callum12 256 #1 Posted August 19, 2015 Hi all,i am currently in the process of fitting a cig lighter ( as a 12V power output not for lighting cigarettes), horn and rear light to my WH. i have brought a fuse block to keeping things tidy rather than having inline fuses everywhere, but i now need to get power to the fuse block. i want to avoid having 4 wires (including headlights) connected directly to the battery terminal as it will be such a faff. so i've repurposed some nice thick speaker wire which will be connected to the battery and the four wires can come off that which will be hidden behind the dash. so basically i am after advice as to how to connect the 4 thinner wires to this main wire, can i just intertwist and solder the 4 wires with the bigger one? i also thought i could make a terminal plate, with the main wire from the battery screwed down to this plate and the 4 wires connected to the plate via ring terminals. i think i may have seen this done on some vintage cars , can't be sure though.thanks for your help and advice,callum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Niagara D 11 #2 Posted August 19, 2015 Twist and solder is a sure fire way to go. However my back round is industrial millwright and a terminal strip would also be a sound manner. If your looking for something to show off and make it look like a fancy control panel then go with a terminal strip but if you looking to get it done clean and simple I would likely just solder it and be done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
callum12 256 #3 Posted August 19, 2015 thank you very much,i wil just twist and solder then wrap with insulation tape. i would do a terminal strip but since it will be behind the dash there is no point in making it look nice really.callum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
meadowfield 2,545 #4 Posted August 19, 2015 easiest way to add wires without going near the battery is to use an 8mm ring terminal on the solenoid connection. The wires stack quite nicely from there - provided you don't want the ignition to switch them... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
callum12 256 #5 Posted August 19, 2015 thats a good idea, although I've mounted the fuse box just below the dash so i would have to run a wire from the solenoid all the way to the fuse box and all the way back again for the headlights and horn.i will definitely bare that in mind though, i never even thought of that!thanks,callum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WNYPCRepair 1,875 #6 Posted August 19, 2015 Solder and heat shrink is better than solder and tape. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
callum12 256 #7 Posted August 19, 2015 i agree but i don't have any big enough, i used insulation tape that was quite stretchy (it seems to vary a lot) i wrapped it really tight, it looks similar to how heat shrink does. still, when i get the chance i will heat shrink it as well. thanks callum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WNYPCRepair 1,875 #8 Posted August 19, 2015 Maybe you have rubber tape, which is almost as good as heat shrink. It is really stretchy, sticks to itself, and over time seems to turn into one big chunk of rubber. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
callum12 256 #9 Posted August 19, 2015 could be, it does adhere to its self very well. even so the joint has been twisted together and soldered so its pretty strong, it will also ben hidden away underneath the dash where the steering column is so it won't be pulled or anything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #10 Posted August 19, 2015 Make sure the amperage draw for the items you want to power is less that the rated amperage of the wires.Don't want to burn up a good Wheel Horse because of faulty wiring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
callum12 256 #11 Posted August 19, 2015 too true, the main wire from the battery isn't actually speaker wire like i said, its actually the power wire for a car bass box type thing. i don't have a clue about wire gauges but the actual copper part must be around 1/4" and its full copper not nickel or what ever else is used so that will be absolutely fine. the wires coming off that is all 17A rated, the headlights are LED and only draw 7W, the rear light will be LED, the horn is around 5A and the cig lighter I'm not sure about, i can't imagine anything you plug in one of those would be over 17A? even so its all fused. which the fuses will of course be below 17A. i was imagining having an electrical burnout while working on it today, i don't think i would ever get over the heartbreak! if you have any other tips to ensure soundness of wiring please share, this is my first sort of automotive wiring experience (except the headlights)thanks again,callum Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
