Spade Connectors. An education please

[Grandmaster Flatcap]

I've little to no idea on auto electricery. I've got DRE shift lights to fit, and will soon be making a decision on which 3rd break light to fit. I also have a badly wired 12v socket that needs a tidy up.

 

Spade connectors: red, blue, yellow, sizes, amps... there seems to be roughly a gazillion permutations. How is an idiot like me supposed to know what to use?

 

Discuss.

[Jonathan Kay]

Do you have the wiring diagram for your car?

 

Do you know how to read the wire colours from it?

 

Do you have a multimeter (lots of discussions in the archives)?

 

Once those are all set to "Yes" you could buy the relevant Haynes Manual, but you'll probably be fine just checking with BC as you go.

 

A prewired kit for the high-level brake light is available.

 

Jonathan

[Steve Campbell]

I was in a similar position to you for DRE fitting.

 

I went down to Maplins and bought a pack of 10 of each size bullet connectors and then fitted the ones that looked like the right size compared to the wires I cut :-)

 

I probably should have bought specialist crimper as well but I ended up using a mini set of pliers which did the job fine...never had a problem. I was only doing 3 wires...but doing all 3 jobs you are doing I would probably have got the crimper.

[Roadsport06]

Good morning, I've justed fitted a DRE, do a search on here for the colour wires to tap into.

I used some piggyback connectors so the shift light can be removed and the tacho wires plugged back in. Ratchet crimpers here will be perfect for putting the connectors on.

I simply cut the tacho wires, put male and female connectors on to the two ends. Put a piggy back to the shift light wires so that it can tap in to the tacho.

As for a third brake light, caterham can supply a sub loom for you

 

Edited by - Roadsport06 on 18 May 2013 11:04:53

[Ian B]

Yep, as above use the sub-loom from caterham for the brake light - simply plugs in to the existing connector for the rear light cluster

 

Colours of insulated crimps relate to the wire size:

Red = Small

Blue ' Medium

Yellow = Large

 

 

[Roger Ford]

Red, blue and yellow just refer to the thickness of wire they're used for. It's very rare to need yellow for car wiring. Once you've stripped the wire, if the stripped bit won't fit in a red connector then use blue.

 

Whether to use spade, bullet or whatever is personal preference, or whatever you want connect to. If the connector is carrying power, always try to use an insulated female on it (if you have a choice), since then if it comes disconnected it won't short power to earth.

 

Buy a proper ratchet crimper, don't use the rubbishy non-ratchet versions, or pliers, as the connectors are likely to pull off the wires. It's a good investment.

[glasgow]

Another related question please.... these crimps: http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5465/8750445986_9776e1251d_s.jpg how are you suppose to attach the wire to them. I just tend to compress them with their hard plastic ON. Tried to compress just the metal without the plastic but after the metal is flattened I can't get the plastic cover back in place.

 

Ahmed

[Grim Reaper]

With pre-insulated crimp on connectors, yes, you just crimp the whole lot, plastic included.

I prefer to use the seperate lucar connector and plastic cover method, prefering to solder wires into the connector for better connection and less chance of corrosion causing faults.

here and here

[tbird]

Nigel, you might find this useful from myothercarsa2cv website

 

Tim

[pugwash]

Nigel,

 

Different cars have different plugs into the back of the tachometer and so depending on what you have the approaches will be slightly different. I have just fitted my DREs on to a 2012 sigma and my tachometer has a single 17 cable connector which does not have a lot do slack to play with. Older cars will have more of a spade type connector which allows the piggyback approach. I put mine on with scotchlocks which I have been using for over 30 years. Others will consider these the spawn of the devil and I am a complete heathen for using them!

 

Mark

 

[pugwash]

Oh, and depending on the age of the car there may already be a connector on the loom for you to plug the third brake light into. Mine was on the offside just inside the wheel arch.