Race car wiring solutions are straightforward if you understand the basics. Understanding aspects like cord size, cable grades, crimping, and soldering simplifies the process. Welcome to this guide, where we unravel all the details of race car wiring.
Get the Cord Size Right
The rule of thumb is always to ensure that the least wire gauge size is four for your power cables. A good gauge means excellent conductivity without the risk of the wire burning up. This consideration is especially important, considering a race car has a high-voltage battery.
In addition, you should opt for a cord with more strands rather than a few thicker ones. More wires mean a lot here as they allow better conductivity than when there were fewer. Moreover, a cable with numerous thin strands is better than a few thick ones in terms of flexibility.
Select the Right Cable Grade
Battery Cables.
We recommend the welding grade cable over any other type. So avoid the temptation of opting for alternatives such as the common audio cables. This advice is primarily based on the sheathing resilience of a welding-grade cable over the other types.
Remember, a sports car is a high-intensity heat chamber. The last thing you want is for your cable sheaths to melt easily. Hence, even if it means breaking the bank, choose a welding-grade cable to serve you right.
Crimp or Solder Wires at the Exposed Ends
An electrician uses pliers to crimp terminals on wires.
Crimping the wire ends at the point you join them is the perfect way to realize a good joint. Nonetheless, crimping may prove arduous, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. The ideal alternative is linking the wire to the terminals and soldering them together.
But while soldering, remember one classic mistake most guys make: not heating the exposed parts of the wire. Most people concentrate on heating the part where the wire joins the terminal, resulting in a weak joint.
The ideal soldering technique should involve heating the exposed wires to encourage better interaction with the soldering wick.
Make it Easy to Disconnect the Battery When Necessary.
Battery Replacement and Repair.
Emergencies will arise that will compel you to disconnect the racing car’s battery. Therefore, you should ideally use a quick disconnect cable. One of the most suited connectors is the high-voltage Anderson Quick Disconnect.
Go for the Best Connectors
Electrical connectors and other tools.
You will need robust and hardy connectors such as the Deutsh type for your racing car. The ideal connectors should primarily be excellent electricity conductors. They should also withstand heat and the car’s vibrations, which are always predominant.
Also, cleaning the race car will require spraying it with water jets. Hence, we recommend the Deutsch connectors, which are the best and they are water-resistant.
How about weatherpack connectors? Although these are top quality, they feature one significant flaw you won’t experience with the Deutsch connectors. The latter are resistant to tear and wear, even with frequent connection and disconnection.
Determine the Wire Size Accurately
Wires in a Car.
This step is especially significant when you are shopping for wires. You can use a string or rope to measure your desired wire size. The essence of either is to give you an exact measure of the wire size.
Remember that they can also bend and help you measure the wires. After making the measurement, place the rope along the length of the wire and cut it.
Cover Wires With a Shrinkwrap
Using heat shrink tubing on a cable.
Interactions of the wires with other signals are undesired in racing car wiring. Moreover, leaving the wires bare makes them prone to connecting to other cables, leading to short circuits. Therefore, a heat shrink wrap covers all the exposed wire ends.
The wrap is not only an electrical shield; it also keeps dust and moisture at bay. Therefore, you should not just go for any cheap shrinkwrap you encounter. The ideal one should have a robust feature, such as a heat-activated glue.
Also, one with a double wall will come in handy to ensure the joint is safe from external agents.
Tag Each Gauge
You will need high-quality gauges for the sports car. However, most gauges lack water-resistant properties, so removing them before washing the vehicle is better. Ensure you attach a tag to each indicator to ease the reconnection.
Don’t Make Direct Connections to the Switch Panel
A common mistake many make during installation is bypassing connectors and connecting wires directly to the switch panel. This sort of connection complicates the removal and installation of wires to the switch panel.
Conclusion
Wiring a race car may feel like a complex undertaking, considering the sophistication of such an auto. However, it is not hard when you have tips like the ones highlighted above.
