• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Is anyone other than me an automotive wiring nerd?


Curious Hound

Formerly EricBphoto
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
17,106
Reaction score
20,073
Age
60
Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.
Is that a water resistant project box or something repourposed?
I just Googled waterproof electrical box and picked one I liked. It seems pretty good. Nice gasket seal and tight latches. When it arrived, the other day, I couldn't get the cover open. It had been outside in the cold and drew a vacuum inside. I sat it by the fireplace for a while until the air inside warmed up. I'll probably blob some silicon caulk around the strain reliefs just for good measure when it's installed on the truck.

For reference, here is a job I did 2 weeks ago at work. We replaced a machine. I had to unwire the old control box and wire in the new one. That included relocating the 2 big relays and a selector switch from old to new, which is a mod we do to these machines in-house to control a motor operated valve. No diagrams for the mod. It just has to be added and stuffed in the new box. Still not up to the standards I would prefer. But I only had 1 shift to get it done. The old box was a typical 20 year old rats nest.
IMG_0754.jpeg
 

gaz

Well-Known Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
1,640
Reaction score
796
Location
Wa, Bremerton 98310
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
87Ranger Endrigo 2.9l, 87BII Endrigo 4.0l
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Ranger 5" (1½" Hiryder/3" body), BII 4" Procomp
Total Drop
Ranger 5sp, BII A4LD
Tire Size
Ranger 32"/4:10LS, BII 33"/3:73LS
My credo
Deengineer until it is how Blue Oval should have sold it!!
@holyford86

When I decided to use an OHV 4.0l in a BII, I also decided to rebuild a complete new 4.0 harness. It is worth it just to have reasonable access to different areas of the engine bay, let alone to have increased reliability in a 30 year old platform.

Heat resistant conduit, +1 gauge multi strand OFC wire fully wrapped and routed fir access using a stand alone relay controlled light harness, powered strait from.thr battery.

Unfortunately, gasoline probably won't be available by the time my harnesses are rebuilt 🙅🙅🙅
 

RobbieD

2.9l Mafia
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
4,553
Reaction score
4,489
Location
Georgia
Vehicle Year
1984,1990,1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
Toonces drives a Ranger . . . . just not very well.
I’ve been working on designing a zip tie sharpener… I don’t feel that your typical cutters leave them sharp enough. It’s also hard to get the correct angle when there’s barely enough space to squeeze your arm in between a harness and a solid object…. You know the space where those extra sharp zip tie dig into your forearms and basically trap you.
Have you considered painting curare on the ends? Then they get paralyzed in the act, and you can administer a good old-fashioned ass-whooping when you find 'em.

Or better yet just smear feces on the ends; then they go home and die from the infection.

Years ago I worked on a Jeep, that the owner had made a bracket under the radio with razor knife blades welded all over it. He told me that he had had one theft attempt since he made it, in which the would-be thief didn't get the radio, but he did leave a big bloody mess.
 

holyford86

Some guy with a problem
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
2,321
Reaction score
987
Age
38
Location
Plattsburgh, NY
Vehicle Year
many
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
7
Tire Size
33x12.50R15
I currently have Deep Blue Sea fuse panels. They work fine but the footprint is huge and they force relays to live wherever they can cling to something solid. Kind of a spaghetti pile. One is battery constant and one is key power.



I used one of these for my efans that wasn't prewired to set it up so they would run with either the A/C or engine temp and really liked it. Not waterproof but compact and lots of capacity.

Amazon.com: RVBOATPAT 12 Volt Fuse Relay Box Pre-Wired Fuse and Relay Box with 4 Relays and 12 Way ATC/ATO Fuses Sealed 12V Relay Fuse Box Block for Auto Car Marine Boat : Automotive



So I am going to have one of the prewired ones and one I wire myself.
It seems you have the same issue I had, functional but large. That Amazon setup seems similar to the route I went. The setup I used has 5 relay places and 10 ATM fuse places. All of the relays have the negative control pin pre terminated to a common stud, and all the fuses terminated to a positive stud. I wired fuses 1-5 to relays 1-5 and used the other 5 fuse locations for things such as a common control circuit for all the relays, and circuit breakers for the trailer wiring. My only complaint with the Amazon setup is the lack of sealing on the terminals, but that could be a non issue depending on your usage case and mounting location, I've just been scarred by dealing with many rotten unsealed terminals on chrysler TIPMs, haha. Are those Mercedes fans?

I just Googled waterproof electrical box and picked one I liked. It seems pretty good. Nice gasket seal and tight latches. When it arrived, the other day, I couldn't get the cover open. It had been outside in the cold and drew a vacuum inside. I sat it by the fireplace for a while until the air inside warmed up. I'll probably blob some silicon caulk around the strain reliefs just for good measure when it's installed on the truck.

