Bespoke wiring loom - what would you include?

[Shaun_E]

I have decided to have my aging, lightly toasted and definitely unreliable wiring loom replaced with a custom made loom. I realise this will not be cheap .

If you have done this or could do this, what would you change about the existing Caterham electrical system? What would you add/remove?

I have a set of Savage motorsport switches to be fitted (and a new blank dash) - I would be interested in peoples thoughts on a dash layout. The car is currently fitted with an aftermarket Stack dash which I intend to keep and it has a windscreen and heater.

I will be having circuit breakers fitted instead of fuses and the loom will be modular to allow easy removal of the dash, the engine and to separate the front and rear car looms. I am also converting to wasted spark ignition.

Finally has anyone used or heard anything about ECS who appear to be able to do just what I need. Any other recommendations before I commit?

 

Yellow SL #32 - member of Drowned Rat Racing

[SLR No.77]

Proper wiper control, eg a couple of intermitant speeds plus the ability to one-touch single wipe (in addition to the 2 speeds).

 

Stu.

 

---

Joint Area Representative MAD Sevens (Merseyside And District)

www.superse7ens.co.uk..........the rebuild 😬

 

 

[rj]

I would section mine so that the front loom was seperate (via multi-connectors of course), dash loom seperate etc.

 

/regin

[jonboylaw]

If making your own loom then a decent set of strippers and crimpers, plus a heat gun for shrink wrap :)

 

Good quality cabling (Thin wall multi-strand), water tight connectors for front /rear lamps, fan over-ride, aux power socket, battery charging socket, fuel pump isolator (hidden switch), pannel dimmer for display etc...

 

Ah and Neon running lights and night rider chase lights.. 😳

 

Also consider going for pull down switches to activate the circuits via relays. A couple of good books on Amazon about how to do it yourself.

 

Jon

 

 

[Stuart Miller 7]

Shaun

 

Witnessing your electrical issues in Wales and the fact you guys drive the car everywhere... Caterhams not exactly the dryest habitat for everything electrical, I would consider tinned and not copper wiring and the use of heat shrink terminals where possible - i.e. marine grade kit. Maybe a little overkill but at least you know that anything you replace won't ever let you down. Would imagine a decent auto electrician could provide you with this spec'. Circuit breakers definately preferable to fuses. I've just done the complete wiring loom (heavy electric, electronics and engine loom) on our work boat. Wouldn't like to have paid for my time to do it though (a full week) - ouch!

 

Good luck

 

Stuart

 

 

[jonboylaw]

Hi Shaun,

 

Here are the books I bought off amazon.

 

The first (here) gives a good insight into competition car requirements

 

The second (here) tells you how to plan and build your loom (including the use of washing line).

 

I also posted a couple of weeks ago about the Crimper and Stripper i bought (here), a ratchet crimp with changeable dies is essential for consistent crimping.

 

I am planning to split the loom as follows:

Dash loom, Engine loom, front lighting circuit, rear lighting circuit. Starter and charging circuit and isolator circuit.

 

I will go for toggle switches instead of the Savage ones as they seemed over priced for the quality and also I like the positive action of a toggle throw. There are many suppliers of the parts needed (polevolt etc).

 

Jon

[Mark Durrant]

Shaun

 

Good luck with the new loom although I'll be sorry to see the cooker cable disappear ☹️ 😬

 

Mark D

Comp Sec

 

[millsn]

Contact Polevolt, pretty sure they'd do you a loom. Every dealing I've had has been positive

[taffyracer]

for looms i would be contacting these guys Jamie does the looms and data on the WTCC chevrolets......very very good and reasonable, did all my loom repairs on my GT3 and got my Motec singing

 

 

 

Edited by - taffyracer on 27 May 2009 21:14:14

[Shaun_E]

Thanks for all your views. To be clear I will NOT be doing this myself - I hate car electrics and they hate me . ECS will come to my house and do it but I would be happy to take the car to the supplier.

I will be having the loom made in sections joined by multi way plugs.

Circuit breakers will be used in place of fuses

I already have the Savage Motorsport switches (got a deal at the Kit Car Show)

I'm planning on waterproof connectors where appropriate (similar to the Stack ones) but I guess there will be lots of multi way connectors where this isn't practical.

