wire source?

[Redav72 227]

I'm re-doing the wiring on a 753.  Are there any good sources for the thin wire?  Can I just use wire from Home Depot?

[8ntruck 7,003]

@ebinmaine put me onto this source - 7 conductor trailer wire.  Strip the outer covering off of it, and you end up with individual wires of different colours and a nice size for tractor use.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

3 hours ago, Redav72 said:

thin wire

 

What exactly do you consider 'thin' ?

 

Personally, I wouldn't use anything less than 14 gauge and that's not exactly 'thin' !

[ebinmaine 67,492]

@Redav72

 

I've read that it's important to use FULL COPPER wire.  

NOT CCA. (Copper Clad Aluminum)

 

Are you looking for period correct restoration appearing coatings?

Just the right colors?

Doesn't matter, just want good wire?

 

We've done enough resto modifications that I decided to buy a full 50' roll. 

I also buy others in larger rolls. 

PM me  with what you're looking for. I can send what you need.  

 

 

A note about the battery cables on early machines. 

Wheelhorse used 8 gauge wire which is too thin. 

Bump up the battery cables to minimum 6 gauge.  

[953 nut 55,228]

Your ignition coil will be the heaviest electrical draw and that is less than five amps so sixteen gauge wire that is rated for ten amps of currant will give you a 100% safety factor. Home Depot and all auto parts stores are a good source.

For the terminals that you will need to make your connections you will want to buy the best quality you can find. Don't get the "500 piece terminal kit" thinking it is a bargain, buy the best quality terminals and solder the connectors to the wire or use a good crimper like the ones in this thread,   

 

[pacer 3,169]

I am not a 'purist' and what with the horrible ammeter wiring on the horses cooking bout half the wiring on our horses.... I just started buying the trailer wiring 'kit'. You get 7 different colors of good grade wire in long lengths.... cheap! 

[peter lena 8,625]

@pacer  agree with you on the  wiring upgrade,  also add cable wrapping to all my routing , as well as eliminating tight bends and any possible chafing .  add a battery cable to your battery ground bolt next to battery , run that to engine/ frame / corner next to clutch pedal , that insures solid electrical grounding .  from there to rectifier on cooling tins , with 10-12 ga wire , and from there to head light  grounding . only a suggestion , has eliminated my starting and enhanced my headlights . pete 

[pfrederi 17,739]

For battery cables you want 6ga and having it very flexible makes installation and routing easier.  Strand count is key yu want a big number lots of very fine wires make it flexible.

 

 

[pacer 3,169]

While on the topic of wiring and proper grounding....

 

Couple wks ago my son bought a 'beater' '94 Dodge Ram 1500. Had been sitting some time and owner got a new batt and also added 'new' terminal conx - shown in pix ...... These things are AWFUL!! Bout 2nd week wouldnt start - click/click, first place I cked was these things. put a slight pull on the ground cable and off it came. Cable was good, about 8 gage and wouldnt fit in the pocket so he trims about half of the coating off to make it fit into the clamp. I cut the weakened end off and and trimmed back bout 3/4" and soldered the wires together  and reclamped,

 

Sometime in near future we will get some better terminal ends.....

 

As @peter lena keeps telling us --- Ya GOTTA have a good ground

 

 

 

 

These look much better....

[EB-80/8inPA 1,641]

13 minutes ago, pacer said:

These look much better....

 

I wonder how I have never seen those before?  I thought those crappy terminals you show above were all that could be had.  And they stink.  I learn something new here all the time.  Thanks.

[squonk 41,105]

Those terminals are 'Temporary Repair" ends. Used to say so right on the package. They finally stopped printing that as everyone left them on. 

[pacer 3,169]

I found those on the bay - Actually I have never seen that type either, was looking for a similar type that I used to use with you furnished the solder.

 

Heres a link, quite reasonably priced too.....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/141894210753?hash=item21098dd4c1:g:rzcAAOSw5zVdSwz5

[Handy Don 12,218]

3 hours ago, pacer said:

I am not a 'purist' and what with the horrible ammeter wiring on the horses cooking bout half the wiring on our horses.... I just started buying the trailer wiring 'kit'. You get 7 different colors of good grade wire in long lengths.... cheap! 

It can be a bargain, but read the descriptions carefully. A lot of the trailer light hookup wires are 16 ga (and sometimes even smaller!) and it is common to find copper coated aluminum instead of full copper under those niftily colored jackets!

 

IMHO, while it can be cool to have fat wiring for the starter it is electrically overkill. Using 6 ga (as supplied with most electric-start WHs) along with proper solid connections and excellent grounds is plenty with capacity to spare. These are just not long enough for the gauge to have a significant impact on current flow.

 

Flexible wiring makes initial installation easier, but even the stiffer stuff is fine once you've formed it to the shape you need. In a car or truck, the engine moves relative to the body and chassis so flexible connections are useful and last longer. On a WH, not so much (shaker mounts being the exception, of course).

Edited March 13, 2022 by Handy Don

[ebinmaine 67,492]

16 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

It can be a bargain, but read the descriptions carefully. A lot of the trailer light hookup wires are 16 ga (and sometimes even smaller!) and it is common to find copper coated aluminum instead of full copper

That's good information and worth repeating.  

 

If it's a bargain it's likely too good to be true.  

 

I was VERY careful when shopping for wire to make sure I got 14 gauge FULL COPPER.  

 

[pfrederi 17,739]

45 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

It can be a bargain, but read the descriptions carefully. A lot of the trailer light hookup wires are 16 ga (and sometimes even smaller!) and it is common to find copper coated aluminum instead of full copper under those niftily colored jackets!

 

IMHO, while it can be cool to have fat wiring for the starter it is electrically overkill. Using 6 ga (as supplied with most electric-start WHs) along with proper solid connections and excellent grounds is plenty with capacity to spare. These are just not long enough for the gauge to have a significant impact on current flow.

 

Flexible wiring makes initial installation easier, but even the stiffer stuff is fine once you've formed it to the shape you need. In a car or truck, the engine moves relative to the body and chassis so flexible connections are useful and last longer. On a WH, not so much (shaker mounts being the exception, of course).

 

 

  When your are working on an older machine that runs eh full starter current through the ignition switch trying to shape the stiffer wire into the small space behind the gas tank can put a lot of stress on the small ignition switch terminals and those switches are expensive if you break or damage the terminal

[WHX?? 48,815]

A 753 is gonna have the small battery so no need for automotive style battery connectors. 

It will also have the 702/953 style start button.

For the battery cables I use cables for running trolling motors. It's got the many strands of fine wire as mentioned for the flexibility. I but it by the roll 'cause I got 20 tractors but if you go to any boat shop they'll have it by the foot. 

The rest I just use what's called primary wire.... any auto store in any gauge and color. 

A frame off or sometimes even a mechanical only resto I will build a harness. All terminal ends as required are solder and shrink wrapped. I don't have any qualms about crimping with the good crimpers 'Nut linked to to get her running.  

To just geterunin I just run it as the crow flies in a neat way. In other words most tractors that come here are have severely PO cobbled wiring. So the second thing they get is a wiring job some times just half @$$ed till I can show her some real love.