Electrical cable

[MandM]

Hi Electric experts, which size cable do I need from the below photo, for my 12Volt Aux sockets and modern radio permanent feed, and if I'm going to use the clock feed would you use a purple colour or just a red for the permanent feed.

thanks in Advance

cable.jpg

[MandM]

47 views no response ?

[jbuckl]

Many striped colours now unavailable .

most common loom size was 28 strand…. Amongst others.

incomplete reply sorry.

would be delighted to find a pink resisted wire supplier

[MandM]

I will go for 28 then, have used heavier able in the passed but just wanted to get it right this time

thanks

[jbuckl]

I bought the proper Lucas terminals and crimping pliers.

and insulators.

seeing pre insulated terminals puts me into a spin….can only really achieve a 50 % resistance usually.

so many restored cars have grotty wiring repairs…

im not electrically trained but dislike seeing mechanics attempts to repair wiring… usually awful…. Likley to last a short time and ugly.

have worked alongside electrical geniuses who can create oem standard prototype looms / circuits

[STypeR]

2.6mm is too small a diameter. The 3.3mm should be sufficient if its one of the standard type radios. Also the wiring of it may need both a constant as well as an ignition/accessories feed. Use the factory White/Pink wire for the accessories feed.
Not sure what type of aux sockets you have but normally they do take quite a bit of current, maybe best to go for a circa 5mm gauge wire and run (and insulate with non adhesive tape) direct from the unused fuses in the fuse box.
The clock has the factory purple which is a fused constant wire, I'd probably run another purple if your going to splice into this..

For every additional electrical item I've added to the car (and I've added plenty) I've run separate wiring for; nearly all of it kept to the British Standard wiring colour code (BS-AU7). Some you just cannot, like the central locking etc. And I've drawn a wiring diagram for each item as a reference as you easily forget.
Easy enough to buy correct BS colour coded wires on line these days.

[MandM]

thanks for the replies, in the passed, I have tended to use heavier cable but that is a bit over kill

[wilf]

This might help, although it is,really, for twin and earth cables:

http://www.cable-ratings.co.uk/

[Philip Wardle]

The 14/0.30 and 28/0.30 sizes from Auto Electric supplies, which are shown in post no 1, come is a pretty good range of colours including quite a few variations of a main colour + trace colour. The smaller size 9/0.30 and larger sizes 44/0.30 and up come in a smaller range of single colours. I would think 14/0.30 would suit most radios and aux outlets, but can't say for sure without knowing more about the radio or what the aux socket will be used for.

Wilf's info is intended for use in sizing cables twin and earth or three-core and earth solid core for fixed wiring installations in buildings. As indicated in the tables the current capacity is derated according to installation method and, there are further de-rating factors for elevated temperature, grouping in conduits or trunking, power factor etc. For automotive applications i wouldn't worry about de-rating, at least not for the average 1970s classic.

A lot of people pile 30 cm of fibreglass insulation on top of 2.5 mm T&E cable in a ring final circuit in their loft, or a 10 mm T&E on a radial circuit to their shower, not realising that the cables may now overheat under load. Not such as problem with 1.0 mm or 1.5 mm lighting circuits because the.load is much reduced with LEDs vs. incandescents that were prevalent when the cable was originally sized.