Quick wiring question

[kayakcullen]

Just to let everybody know, I'm kind of a newb when it comes to electrical. So last night I was looking at my bikes wiring harness and got my head spinning over how much crap is there. A lot of the wires you couldn't actually tell what color it really was. Without putting too much thought in it I ripped it all out. Might of been a bad thing but too late now. So now I am wanting to completly rewire it as simple as possible. I'm not running turn signals. It is an 82 that is going to have a pamco, PMA, and a capacitor. Some of the questions I have are, would it be safe to cut down the old harness and reuse? If I got new wire, would it be ok to use 12g wire all the way around? Also would it be ok to use quick connections every place possible? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[pamcopete]

Why do you want to use 12 gage wire? That is very thick wire and you will have a problem routing it in tight places. Also, heavy gage wire puts unnecessary strain on the connectors and terminals.

You can use 16 or even 18 gage wire just about everywhere.

Try to maintain the OEM color code wherever possible to make trouble shooting easier, especially if you are going to ask someone to help you with a problem.

 

[xjwmx]

Your idea of reusing the old wire is a great one. Also, it doesn't matter that you just tore it up, since it's going to be so different when you're finished anyway. I don't know what you mean by "quick connections" but an old Cray supercomputer I just finished playing with was full of those connectors where the contacts just cut through the insulation from squeezing with pliers, that is the most hated connector on the internet. So I would say whatever you want to use will work just fine in the world of reality If you find them in a Cray, you'll find them in a superconducting supercollider as well... Connectors are kind of a feel-good thing.

 

[benway0007]

i your going to use connectors make sure you use the ones with heat shrink, NO "T" TAPS....

 

[kayakcullen]

Thanks for the tips everybody. I think I have just got myself overwelmed a little bit for no reason. With a wiring diagram, I get the idea of everything pretty well. Its just actually doing it thats got me hesitent.

 

[littlebill31]

I reused a lot of my wire, as long as it was still plyable. You don't want stiff, brittle wire. One of my suggestions, as I did, is to buy a stock harness from MikesXS and use that one. They are around $87.00 and you can make simplified harness', retain stock color and have left over for other projects.

 

[Downeaster]

Having been an electronics technician since 1970 and a shade tree mechanic for roughly as long I have some advice. It's free, too...

1. Wiring is no place to try and save money. Reusing the original wire to maintain the color code is fine, in fact it's an excellent idea. However, don't cheap out on connectors or crimpers. Those $19.95 kits you get at the parts houses are adequate at best. The connectors have nylon sleeves which are NOT waterproof and the crimpers are just crap.

2. Buy and use a good ratcheting crimper that puts two crimps in the ferrule. A good pair of handles is a mite spendy, but the interchangeable inserts for various operations (automotive wiring, TV/Video, coax cable, computer connectors) are reasonable and make the tool much more versatile.

3. Buy and use good connectors with the heat-shrinkable sleeves. They make better connections that are very water resistant and physically stronger. Also the extended sleeve eliminates bare metal at the wire/connector interface which the cheapo nylon sleeves do not. Less chance of a short that way.

4. Clean, flux and tin the wire before crimping the connector on. ESPECIALLY if you're reusing the wire from the original harness. Old, corroded copper wire may make a good mechanical connection, but electrically, it's likely to be a high resistance connection and you do NOT need voltage drops from high resistance connections in an already marginal system.

 

[Downeaster]

A good ratcheting crimper here

 

[meanstreakmark]

May I ask, while on the subject of wiring... anyone know of a source of wire with the various color sheathing that would be similar to the colors used on the XS?

 

[jurand]

namz custom cycle. color wires for hd, but you'll find colors for xs.