Thread: Electricals - phew

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That looks like the 1986 panel that he produced - and looks good. Take a look here at the "history" of the Ron Francis panels". http://www.ronfrancis.com/images/chart-file10.jpg

Yours was made before every manufacturer felt that they had to pre terminate and micro size the panels. Preterminating and miniaturization would have made my wiring job even more of a nightmare with routing and rerouting some of my wires on my '31. As it is, it's tough to even read the lettering on my AAW module - and that's far from being tiny.

IC2, just curious if you've been testing the wiring as you go?

Either for continuity or voltage to the component being wired.

I did both when I wired my 32 roadster from scratch.
Worked well with a battery in place along with a master cut-off switch.

I wired the 32 like an airplane.
Separate fuses for everything.
One for left high beam, one for left low beam, etc.
Never did understand why you should lose every light in the car just cuz one wire shorted.

Takes some extra wire and relays are used where needed so that full battery voltage goes to a particular component.
Like the fuel pump.
Voltage to pumps can drop 1-2 volts lower than battery voltage depending on how long a run of wire you have.
Once you add fuel pump safety switches etc. you can have a very long run of wire to the pump.

While interesting to do it this way and it's been very trouble free, in the end it costs about the same as the wiring kits.

But . . . I have bigger wire and sturdier terminals along with mucho ease in trouble shooting.

Haven't had any problems in the wiring dept.

If you do your own, be sure to add 2-3 circuits for future expansion.
Heater & cigarette lighter for a power plug - which I added later - a wire is in place for a radio one of these days and another wire is strung under the dash.
All of them with their own fuse.

Lots easier to add stuff up front than later on....

Originally Posted by C9x

IC2, just curious if you've been testing the wiring as you go?

Either for continuity or voltage to the component being wired.

I did both when I wired my 32 roadster from scratch.
Worked well with a battery in place along with a master cut-off switch.

I wired the 32 like an airplane.
Separate fuses for everything.
One for left high beam, one for left low beam, etc.
Never did understand why you should lose every light in the car just cuz one wire shorted.

Takes some extra wire and relays are used where needed so that full battery voltage goes to a particular component.
Like the fuel pump.
Voltage to pumps can drop 1-2 volts lower than battery voltage depending on how long a run of wire you have.
Once you add fuel pump safety switches etc. you can have a very long run of wire to the pump.

While interesting to do it this way and it's been very trouble free, in the end it costs about the same as the wiring kits.

But . . . I have bigger wire and sturdier terminals along with mucho ease in trouble shooting.

Haven't had any problems in the wiring dept.

If you do your own, be sure to add 2-3 circuits for future expansion.
Heater & cigarette lighter for a power plug - which I added later - a wire is in place for a radio one of these days and another wire is strung under the dash.
All of them with their own fuse.

Lots easier to add stuff up front than later on....

So far I haven't fully tested the wiring but have added relays - fan, head lights along with another for the hi/low switch - which is one of the time consumers along with trying to make neat runs. I've also added a non-master switched and fused sub panel with a maxi fuse in its' main power lead and with a separate shut off(radio/power trunk lift that was a slip in my sanity).

Since I don't have an electric fuel pump, I don't have a problem there with a wire run.

The AAW module will have plenty of spare spaces when I'm done as I originally purchased it, a 22 circuit unit, for a sedan that I have since sold so will have a "power point" along with the always present radio and of course, a/c and a heater, also purchased for the sedan project.

Next on the agenda are final terminations, full continuity check, crank and start and 'clean up'.

Originally Posted by IC2

So far I haven't fully tested the wiring but have added relays - fan, head lights along with another for the hi/low switch - which is one of the time consumers along with trying to make neat runs. I've also added a non-master switched and fused sub panel with a maxi fuse in its' main power lead and with a separate shut off(radio/power trunk lift that was a slip in my sanity).


Next on the agenda are final terminations, full continuity check, crank and start and 'clean up'.

Hi Dave. Like you I've been making time for wiring the car. It's been a real bear when the humidity is higher than the air temp! That little car is like a sauna some times! LOL.. I have a question I hope you or someone migth be able to answer. I have a inline brake pressure switch with 2 studs for electric connections. Do you (or anyone) know who may have a female connector that goes over this switch? I've been trying "stuff" to get onto the studs but am just not happy with my results thus far. Any help appreciated.

