Electrical warning

[Z-Kev]

Just a warning note.

Whilst tidying up my wiring around the ignition switch I noticed there was a abundance of loom connections with piggy back looms for old turbo timers and immobilizers still connected inline on the main ignition loom, as well as this they were all getting very hot, hot enough to melt the main 12V feed wire on the looms, after pulling out all these piggy back looms and connecting up my ignition switch original connector back onto the ignition switch all overheating of wires has stopped and I have junked these inferior looms in the bin, just because a piggy back loom comes with a piece of kit doesn't mean that it is rated enough for the load of your car...just something to be aware of, be safe not sorry , over rate the needs of your electrical installations and you cant go wrong.

[Nick Mann]

Aye. I've seen piggyback looms on the ignition wiring on the back of the barrel where the wires looked half the diameter of the stock stuff. It can't be good to downsize at all, let alone that much. The thickness is only there if there is a current requirement for it. Running that current through a thinner wire is always going to introduce a bit of warmth!

[SEAN-NZ]

wouldnt have thought that wires that arent being used would get hot like that, even when not up for the job when in use, i would assume there may have been a short somewhere, i second nick on the fact that the wire thickness is to cope with the current, insulation is to cope with voltage

[Z-Kev]

the wires getting hot were the throughput of the main ignition wire, so constant draw...wires looked thick enough but were not up to the job


wouldnt have thought that wires that arent being used would get hot like that, even when not up for the job when in use, i would assume there may have been a short somewhere, i second nick on the fact that the wire thickness is to cope with the current, insulation is to cope with voltage

[CANDEE]

And people wonder why they are recommended to go with 0awg power cable for battery relocations..

[exevoowner]

The thickness of insulation is to do with the job its designed for as thickness of cable the higher the amps the thicker the cable (i.e.speaker cable is not that thick as it doesnt need constant draw wear as starter cable has high load and bigger draw over short span needs larger cable )