Building a new wiring harness

[8ntruck 7,756]

While i was waking Clyde, the C-195 up from his winter hibernation yesterday, I reminded myself how rough a shape his wiring is in.  Building a new harness has been on my list ever since I acquired him.  I've got wire in stock, Packard terminals in stock, and the required wiring diagram.

 

I have a generic pair of crimpers.  They probably will work, but there is probably a better tool out there for this job.

 

@ebinmaine, you have built many wiring harnesses.  What sort of crimper are you using?

 

I've added an electric fuel pump to this machine.  It is currently powered from the light switch instead of the lights.  The light switch is powered from the rectifier terminal on the ignition switch.  When I build the new harness, I'm planning on powering the pump directly from the rectifier terminal.  This sound like a good idea?

[ebinmaine 72,315]

Thanks for giving me a "mention" here. 

 

 

Not knowing your own skills with wiring and given that someone else may read this, several things come to mind. 

 

USE PROPER PPE. 

Safety eye protection is a must when cutting wire. Period. 

 

 

1. Buy or borrow a good pair of medium to heavy duty wire crimpers. See pics. The inexpensive thin ones with a single stamped piece of metal for each arm can be ..... challenging... to use. I tend to bend them. 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Use them correctly and in the right spots.

I have several brands of this type. They all work fine. Some grip better. Some fit my hand better.  I don't gravitate to or shy away from any. 

 

Here's a great video showing proper usage:

 

 

 

 

The above two things will save you time now AND later having done the job once and right. 

 

 

3. Get good FULL COPPER wiring.

CCA - Copper Clad Aluminum - is NOT RECOMMENDED for outdoor use because the copper and aluminum will corrode. 

 

4. IMHO,  Always use heat shrink tubing. Always.

Get the type with sealant in it if possible. When the tubing is shrunk over the wire end it offers both a mechanical fastening insurance policy and a corrosion resistance that are both absolutely needed on an exterior usage working machine.  

 

5. Use wire protection. Wire loom, vinyl or rubber coated clamps etc will be good to keep the wiring harness from damage. 

5A. Use Dielectric Grease.  

 

6. We bring up GROUNDS fairly often. 

These are DC circuits. Direct Current. 

No ground equals no direct equals no circuit. 

Make GOOD ground circuits. Make SEVERAL ground circuits. 

I personally prefer to make a separate ground wire for every circuit. 

 

7. Wire COLOR is important. 

Ground is black, possibly brown. 

Power/hot main circuit is red. 

Secondary power circuits are whatever color is handy and practical.

NEVER use black or brown for any powered circuit. NEVER. 

I change the battery cables from both factory black to red & black. 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, 8ntruck said:

I'm planning on powering the pump directly from the rectifier terminal.  This sound like a good idea?

 

 

I personally prefer a switch in a fuel pump circuit. That way when you shut down for long term setting you can turn off the pump and let the machine empty the carb bowl. 

 

 

[953 nut 59,702]

Here is a short video on the Delphi Packard connector installation with the correct tool.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Delphi+packard+crimper+video&sca_esv=41092b0fdeb9fd11&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS981US981&sxsrf=AE3TifPAiX_rdpd2_vW6IFTr8902dq8Dww%3A1751108246542&ei=lspfaKvqIJ6Dp84Prt3CsQk&ved=0ahUKEwirjf7H-pOOAxWewckDHa6uMJYQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=Delphi+packard+crimper+video&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiHERlbHBoaSBwYWNrYXJkIGNyaW1wZXIgdmlkZW8yBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFI1SxQuwZY1CZwAngBkAEBmAH7CqAB_ieqAQU2LTMuMrgBA8gBAPgBAZgCBqAC0yHCAgoQABiwAxjWBBhHwgIHEAAYqQYYHsICBhAAGBYYHsICCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQABiABBiiBMICBRAhGKsCmAMAiAYBkAYIkgcHMi42LTMuMaAHvhSyBwU2LTMuMbgHtyHCBwUyLTIuNMgHPw&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:48d2aaec,vid:SyfDotod5Vg,st:0

[ebinmaine 72,315]

3 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

short video

That wouldn't open for me Richard 

[ebinmaine 72,315]

Here's a short video of connecting wire to wire with NO connector.  

 

 

 

[953 nut 59,702]

11 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

That wouldn't open for me Richard 

Opened for me, here is a direct link to YouTube.

 

[ri702bill 9,326]

6 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I personally prefer a switch in a fuel pump circuit. That way when you shut down for long term setting you can turn off the pump and let the machine empty the carb bowl. 

How about using an easily accessable fuse dedicated to the fuel pump??  Pull the fuse to run the engine to empty the bowl....

I thought most folks power the pump from either the "accessory" terminal or the hour meter. Either are inactive with the key off....

[953 nut 59,702]

3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

I thought most folks power the pump from either the "accessory" terminal or the hour meter. Either are inactive with the key off....

          no separate switch is needed.

[ebinmaine 72,315]

3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

How about using an easily accessable fuse dedicated to the fuel pump??  Pull the fuse to run the engine to empty the bowl....

I thought most folks power the pump from either the "accessory" terminal or the hour meter. Either are inactive with the key off....

 

5 minutes ago, 953 nut said:

          no separate switch is needed.

 

 

It isn't a need. 

 

It's a personal preference.

 

Knowingly using a fuel pump dry isn't a good idea. Because of this you can't use the tank valve to shut off the fuel.  

 

If you run the pump off of a circuit that's live until the machine is turned off, you still have a full carburetor bowl at shutdown. 

 

If the pump has a switch you can turn the fuel off and let the carb bowl run dry without damaging the fuel pump.