Re: re-wiring an EV: wire gauge and grounding

["Patrick Cutts" <patrick@surfari.net>]

Yikes!  rewiring an entire vehicle is a pretty large job,  especially so in
a vehicle less than ten years old.  My first try was a 1972 Honda 600.  It
was a major PITA I didn't have a good reason to do it, but I was young and
stupid...  you know. The last time I did it was on a 1949 Studebaker truck,
and the only reason I did it was because the old wiring was shot.  (also I
was adding things like turn signals, stereo, A/C and heater controls.)  My
job was made easier because the vehicle was simple.  I wouldn't relish
trying it again on a relatively new vehicle.

If you decide to do this, I highly recommend that you get many spools of
different colored wire, create standards (like 'all dash lights are blue
with yellow stripe', or something) and document every wire you put in. 
This will help when you decide to change something and your brain has
performed a warm boot since you put in the wiring.

I don't have any opinion on un-grounding your system, someone else on the
list surely knows more about this than I.

(FYI: I used 12 gauge almost exclusively on the truck, but I tend to
overkill...)

-patrick

----------
| From: Mason Convey <opossum@asu.edu>
| To: EV Discussion List <ev@listproc.sjsu.edu>
| Subject: re-wiring an EV: wire gauge and grounding
| Date: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 6:28 PM
| 
| And my last question of the night...
| 
| Given the opportunity to re-wire an EV ('94 S-10), what gauge of wire
| would everyone recommend for "general 12V wiring?"
| 
| Upon deep, deep contemplation, I have decided to re-wire my S-10
| while electrifying it. I'm aware of the fact that OEM wiring tends to
| be undersized and crappy. Given that I will use good quality,
| fine-stranded wire, what gauge would everyone use to run wires for
| lights, horn, windshield wipers, etc.?
| 
| It would be truly convenient if I could just go down to the electric
| supply house and get one or two spools of wire to make nearly all the
| 12 V runs in the truck. Then I wouldn't have to invest in several
| different spools.
| 
| And would anyone recommend UN-grounding the chassis from 12V? This is
| always an option now that I have all the wiring to re-do. This might
| prevent any possible shorting or isolation problems.
| 
| Thoughts? Recommendations?
| 
| Thanks.
| 
| 
| 
|      "I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose
|      a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there
|      are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas." -- Jack Handey
| 
|      mason s. convey
| 
|      1994 electric Chevy S-10
|           * conversion in progress!
|           * license plates: NO N GIN
| 
|      phone   602.237.3771
|      pager/voicemail   602.422.7996
|      http://www.public.asu.edu/~opossum