I'm not sure, what do the other two do? I assume the one out to the engine is the power to the fan but I won't need that one as the kit has a heavier gauge power wire.

I could just cut all the fan wires out but I didn't want to start stacking a whole bunch of wires on the ignition switch.

I always run into these problems after EZ Wire is closed.


Thanks,

Sean

I always use a relay on a fan.... does either your harness or the new fan have a fan relay with it???? Also, is the Spal a manual control, or does it have a thermostat with it?

It has the temp sender that says it can go in the cylinder head or a water jacket. This is what I got (singal fan):

http://www.spalusa.com/fans/automate...85FH-195FH.pdf


Battery, power to fan (both heavy gauge), sender, and ignition. I figured I might as well use the heavy gauge to the battery and fan and also the sender wire but I didn't know if the ignition wire hooks to the "fan power" wire in the EZ wire kit. I might call tomorrow if I can get them during business hours.

Thanks again for all your help Dave, you better hope I don't find your number!

Sean

Originally Posted by sgo70

It has the temp sender that says it can go in the cylinder head or a water jacket. This is what I got (singal fan):

http://www.spalusa.com/fans/automate...85FH-195FH.pdf


Battery, power to fan (both heavy gauge), sender, and ignition. I figured I might as well use the heavy gauge to the battery and fan and also the sender wire but I didn't know if the ignition wire hooks to the "fan power" wire in the EZ wire kit. I might call tomorrow if I can get them during business hours.

Thanks again for all your help Dave, you better hope I don't find your number!

Sean

Sean looking good, just keep hacking at it. I know what you mean about all the wires. I think I made about forty phone calls with questions related to my projectr before I even bought the wiring kit. I imagine it will be alot more by time it gets wired. Thank god for repair lines at those places!

Thanks,

It's taking a lot longer to wire than I thought, I keep getting side tracked with our house build and work. I'm starting to really hate banks and people that work for the city. I'm working on getting a developement permit so I can then send in a permit to build. Then I need a permit to tear the old house down and another permit to get electricity and then............

Just a few wires left on the dash and I just ordered some braided wires from Speedway for my headlights.

Sean

Hey Sean, if it was too easy then everybody would do it and guys like me would have to get a real job!!!!!!

Hi, I just found this thread and it is very useful. I am on hold due to an unheated garage and average mid-20s F temps. I thought the argument over crimp vs. solder favored crimping and so far the soldering gun I have for electronics (gun type) won't melt solder on long wires. It looks like the heat just goes into the wire and you can't get enough local heat to make the solder flow. Dave's comment about the conducting paste sounds like a good idea. I have the "Its a SNAP" wiring kit and it came with a pretty good circuit diagram which I am learning to appreciate. I am using several long lengths of the corregated split plastic tube for the various groups of wires but my main problem is how/where to route the wires to the front. I brought the wires to the front through a hole in the floor board and then to the outside of the left frame rail to avoid engine heat and the left header but so far I am stuck on how to get the wires to the headlight bucket on the right. It is either along the very crowded space at the bottom of the radiator where there is already a brake line and two lines to the trans cooler very close to the bottm edge of the fan swing or to run the wires to the right headlight bucket under the frame but so far have not found a way under the front apron that won't be at risk for a "hang-low snag". I have thought of running the wires through the frame but that does not solve the problem of how to get the wires across to the right headlight bucket. I will watch what you do here and try to learn until the weather gets a bit warmer.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Hey Don,

I'm not sure if this is good practice for soldering but it's what I found works in that type of situation. I hold the iron on the connector (non-insulated) and have the solder wire touching both the wire and the connector on the side away from the wire until it transfers enough heat to melt, sometimes I'll just give a quick tap on the iron to get a drip to the wire. This gives it a direct conduction and seems to heat up faster thus not heating the wire behind the connector too much. Then I add the shrink wrap over it. Somebody let me know if this is a bad thing but it seems to work fine.

Also I find if I pre-heat the solder gun tip before I use it it starts out hotter and works faster.

Sean

The more I read about this the more confused I'm becoming. I've been looking at maxi fuses and fusible links and the different places people put them all. Just wondering what you guys suggest for this. I know I need something from the alternator to the main power at the starter but I was thinking I should put something from my main power going under the dash. I've also read about putting fusible links to my headlights, is that necessary.

Thanks,
Sean

I'd definitely put a maxi fuse in the main feed to the dash. I use a relay on my headlights, keeps from having to run the feed wire for them through the switch...and I always have a fuse in the high power feed, as well as one on the switch. I don't like fusable links, to tough to tell when they're blown. A fuse is much easier...

I have a maxi fuse feeding my AAW panel, another in the starter control circuit and a third for my always hot sub panel for my stereo brain feed and my electric trunk lift. I also have relays for my fan, my head lights and the heat/ac.

Fusible links have some major drawbacks, the worst being a potential fire source. Ford, after many fires, one of which happened on my son's '85 F150, was the last to get away from them as OEM. What can happen is that they can overheat without blowing apart and often cause significant wire bundle damage or potentially even start a fire in a bundle which will then travel to other combustible areas. Another problem with them is that the failed link is often difficult to find especially on a cold, dark and windy night in West Overshoe, SD when a fuse can be found in a few seconds in your panel or in a line and replaced (after the cause of failure is corrected, of course)

Thanks, I bought some maxi fuses today in 50 amp and a couple of 30 amp. I figure a 30 for my fan since it comes with a 30 inline fuse.

I'm not sure for my alternator if a 50 would be enough, it's 100 amp max but I don't have much for electrical draw. Also would 50 be too much for my main power to under dash???

One other thing for guys like me that want a good diagram I came across this site with a 16 page explanation and diagrams, some very good stuff in there. Just click on the installation guide, I printed up a copy right away.

http://stores.homestead.com/ez2wire/...late=wiringfaq

Sean