Title:

Wiring Harness

Category:

Electrical

Created:

17/09/2000

You can easily make your own wiring harness. The secret is to pay close attention to the gauge, or thickness of the wire used. Also, it is important to correctly use the different colors of wires so you can figure out which is which once the new harness is installed. The biggest headache will be the connectors, but here's a trick. Cut the originals with at least 1" of wire coming out of them. Then put a suitable sized piece of black shrink wrap on the wire on the new harness. Do not heat it yet.
Now twist the old wire with connector with the corresponding wire on the new harness. Solder them together with standard rosin core electronic solder and a suitable wattage soldering iron that will get the wires hot enough for the solder to flow.
The secret here is to get a good mechanical connection via twisting the wires, and to finish it off by soldering it. Now slide the shrink tube you slid on the wire before and heat it while on the solder joint, till it is tight. Now you have a very permanent connection, and the proper connector. This works much better then using crimp connectors and looks a heck of a lot more professional.

Original harnesses were held together with electrician's tape, so you will have to wrap tape around the entire length of the harness. It is easier to just buy a harness, but if they are not available, this is a way you can make one.

Remember one thing though, this is a low voltage high current system, any poorly made connections that exhibit even an ohm or two of resistance will spell trouble.