I am looking to buy some coiled cable (like telephone cable) to run from the steering wheel to under the dash, so that I can run some control switches on the wheel. I currently have plans for 8 wires, but it would be nice to have a few more for future and adding LEDs, so I was wondering if this 15-core cable would be up to the job:



It is part number 365-240 on the RS Components website and the specs are as follows:

Non-Shielded Coiled, Keyboard Cable
15 core coiled signal cable suitable for keyboard leads etc.
150mm tail length
Voltage rating 100Vac Max.
Strands=14/0·071mm
Current=0.25A
Cable=5.5mm
Coil=17mm
Length=150mm
Extended=1m

The switches are all going to be operating microswitches, so the current passing through them is going to be very small.

The biggest load will be on the relay which triggers my Kliktronic gear-shifter, but even this draws only 0.15A - although for a very short period of time (perhaps one second), not continuous.

Only thing I was unsure of was the current rating @ 100Vac - how does this translate into a rating @ 12Vdc?

And is the fact that it is non-shielded matter?

THANKS!

The rating is for 100 Vac MAX ie it can take a max voltage of 100Vac (or DC)
and max current of .25 amp

so 12vDC at .25 amp would be fine

the unsheilded means that if the cable is used for data transfer it could be affected by interferance (so is not very good for DATA). it will be fine for your needs as you are not sending data, and as far as i know the only sheilded cables are in the ECU and on the HF Circuit (to suppress interferance)

This cable should be fine, as Simon has said.

Just one thing - to keep the SVA man happy, make sure that the coiled wire looks neat and appears to have a "planned location". In other words, it looks in the right place, and not just dangling where it may get caught up with things.

Sounds like you have some fun ideas, though!

David

David & Simon - thanks very much! No data transfer so should be fine!

I now need to find some appropriate 15-way connectors, which I could use to plug it into the loom under the dash. ie. the wheel-end of the cable will be permanently-connected and when you remove the wheel, you unplug the cable from the dash and it stays on the wheel.

I'd like to hide the dash connector under the dash, so a connector which is easy to engage and 'lock' would be ideal - any ideas please?

Cheers

I've bought multi core cable like that of RS
Worked well enough, but the wires are rearly fine, just a real pain to strip. You could get most of the wires striped when one wire would refuse to strip, break off and by the time you had sucsefully striped it, it would be a lot shorteer than all the other wires.

In the end i gave up used speaker wire instead and put a spiral conduit round all the leghts of wire.

tip: strip them with your teeth, not metal strippers.

If it was me ordering from RS i'd probably get the "Trim Trio Metalok Bantam" connectors, in cable and connectors -> connectors - multipole circular -> general purpose and industrial.

I haven't used them myself but they look like the kind of thing you want.

I'd post a link but it's all session based and stuff, don't think it'd work.

quote:

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Originally posted by blueshift
i'd probably get the "Trim Trio Metalok Bantam" connectors

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Must get one of them then. . On the wire front my wife does dollhouses and the wiring in them is very fine. She uses a nail clipper to strip them. Just grip it with minimum pressure and pull the cable to remove the outer, or get a woman to do it for you.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ferrino
Only thing I'm not sure of - I guess you have to purchase the contacts (ie. pins and sockets) separately from RS? Are these just standard sizes?

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RS have a very comprehensive site, if it doesn't tell you what you need to know then the chances are a telephone operator looking at the site probably won't know.

There are some standard size pins/sokets, but find the one you want and RS will have the other half to go with it.

Just keep browsing the site, i've spent days searching for all the parts i've needed on past ocasions.

quote:

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Originally posted by blueshift
tip: strip them with your teeth, not metal strippers.

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Then use someone else's. duh!

Thanks - the tech sheet says that these connectors use Trim Trio contacts and that they are available separately. However, I cannot find any solder-type pins & sockets made by the same manufacturer. There do seem to be some generic contacts, but not sure if they will fit......

You're right about the RS website - have spent ages looking for these bits and others!!!!!

Would they carry the current you need.?

they would, but d-sub are quite fragile (easy to bend pins), not too easy to locate if you can't see them, and don't have good locking mechanism.

as for the connector issue I dunno, I'd expect them to come with the pins you need as they're not sold seperately in the same section. if it were me i'd just buy them and see.

Looking in my paper catalogue one of the several sizes of contacts is 437-3712.

If you want something smaller and don't need all 15 wires connected have a look at the plastic lemo connectors. Not used or seen them myself but the metal ones are very good connectors, but probably too expensive.

quote:

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Originally posted by chriscook
Looking in my paper catalogue one of the several sizes of contacts is 437-3712.

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Ferrino - could you go to your local trade counter and see the connectors in real life before buying. If theyare not too busy im sure they'd help you select the right ones. My local trade centre is near to a Maplins as well so if one doesnt have the other might.

What about Farnell as an alternative supplier?

I've made up some similar connectors so I can plug my dash loom and engine loom into the vehicle loom and used a pair of long nose pliers and then soldered them. Actually the pliers had the last 3mm of one nose broken off which made them ideal for the job as i could bend over the tabs on one side at a time easily.

Thanks Chris - think I will buy their crimp connectors and make the best crimp I can and then solder.

I have used a 20 way ATX PC motherboard connector to connect the loom on the back of my dash to the main loom

http://www.locostbuilders.co.uk/viewthread.php?tid=20106

maplins, £1.29 per connector (male / female)

worked for me.

otherwise look here:

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/VWPweb2000/multicon/multicon.html

What about a male/ female 25 way serial d connector.
Might be bulky but sturdy pins and can be screwed together.
panel mount are available too