For reference, here is a job I did 2 weeks ago at work. We replaced a machine. I had to unwire the old control box and wire in the new one. That included relocating the 2 big relays and a selector switch from old to new, which is a mod we do to these machines in-house to control a motor operated valve. No diagrams for the mod. It just has to be added and stuffed in the new box. Still not up to the standards I would prefer. But I only had 1 shift to get it done. The old box was a typical 20 year old rats nest.View attachment 122067
That's usually a good sign that it vacuum sealed, haha. I'd almost wonder if a liberal coating of dielectric grease before tightening the strain reliefs would be enough, as long as it isn't where water is driving at it.

That's a reasonable control station, I'm a little rusty on identifying industrial lego visually these days though, so I appreciate the brief description, haha.

@holyford86

When I decided to use an OHV 4.0l in a BII, I also decided to rebuild a complete new 4.0 harness. It is worth it just to have reasonable access to different areas of the engine bay, let alone to have increased reliability in a 30 year old platform.

Heat resistant conduit, +1 gauge multi strand OFC wire fully wrapped and routed fir access using a stand alone relay controlled light harness, powered strait from.thr battery.

Unfortunately, gasoline probably won't be available by the time my harnesses are rebuilt 🙅🙅🙅
That's above and beyond, but it should be nice. When I did my 4.0 swap, I pulled the loom, inspected the wires, and removed what I didn't need. The broncos I did, I did similar but visually inspected every inch of every wire and repaired/upgraded as necessary, then added all of the more modern things in then taped it back up after. For 50 year old wire, it was still flexible and solid, and much of it now controls relays instead of the full load of accessories, which all use relays and new wire, or in the case of the lights, far less amperage because they're all led now.
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
Truck of Month
TRS Event Participant
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
3,466
Reaction score
6,224
Age
69
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
I feel compelled to chime in. I’ve done some simple projects, I’ve done some complex projects, I’ve done a bunch of weird projects, you name it, I could get it to work.

When I was young, my modus operandi was wiring or fixing whatever I had to do with what I could find on the side of the road or in the scrap yard. I knew all the basics so it was a matter of finding the right used stuff and making it work efficiently. Rather than run anything like a factory set up, I usually ran a couple of 2 or 3 inch loops at my turns and joints so there was plenty of spare wire to make modifications.

my first full vehicle rewire was my 56 Dodge telephone truck, a pick up with a service body. It was 6 V and it had a high and low headlights, marker lights, aftermarket turn signals rear marker lights, and brake lights, and a dome light. The wipers worked off vacuum. There were only three or four wires that ran to the engine, a flathead six with an oil bath carburetor.

everything was wired correctly, but it was wired with 1950s cotton coated wire. After the third or fourth time I lost something on the road, I got a bunch of lamp ZIP cord in 18 gauge and in 16 gauge and I rewired the whole truck in about an hour and a half. I had to get a few pieces of heavier wire for some things around the engine, those came cut out from the pull apart. Ran like a charm the rest of the time I had it.

later on my trailers, the Road Ranger, the missing link, etc. I ran all kinds of accessories after the basic lights. I never had a plan. I had a picture of the items I wanted to add in my head, but I mostly wired them one by one. That led to pretty good spaghetti, but I could always zip it together in a decent fashion. Most projects have inconsistent wires, but they’re all strong enough for the load. I used the cheap heat shrink cramps, and in critical locations, I will also slide heat shrink over them.

In more recent years, I have run many little strobe lights here and there or market lights. These have micro amperage. I have used transformer wire, I’ve used cat five using each pair as one line, and I’ve used fire signal wire from sprinkler systems. Aluminum speaker wire was a bust Boy, I really don’t recommend those last few to anybody on anything, but I had it in the shed of miracles and it all worked fine on the low-voltage.

Hence, the real reason I wanted to add to the post, is whatever the heck you guys do and no matter how hokey you do it, you could always point to me and say it’s a hell of a lot better than the way Rick does it!

My two cents, I hope it makes you laugh, and I hope veryit helps
 

85_Ranger4x4

Wallows in rivers
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Article Contributor
V8 Engine Swap
OTOTM Winner
TRS Banner 2010-2011
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
33,989
Reaction score
21,887
Location
SW Iowa
Vehicle Year
1985
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
V8
Engine Size
5.0
Transmission
Manual
It seems you have the same issue I had, functional but large. That Amazon setup seems similar to the route I went. The setup I used has 5 relay places and 10 ATM fuse places. All of the relays have the negative control pin pre terminated to a common stud, and all the fuses terminated to a positive stud. I wired fuses 1-5 to relays 1-5 and used the other 5 fuse locations for things such as a common control circuit for all the relays, and circuit breakers for the trailer wiring. My only complaint with the Amazon setup is the lack of sealing on the terminals, but that could be a non issue depending on your usage case and mounting location, I've just been scarred by dealing with many rotten unsealed terminals on chrysler TIPMs, haha. Are those Mercedes fans?
That was kind of the kerfuffle with the efan control "module". The temp sensor on the engine grounded the relay to engage the fans. The A/C switch puts 12v to the compressor to engage it. So to get the efans to engage with both the engine temp sensor AND the dash switch for the A/C I had to kinda dance around playing with relays to keep everybody from going to war with each other if the engine got to temp and I had the A/C on.