There will be no cooker cable used in the making of this loom 😬

I need to decide on a supplier very soon. I have 3 possibilities. 1) Use ECS as they will come to my house - but I have no knowledge of their capability. 2) Use m-cal - a recommedation always helps. 3) use DC electronics who did a great job on Rob Grigsby's Duratec. Suggestions welcome.

 

Yellow SL #32 - member of Drowned Rat Racing

[millsn]

I'd also spec a connection for a 12V cigar lighter socket (fused) that you can then use to do other things like charge the satnav and also the car battery. You may want to consider whether you want a new fangled LCD style dash too which almost certainly requires a different approach

[Manxseven]

Shaun,

 

Ring my good friend Adrian Butt - 01380 863118

 

He constructs wiring looms for a living and works on many historic F1 cars/ Metro 6R4s/etc

He is a one-man-band with low overheads (works from home) and is cost reasonable.

Tell him Simon Emmens recommended him

 

Simon.

 

-----

Caterham BEC here

 

Edited by - Manxseven on 28 May 2009 11:07:00

[rgrigsby]

I'd get two accessory plugs fitted, also get the intercom wired in seperatly. On my car I have the intercom, camera and data logger all wired in with switches on the dash and then two accessory sockets one for satnav and one as a spare which gets used for things such as charging my phone, both of these are switched from the dash as well.

 

You can never have enough accessory sockets 😬

 

While your at it you may as well wire in the map switch for the Emerald, I also fitted wheel speed sensors to each wheel and connected them to the emerald for the "future" traction control system that they keep mentioning, again the wiring for this is in the Emerald manual. Maybe do the same for the wideband lambda sensor as well.

 

If you're feeling really enthusiastic you could put wiring in place for additional sensors such as fuel pressure, brake pressure, steering angle. These could all then be left under the dash ready to connect to a data logger if you decide to go that route.

 

I'd also get them to wire on the headlights properly so you can easily detach them with a simple plug.

 

If you have the Savage motorsport switches then you're going to need a bank of relays as well as they aren't reall designed to switch things like lights directly (although they do seem to work the people I've spoken don't think it's a great idea).

 

Cheers

 

 

Rob G

www.SpeedySeven.com

[OliverSedlacek]

Two more points sprang to mind. Firstly, I would check what the wire temperature rating will be used. The cheap stuff has an 85 degree maximum temperature, but you should really be getting the 110 degree stuff. Secondly, get a wiring diagram! I'd hope that the supplier would draw up a diagram before starting to make it. If you've got a diagram, why don't you post it up so that we can have a look at it.

[Irrelevant]

Peter Carmichael made up a beautiful loom for his orange car . . all MilSpec stuff, earth switched relays, etc. . . proper top-grade job, and it would fit in the palm of your hand. He was talking about selling these so you'd just need to talk him into making one for you.

[myothercarsa2cv]

Why don't you wire in a couple of USB sockets? You could charge your ipod, tomtom, and save weight

 

Third brake light provision? On the subject of lights, how about some footwell/boot LEDs? Would make finding things nice and easy. Little switch on the dash - perfect.

 

Datalogging, intercom, cameras... So much to add. You could hardwire everything! May want a bigger battery though...

 

John

_________________________

 

Bugsy: '82 2cv6 (Back on the road!!! 😬)

Talloulah: '08 1.6K Classic (Grubby )

[Normans_Ghost]

On the basis that less is more I have:

 

Wired the indicators with front-back joints. The original loom had 2 pair of wires going to mthe front indicator lamps then one of each returned, went under the dash, through the tunnel and to the rear lamps. I tok a pair down to the tunnel top, used piggyback lucars and took one pair to the front and one pair to the rear.

 

No wiper or wash wiring - aero.

 

The dash has 3 multi-connectors so the whole dash can be removed in a few seconds. (somewhat spoilt now as mech. gauges get fitted.

 

Heavy duty switches have done away with the need for relays.

 

The self cancelling indicators (bulk buy item a few years ago) have done away with the need for indicator unit, hazard unit and hazard switch.

 

Ignition switch is aircraft covered type in centre top of dash. One swipe with downward movent switches ignition off. Big Red Starter button, wired direct from FIA battery switch to starter.

