Is anyone other than me an automotive wiring nerd?

[holyford86]

Or is it just me? It's one of the more enjoyable things I do. I've done a couple complete vehicles (early broncos with obd2 explorer 5.0s), Ranger v8 swaps, adapting different components to different platforms, aftermarket stuff, to name a few. I like well routed and accessible harnesses and have been using weatherproof connectors for years, Delphi weatherpack and metripack, along with deutsch dt connectors are most of what I use.

What works for everyone? Any good projects? Always open to learning more and improving my skills and knowledge. Figured it may be better to post here than the general electrical subforum since I don't really have an issue (other than questionable mental stability maybe)

 

[Snoranger]

Back in the early 90’s I build a custom wiring harness for my buddy’s Buick Skyhawk to run a 1.8l off a 2.0L ECM.

Sometime after that I built a custom harness to run my SOHC swapped Explorer of the 4.0L EEC-IV OHV.

 

[flyin-lowe]

I can't wire a light switch, so won't be wiring any vehicles lately. Just not my thing.

 

[broncc]

Designing cable harnesses is part of my day job so I don't really go looking for more projects after... but I do enjoy repairing/modifying my car to a high standard.

I'd always say work on improving the quality of your work. Switch from insulated crimps to uninsulated with adhesive lined shrink. Get good at de-pinning/re-pinning connectors and replacing individual contacts as they fail. For completely new circuits use Weatherpack or Deutsch. Put all harness mods into sleeving and wrap it tight. Wind new "fir tree" clips into the tape or use P-clips. Super 88 is a much better tape than the 99c HFT junk. If you're adding auxiliary circuits to the car, try to add a new fuse to the factory fuse panel instead of a loose wire right to the battery terminal. Buy a zip tie gun that cuts the tail at the same time.

 

[Curious Hound]

I'm just a nerd.

I started learning electrical stuff as a little kid in the 70's. Dad taught me to pay attention to detail and put forth my best effort. Is all my electrical work neat and pretty? No. Sometimes the job has to be done a bit quicker or finances don't provide the fancy pieces and parts. But I do enjoy electrical wiring and trying to do my best.

Just put this together today. It's going to be a power station for overlanding. When finished, it will mount on home made drawer slides under the bed, right behind the cab on my Ranger. It contains;

• One 120VAC duplex outlet
• Two USB power hubs including USB A and USB C ports
• Two 12VDC power ports.

Should give me a place to charge camera or power tool batteries, run a laptop, plug in my air mattress pump, etc.

 

[Snoranger]

Buy a zip tie gun that cuts the tail at the same time.

I only cut zip ties to 1/2 to 3/4” long at a 45° angle.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I only cut zip ties to 1/2 to 3/4” long at a 45° angle.

If someone is gonna hotwire you gotta make them work for it!

I have fun laying out and planning all the added electrical stuff I have added to my truck. Currently planning a major fuse panel upgrade.

 

[holyford86]

Back in the early 90’s I build a custom wiring harness for my buddy’s Buick Skyhawk to run a 1.8l off a 2.0L ECM.

Sometime after that I built a custom harness to run my SOHC swapped Explorer of the 4.0L EEC-IV OHV.

The first "real" project I did beyond aftermarket lights and stereo things was the 4.0 swap in my 86, I haven't stopped since.

Designing cable harnesses is part of my day job so I don't really go looking for more projects after... but I do enjoy repairing/modifying my car to a high standard.

I'd always say work on improving the quality of your work. Switch from insulated crimps to uninsulated with adhesive lined shrink. Get good at de-pinning/re-pinning connectors and replacing individual contacts as they fail. For completely new circuits use Weatherpack or Deutsch. Put all harness mods into sleeving and wrap it tight. Wind new "fir tree" clips into the tape or use P-clips. Super 88 is a much better tape than the 99c HFT junk. If you're adding auxiliary circuits to the car, try to add a new fuse to the factory fuse panel instead of a loose wire right to the battery terminal. Buy a zip tie gun that cuts the tail at the same time.

Im a fleet mechanic by trade, working on everything from small engines to school buses, I'm the shop diagnostic guy, lots of electrical diag and repair but not much building and designing, so it allows me to keep the two separate in my mind, haha.