Hey, I just finished up my summer job and am reviewing this thread to get back to my wiring problem/project. My only positive comment is that I have found that if I put a wet towel around my neck, the heat in the garage is no problem!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Originally Posted by 34_40

Hi Dave. Like you I've been making time for wiring the car. It's been a real bear when the humidity is higher than the air temp! That little car is like a sauna some times! LOL.. I have a question I hope you or someone migth be able to answer. I have a inline brake pressure switch with 2 studs for electric connections. Do you (or anyone) know who may have a female connector that goes over this switch? I've been trying "stuff" to get onto the studs but am just not happy with my results thus far. Any help appreciated.

Could you supply a picture of the switch in question?

Originally Posted by 34_40

Hi Dave. Like you I've been making time for wiring the car. It's been a real bear when the humidity is higher than the air temp! That little car is like a sauna some times! LOL.. I have a question I hope you or someone migth be able to answer. I have a inline brake pressure switch with 2 studs for electric connections. Do you (or anyone) know who may have a female connector that goes over this switch? I've been trying "stuff" to get onto the studs but am just not happy with my results thus far. Any help appreciated.

Mike,
My parts store had a couple and I also picked up a couple from Kwik-Wire at NSRA York. Another way - all (real) older Fords had these as their brake switch connector - so a junk yard......maybe

Mike and Don - the temp here hasn't been too bad, but, like you say, the humidity is unreal this year. Then with the amount of rain we've had, the wet areas in the woods behind me that the Army Corps of Engineers says doesn't exist, has continued to raise squadrons of mosquitoes making bombing runs with black flies as interceptors. Interesting trying to swat a whine in the ear while under the car

Originally Posted by IC2

Mike,
My parts store had a couple and I also picked up a couple from Kwik-Wire at NSRA York. Another way - all (real) older Fords had these as their brake switch connector - so a junk yard......maybe

Mike and Don - the temp here hasn't been too bad, but, like you say, the humidity is unreal this year. Then with the amount of rain we've had, the wet areas in the woods behind me that the Army Corps of Engineers says doesn't exist, has continued to raise squadrons of mosquitoes making bombing runs with black flies as interceptors. Interesting trying to swat a whine in the ear while under the car

While I don't have a picture to post, I can search (google) for Kwik-Wire and I'll double check my local auto parts stores. There's one here that prides themselves on having parts for "anything old"..

Dave, my in-laws just got back from a vacation in Maine and they complained of the same situation. Skeeters & Blackfly... They started earlier than usual this year too!

Thanks Guys!

I did search for Brake Switch Connectors and discovered that Haywire and American Auto Wire sell the same switch I have. Yet, neither show a connector for that switch. We'll see if they answer an e-mail regarding that switch connection. Thanks Guys!

A standard female blue bullet connector works. I just installed 2 of these and that's what I used.

Originally Posted by bentwings

A standard female blue bullet connector works. I just installed 2 of these and that's what I used.

Yeah, that's what I used also but I don't feel like it's the greatest way to do it. I was hoping to find a connector that would completely cover the switch and protect the connections from road dirt and rain, etc. etc.

I just figured there was a better way to do it. Thanks,

I am following this thread and hopefully learning. You guys worry over stuff I haven't thought about yet, but the brake light switch I got from Speedway does look flimsy and will be down where it can indeed pick up dirt and water. I wonder if it would be possible to use that liquid rubber stuff (Glyptol????) that you can use to put insulating handles on pliers and screwdrivers for electrical tools would work. If the whole switch could be dipped in that stuff it could be trimmed with a sharp knife and could provide a tight sheath which might be fairly waterproof? It might be necessary to block off the holes first to keep the rubbery stuff from getting inside. Just thinking ahead to a problem you guys have already come to.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

You can put the bullet connectors on and us some heat shrink if you want. You can use 2 sizes too for a good fit. You really aren't going to take them off anytime soon.

I use a butane lighter to shrink the stuff. Works great.

Originally Posted by bentwings

You can put the bullet connectors on and us some heat shrink if you want. You can use 2 sizes too for a good fit. You really aren't going to take them off anytime soon.

I use a butane lighter to shrink the stuff. Works great.

I did recieve a e-mail reply from Haywire. They said they don't have any connector for the switch they sell. I hadn't thought about the heat shrink or even the rubber coating that Don mentions. I like the heat shrink idea and plan on trying that. Thanks Guys!

Originally Posted by 34_40

I did recieve a e-mail reply from Haywire. They said they don't have any connector for the switch they sell. I hadn't thought about the heat shrink or even the rubber coating that Don mentions. I like the heat shrink idea and plan on trying that. Thanks Guys!

Mike - there is a version that has screw contacts as well and this one from Ron Francis


Lookie what I found

http://www.mustangsplus.com/xcart/pr...&productid=961


Then a few (hundred) more: http://www.thefind.com/query.php?que...UAQA%3D&filter[pagenum]=1