 

I have used the right hand side of the dash and arranged all the "driving" switches in a semi circle around the steering wheel. All can be operated with removing hands from s/wheel.

 

The left side of the space under the dash has my glove box. Unless you know it's there you won't find my wallet or phone.... er, that's blown it!

 

When I finished the rewire I weighed all the wire and other gubbins removed and it came in at 2.5 kgs!

 

About half way down the very long page is the the verona dash.

 

 

If you want to email me on norman@FrenchBlat.com I'll send you a picture of the latest iteration. (can't update web site at the moment)

 

ed to ad that I have a map light under the left hand dash. and I've got a twin position flasher switch, One way s headlights and the other is the Audi/BMW stopper aka breake lights.

 

^{Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here}

You and your seven toThe French Blatting Company Limited

 

Edited by - nverona on 6 Jun 2009 11:32:44

[Dyrill]

Hi Shaun - Was just wondering if you went for this in the end - any pics if yes?

[Shaun_E]

It's in progress - hopefully be finished this week. Taking longer than first thought but so far looks good. Will post some pics when complete.

 

Yellow SL #32 - member of Drowned Rat Racing

[Dyrill]

[IanWatson]

I'm aware the OP has stated he's not doing it himself, but a good DIY starting point is a loom from Megasquirt suppliers - something that quite a few of the 205 lot have used (French electrics etc) - I'm not speaking from personal experience but it seems to be a very cheap way of getting a colour-coded and labelled set of wires.

 

http://www.extraefi.co.uk/products.htm#Loom

 

1992 HPC on 45s

205 GTI Mi16

[k80rum]

Any progress on this thread Shaun? Would love to see some pics of the finished article; it's something I'm planning to embark on over the winter.. Interested to know who you went with in the end too

 

Darren E

 

K80 RUM Website and Emerald maps library

[Jason Plato]

delete the MFU and hold everything inside a vehicle loom under the scuttle.

 

Then have a seperate engine loom

 

use IP64 connectors.

 

Keep it simple and light,

 

 

here is my Duratec R .... C7 TOP

Taffia AO

[Shaun_E]

The rewiring was completed a couple of months ago. It ended up taking far longer than originally quoted and costing far more than I ever imagined. It was not good value for money so I will not name the supplier nor will I be pressed on how much it cost.

On the plus side it is of a high standard and incorporates the changes I wanted.

Implementing the Savage Motorsport switches was not trivial - it would have been cheaper to buy the R500 PCB at £300 than the time it tooke to get them set up properly. It looks good though and the switches all operate through relays and they have a soft glow when the headlights are on which brightens when you operate the switch.

Most of the fuses have been replaced by circuit breakers - I am still waiting for the rest. Nearly everything has it's own fuse and relay. The indicators are no longer through the hazard switch. All the excess wiring and long loom lengths have been removed - there is no doubling back of the engine bay loom for instance.

There is an 80Amp fuse to protect everything (e.g. in the event of the alternator shorting). The earthing has all been redone and there is an earth post in the engine bay along with a +ve terminal - there are only 2 cables to the battery now.

I have had a radiator fan override fitted and a switch to override the inertia cutoff - essential for a couple of tracks we do where the curbs can trigger it.

The MFU hasn't been replaced - perhaps I should have done that but the number of extra relays would have been a pain. As it is space on the bulkhead is an issue (yes I have a heater). I have changed to wasted spark ignition.

If you have any specific questions then please ask. I'll post some photos later today.

[Merrick Linnett]

Grand Prix Electronics

 

Just had a Grand Prix Electronic's engine loom fitted to my R500 K engine race car.

 

I regularly race my car and have had 2 std under I year old looms break, the cost of finding the faults were double the cost of the new loom.

 

They even spoke to Minister to ask what extras they would like fitting to the loom ❗

 

The new loom is so small, I am able to keep the Std loom still in place. (Belt and braces for the last race of the year) Also they are able to test the the new loom if I have problem. That should save time and beer tokens 😳

 

Next to be replaced will be the Car Loom

 

Merrick

 

Edited by - Merrick Linnett on 30 Sep 2009 20:17:39