I'm always trying to improve things, I've been going through my 86 piece by piece as far as the additions I've made over the years, taking new knowledge and making it better and safer, I can't even count the times I've pulled things out and questioned why I did them the way I did 20 years ago, haha.

The almost 40 year old ford connectors and sections of wiring here and there are failing and I've mostly removed all of the factory connectors and replaced with a combination of weatherpack and dt stuff. Dt is my new favorite because the connectors are easy to terminate and populate compared to weatherpack and they are more dense as far as pin arrangement goes so they take up less space.

I'm a tape snob and prefer super 33 because of its workability, 88 is too thick for my taste in most cases, even though it is quite nice stuff as well. I'll loom as necessary to protect wires over and above the tape as needed also. I have a zip tie gun but prefer flush cutting pliers for most things unless I'm tightening and trimming a ton of stuff. Lately I've also found Christmas tree zip ties which are wonderful to work with.

I'm just a nerd.

I started learning electrical stuff as a little kid in the 70's. Dad taught me to pay attention to detail and put forth my best effort. Is all my electrical work neat and pretty? No. Sometimes the job has to be done a bit quicker or finances don't provide the fancy pieces and parts. But I do enjoy electrical wiring and trying to do my best.

Just put this together today. It's going to be a power station for overlanding. When finished, it will mount on home made drawer slides under the bed, right behind the cab on my Ranger. It contains;

• One 120VAC duplex outlet
• Two USB power hubs including USB A and USB C ports
• Two 12VDC power ports.

Should give me a place to charge camera or power tool batteries, run a laptop, plug in my air mattress pump, etc.

View attachment 122056

View attachment 122057

I'm mostly self taught as far as it all goes, I learned how to take broken computers and make working ones when I was a kid (when I first was on TRS back in 2004 it was on a computer I built from trash) mom was an art teacher for 25 years and I learned a lot about spatial awareness and how to make things flow, which has proven to have quite a bit of relevance even to wiring.

There's always a cost to build to, my overland trailer build vs my truck is a good comparison, the trailer is quite serviceable electrically but isn't really designed to take on being dunked in water, the parts selected for both, along with where things are located reflects these differences. I'd say that panel you're building looks quite nice and should serve it's purpose quite well. Is that a water resistant project box or something repourposed?

 

[holyford86]

I only cut zip ties to 1/2 to 3/4” long at a 45° angle.

I already have enough trouble sleeping, and you're not being any help

If someone is gonna hotwire you gotta make them work for it!

I have fun laying out and planning all the added electrical stuff I have added to my truck. Currently planning a major fuse panel upgrade.

I also have fun with it, its relaxing to me, like spicy jigsaw puzzles.

I replaced a couple fuse blocks and relays for all of my added stuff with a bussman RTMR a few years back, really helped out with simplifying and cleaning things up. What's the upgrade you're planning?

If anyone hasn't checked out Waytek Wire yet, you should, it's a wonderful site for those sorts of things.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

I only cut zip ties to 1/2 to 3/4” long at a 45° angle.

I would cuss you hahahaha

 

[Snoranger]

I would cuss you hahahaha

I already have enough trouble sleeping, and you're not being any help

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.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

I’ve been working on designing a zip tie sharpener… I don’t feel that your typical cutters don’t 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.

Oh sounds like you used to wire tour bus interiors. I swear every repair I look like I've battled a bobcat over lunch haha

 

[broncc]

I had a coworker who was unbelievably strict about cutting zip ties. He would feel every one with his finger and scold you if one was missed. One day I got around to asking him about his reasons for being such a hardo. His boss at a previous job cut down his arm reaching into a cabinet and almost bled out waiting for an ambulance. Needless to say, everyone cuts them flush now.

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

I had a coworker who was unbelievably strict about cutting zip ties. He would feel every one with his finger and scold you if one was missed. One day I got around to asking him about his reasons for being such a hardo. His boss at a previous job cut down his arm reaching into a cabinet and almost bled out waiting for an ambulance. Needless to say, everyone cuts them flush now.

See this guy gets it haha. I'm not that strick. But I also supply each electrical employee a set of strippers, crimper, and pull tie cutters.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What's the upgrade you're planning?

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.