That lil guy lives behind the DS headlight, it is tight.



The non sealed thing was a concern but really they are mounted high enough that if they get flooded there is a good chance the engine isn't going to make it. You can see them on the PS inner fender in the efan running pic. If a guy hydrolocks his engine and swamps is new interior who cares if the fuses got wet?

I do have the cover that hid all the nasty 2.8 solenoids/relays to add additional splash deflections.



They are more sealed than what I have and I haven't had an issue with them yet.

I don't know what the deal was with the TIPM's, in a previous life I sold a pile of those things lol. It got real fun as they decided to quit making/remanning the older ones...

And yes they are C230 Kompressor fans pulled by the infamous @PetroleumJunkie412 himself.
 

Robertmangrum.rm

Wannabe Overlander
TRS Event Staff
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
1,712
Reaction score
2,416
Age
49
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle Year
2020
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2.5 level kit with rear add a leaf appox. 1.5
Tire Size
285/75r17
My credo
Buy it, build it, and drive it like you stole it
Just to let you guys know what I do. I turn this
20250108_045259.jpg

Into this about 12 to 15 times a year haha
20250108_045407.jpg
20250108_045327.jpg

For these
20250108_045824.jpg
 

snoranger

Professional money waster
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
ASE Certified Tech
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
13,549
Reaction score
15,130
Location
Jackson, NJ. And Manahawkin too.
Vehicle Year
'79,'94,'02,'23
Make / Model
All Fords
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
I didn't ask for your life story, just answer the question!
Here’s the switch panel I built for my first SxS. I’m trying to find some pics of the fuse/relay block and wiring. I’ll post them when I find them.
IMG_2148.jpeg


IMG_2136.jpeg
 

MaicoDoug

Well-Known Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
654
Reaction score
555
Location
Texas
Vehicle Year
2007
Make / Model
Ranger FX4 LVL2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
Wiring.....temporary is alright for testing, but the final install should be as good as or better than OEM. Electrical failures are 90% why structures catch fire. This includes portable heaters. I love pilot lights on relays, however they can backfeed through the light (LED) and I'm scratching my head again!

I was so impressed as a kid how NASA - Houston (JSC) and other experts (contractors) troubleshot electrical issues (including intermittent sensors) from the ground in their lab where what was flying was laid out with the same exact equipment and their ability to simulate and recommend the action required. Logical explanations with drawings will always be a high level skill set & something that requires patience, intelligence, & experience. Nice to see that here!
 

holyford86

Some guy with a problem
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
2,321
Reaction score
987
Age
38
Location
Plattsburgh, NY
Vehicle Year
many
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
7
Tire Size
33x12.50R15
I feel compelled to chime in. I’ve done some simple projects, I’ve done some complex projects, I’ve done a bunch of weird projects, you name it, I could get it to work.

When I was young, my modus operandi was wiring or fixing whatever I had to do with what I could find on the side of the road or in the scrap yard. I knew all the basics so it was a matter of finding the right used stuff and making it work efficiently. Rather than run anything like a factory set up, I usually ran a couple of 2 or 3 inch loops at my turns and joints so there was plenty of spare wire to make modifications.

my first full vehicle rewire was my 56 Dodge telephone truck, a pick up with a service body. It was 6 V and it had a high and low headlights, marker lights, aftermarket turn signals rear marker lights, and brake lights, and a dome light. The wipers worked off vacuum. There were only three or four wires that ran to the engine, a flathead six with an oil bath carburetor.

everything was wired correctly, but it was wired with 1950s cotton coated wire. After the third or fourth time I lost something on the road, I got a bunch of lamp ZIP cord in 18 gauge and in 16 gauge and I rewired the whole truck in about an hour and a half. I had to get a few pieces of heavier wire for some things around the engine, those came cut out from the pull apart. Ran like a charm the rest of the time I had it.

later on my trailers, the Road Ranger, the missing link, etc. I ran all kinds of accessories after the basic lights. I never had a plan. I had a picture of the items I wanted to add in my head, but I mostly wired them one by one. That led to pretty good spaghetti, but I could always zip it together in a decent fashion. Most projects have inconsistent wires, but they’re all strong enough for the load. I used the cheap heat shrink cramps, and in critical locations, I will also slide heat shrink over them.

