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Steber's Cantankerous Wiring Conundrum

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by steber, Jul 10, 2017.

  1. steber

    steber Active Member

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    It's about that time in my build where its time to focus on a totally custom wiring harness. I'm choosing to start a separate thread, similar to Saftie, just to document my progress and more than likely pick all your brains. I'm hoping for no redundant information; I promise I'll be searching things before said, and following several schematics and doing things by the book.

    I also know theirs a point where I'll be going well beyond a 'minimal harness' to include some safety features and if it was as easy to place a harness back on my bike i might consider it. Ultimately, Nearly all controls will be replaced, and I'm hoping to retain most safety features of the bike, such as the side switch, neutral, turns, clutch, oil. Which means most likely a new cluster.

    That being said, if space is limited, sacrifices will be mean in the "best deemed" order. I'll stop this tangent here and say non-electical updates will be posted in my build thread found here, along with that, I politely ask that any comments about the bike NOT pertaining to electrical please be deferred to that thread. Thanks in advance to any and everyone who helps get this bike back up and running and to the finish.



    So let's just start basic, I've been doing a lot of looking around, but before i really pull the trigger on wire spools, anyone have a good source? I'd like to choose my own colors (and some varying gauges) to keep things as close to stock colors as possible, stringing and splicing connections I'm comfortable with, i know this is a test of patience, but i also wanna buy right before I do it right. and leads would be appreciated.
     
  2. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    if you would use wire tags rather than colors, you could save a lot of money. colored wires are way over rated. test each circuit, component as you go, one thing at a time.
    use a trickle charger in place of your battery, that way any sparks will be little. don't plug in the TCI until everything else works and you double check it's wires.
    they make wrapping tape without sticky to wrap wire bundles, good stuff.
     
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  3. steber

    steber Active Member

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    That was my idea, makes sense. Easier to find wire that way as well. Is 16 guage overkill for the general circuitry? Want to find a happy median for general wiring. I'm sure some charging circuits will take more.. can easily source small runs, but most auto stores around here don't carry the length or color variation I need. Unless of course I wanna do the whole bike in red and black. :mad:
     
  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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  5. Taylo105

    Taylo105 Active Member

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    I'd say no. Go with 16 gauge for all. Hit up some online stores. They you can get any color you want. Or, colored shrink wrap tubing. You can buy almost any color in spoils of any length. I did that for a custom 30 channel snake I built for my recording studio and the color coding helped. For my bike, I installed a motogadget munit and bought the wiring package so I can an assortment for colored cables already.
     
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  6. steber

    steber Active Member

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    Awesome. I've def read over that a few times, just comes down to do I need to run both 18 guage and 16 guage or if I can just do anything that's 16 and higher in 16? Obviously, 14 guage will have to be 14 guage wire.
     
  7. steber

    steber Active Member

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    You mean like this?
    41G1UzElCTL._SY400_.jpg
     
  8. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    16 can be used for 18, 20 wire, .

    smaller the number the bigger the wire
     
  9. steber

    steber Active Member

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    Okay found a decent deal on 11 colors 100feet each, they seem to have a variety of colors with stripes to choose from. The lower gauges I'll get locally as the colors are easily obtainable for that circuit. I know saftie had a nice kit from somewhere with connectors. Waiting on that, and I'll start ordering.
     
  10. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    most important is temp range of the wire insulation
     
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  11. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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  12. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    about all those colored wires. if you put on one wire at a time, number it and make sure it's right, you should never have to bother with it again. it won't move itself and anywhere else you put it is wrong.
    just be sure to make your own diagram of your work, whether you use numbers or colors
     
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  13. steber

    steber Active Member

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    Very sound advice from all, I know a bit about wiring from everything I've done over the years. A lot of good advice that I've heard and possibly forgot about. Looking forward to this intimidating adventure for sure. Patience is a virtue for sure
     
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  14. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    I wouldn't worry about sticking to factory colors if it is a custom harness. Tags work like polock mentioned but I prefer colors. I used to make harnesses for Jeeps many years ago, I always used SXL wire for it's high temp and resistance to oil etc. I personally like weather pack connectors and still use them whenever I can. The proper crimp tool is expensive though. My source back then was Waytek but I'm sure there are many more companies out there today. I still have a lot of wire, connectors, etc. left, shoot me a PM if interested in something.
     
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  15. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Use wateproof plastic tags if you go that route.
    Having worked on industrial machinery, I much prefer colored wires. They are much easier to keep rack of than having to read and re-read tags and tug on wires to find the right one in a bundle.
     
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  16. steber

    steber Active Member

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    so.. heres the thing i dont really want minimal.. I really don't. This bike is just so chopped up, that the stock harness is not utlized correctly. I've been picking at it a bit and it looks to be in great shape, a lot lines up, a lot needs to be routed up to under the tank like the tci and fuse box, while the rear turns and brakelights need to go down the frame and along the swing arm, and also broken up and put into the seat.

    It seems doable, and i have the wire to extend, not to mention shorten, a lot of these connections to make the 'line up'.. this would help me keep my idiot lights.. This all comes down to how much i can shove under the tank, and it looks to be a lot with the virago tunnel. I know its also a nightmare and much easier maybe to do a minimal harness, but should i pursue this route or just start scratch? a few pics from today.. the homebrew got me thinking funny!


    IMG_20170724_184024.jpg
    I'm assuming this a common ground and not some sort of switched ground? this looks to be the only one i truly need to alter, and lets face it if its a common ground thats easy, i'll just gut that part.
     

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  17. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

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    I would stick with amber beer and the proper color-coded wires (with or w/o tracer stripes) to match what is on the main harness.....this will make your and/or the next owner's life so much easier in the future.

    My Generac generator control panel (old style, analog gauges, etc.) uses the same dark blue wiring for every circuit, every run, every thing. I've invented many new curse words and personal slurs on the designer/engineer (who obviously thought that this was an acceptable idea) in order to deal with it over the years, and the longest run of wire is only about 18".........
     
  18. steber

    steber Active Member

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    It sure is a lot to tango with.. I think it's possible, even with black IPA. I'm going to try and match the colors as best as possible. Atleast use several color coded bands of shrink wrap to make it easy to decipher. (If I try to jam all this in)
     
  19. steber

    steber Active Member

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    Also their will never be another other owner, besides maybe one of my children.
     
  20. jayrodoh

    jayrodoh YimYam Premium Member

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    You want some wiring mess? Anyone ever own an older electromechanical pinball machine? When I was in high school I used to pick these things up for $50 all day long. Miserable to work on though but very reliable once you fixed all the burnt/dirty contacts.

    IMG_0775.JPG
     
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