In more recent years, I have run many little strobe lights here and there or market lights. These have micro amperage. I have used transformer wire, I’ve used cat five using each pair as one line, and I’ve used fire signal wire from sprinkler systems. Aluminum speaker wire was a bust Boy, I really don’t recommend those last few to anybody on anything, but I had it in the shed of miracles and it all worked fine on the low-voltage.

Hence, the real reason I wanted to add to the post, is whatever the heck you guys do and no matter how hokey you do it, you could always point to me and say it’s a hell of a lot better than the way Rick does it!

My two cents, I hope it makes you laugh, and I hope veryit helps
I've spent a large amount of time learning what didn't work, and melted a ton of wires and components in the process, haha. You're making it work, and if it works, there's something to be said for that, that's what revisions are for, to make it better.

@85_Ranger4x4 that seems like an elegant way to make that fan issue work. Is that a program you're using to generate diagrams? If it is, what is it? I've got very many hand drawn diagrams but it would be nice to have them stored electronically.

@Robertmangrum.rm what're you building for a platform? Prevost?

@MaicoDoug that's what I try to do, I've been working on shuttle buses built on Ford chassis for the entirety of my career, the way they tie into the oem stuff is always poorly routed and half ass terminated, it usually always fails at these points. At one time we had 3 of them built at the same time with consecutive vin numbers on the chassis, all of them were wired completely differently, even though they likely went down the line one after the other. I've learned a lot about how not to do things from fixing these. And don't even get me started on bluebird school buses, haha.
 

Robertmangrum.rm

Wannabe Overlander
TRS Event Staff
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
1,712
Reaction score
2,416
Age
49
Location
Tennessee
Vehicle Year
2020
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2.5 level kit with rear add a leaf appox. 1.5
Tire Size
285/75r17
My credo
Buy it, build it, and drive it like you stole it
I've spent a large amount of time learning what didn't work, and melted a ton of wires and components in the process, haha. You're making it work, and if it works, there's something to be said for that, that's what revisions are for, to make it better.

@85_Ranger4x4 that seems like an elegant way to make that fan issue work. Is that a program you're using to generate diagrams? If it is, what is it? I've got very many hand drawn diagrams but it would be nice to have them stored electronically.

@Robertmangrum.rm what're you building for a platform? Prevost?

@MaicoDoug that's what I try to do, I've been working on shuttle buses built on Ford chassis for the entirety of my career, the way they tie into the oem stuff is always poorly routed and half ass terminated, it usually always fails at these points. At one time we had 3 of them built at the same time with consecutive vin numbers on the chassis, all of them were wired completely differently, even though they likely went down the line one after the other. I've learned a lot about how not to do things from fixing these. And don't even get me started on bluebird school buses, haha.
Yes sir. Prevost is our main platform. We have done some MCIs and Eagles. But Prevost is the top of the line when it comes to bus chassis
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
14,319
Reaction score
15,601
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17
I do not enjoy doing electrical work. I can get the job done and usually don't have any problems but I don't enjoy it. I don't hate it either. It's just there, staring at me with hate and spite.
 

holyford86

Some guy with a problem
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
2,321
Reaction score
987
Age
38
Location
Plattsburgh, NY
Vehicle Year
many
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
7
Tire Size
33x12.50R15
@Robertmangrum.rm Prevost had a final assembly line in my town for a few years, structures came down from Canada and were assembled here. I've been in and around them a handful of times and it's a whole different level compared to the platforms I'm familiar with.

@sgtsandman Sounds like me with brakes and 4.6/5.4/6.8 exhaust manifolds, haha
 

Rick W

Lil Big Rig
Supporting Member
Truck of Month
TRS Event Participant
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
May 15, 2020
Messages
3,466
Reaction score
6,224
Age
69
Location
Atlanta
Vehicle Year
1997 1987
Make / Model
Ranger XLT x2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0 & 2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
97 stock, 3” on 87
Total Drop
N/A
Tire Size
235/75-15
My credo
Never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely
I do not enjoy doing electrical work. I can get the job done and usually don't have any problems but I don't enjoy it. I don't hate it either. It's just there, staring at me with hate and spite.
By any chance, is your mother-in-law’s name “Electrical Work?”
 

sgtsandman

Aircraft Fuel Tank Diver
TRS Forum Moderator
U.S. Military - Active
TRS 20th Anniversary
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
Ham Radio Operator
GMRS Radio License
TRS 25th Anniversary
Joined
Mar 11, 2017
Messages
14,319
Reaction score
15,601
Location
Aliquippa, PA
Vehicle Year
2011/2019
Make / Model
Ranger XLT/FX4
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC/2.3 Ecoboost
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Pre-2008 lift/Stock
Tire Size
31X10.5R15/265/65R17

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Today's birthdays

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Truck of The Year


Kirby N.
2024 Truck of The Year!

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Vagabond Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Top