chrsgrain
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| posted on 8/7/08 at 08:48 AM |
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Loom design help - any car sparkys about?
Hi all,
Next project is a restoration of a TR4, the old loom is completely knackered (!) and I don't want to replicate it, as it only had 2 fuses and no
relays for anything... want to redesign it with relays for headlights, fogs, fan, horns etc and add a sensible number of fuses (oh and an alternator
rather than a dynamo + control box!)...
Is there anyone who could look over a wiring diagram to make sure I've not done anything stupid? Also, are there any (preferably free) programs
that you can use to draw a wiring diagram - my pen and paper one is not very elegant!
Ta
Chris
Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...
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tegwin
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| posted on 8/7/08 at 09:03 AM |
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I have used MS paint before to pretty good effect....lol... Its free...lets you draw straight lines of different colours...what more do you want!
I would suggest drawing each system in detail sepperatly... (Indicators, sidelights, mains, brakes etc)...
Then draw an overall plan showing how your detailed drawings will come together in the fusebox etc....
Makes things simpler
When you come to make the loom you can build it up in layers following each sepperate system drawing...
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02GF74
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| posted on 8/7/08 at 09:47 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by chrsgrain
Next project is a restoration of a TR4, the old loom is completely knackered (!) and I don't want to replicate it, as it only had 2 fuses and no
relays for anything... want to redesign it with relays for headlights, fogs, fan, horns etc and add a sensible number of fuses (oh and an alternator
rather than a dynamo + control box!)...
don't discout the original design because it is too simplistic. it worked didn't it?
people misthink that old car wiring is crap but then take a modern car in 40 years time and you will get the smae rpbolems of parts of it failing.
keeping it simple means less to go wrong nad easy to trouble shoot.
by all means fit relays for halogen lamps, some extra fuses perhaps but don't go over board; it really isn't necessary.
Series Land Rovers have 3 fuses, no relays and worked.
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 8/7/08 at 09:57 AM |
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Hmm... good point about the complicated thing... I'll have a think.
Mostly want to protect the old switchgear from switching large loads and causing voltage drops, also will be uprating the headlights and adding an
electric fan....
Good thoughts though...
Chris
Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...
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:{THC}:YosamiteSam
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 12:38 AM |
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i used microsoft excel to design my own - i took EVERY item i needed to connect - learned how it worked then drew a wiring diagram using that program
- it has 'connectors' which make great 'wires' so you can move things around easy - i drew all the connectors so you could see
how it worked - helped me an aweful lot
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iank
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 06:44 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam
i used microsoft excel to design my own - i took EVERY item i needed to connect - learned how it worked then drew a wiring diagram using that program
- it has 'connectors' which make great 'wires' so you can move things around easy - i drew all the connectors so you could see
how it worked - helped me an aweful lot
excel is a spreadsheet - I suspect you mean visio as that is a drawing package with 'connectors'.
I used eagle schematic capture (which is free), but it doesn't do coloured wires easily.
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Macbeast
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 07:20 AM |
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Or Powerpoint - that will do drawings too
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James
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| posted on 10/7/08 at 05:11 PM |
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I wonder if you could 'cheat' and use a kit car loom such as the Premier one?
Only about £100 when I bought mine and was really good. You might have to change some wire lengths (or ask Premier to) but this might be an easy way
to sort the car?
Cheers,
James
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"The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights."
- Muhammad Ali
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:{THC}:YosamiteSam
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| posted on 14/7/08 at 08:24 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by iank
quote:
Originally posted by :{THC}:YosamiteSam
i used microsoft excel to design my own - i took EVERY item i needed to connect - learned how it worked then drew a wiring diagram using that program
- it has 'connectors' which make great 'wires' so you can move things around easy - i drew all the connectors so you could see
how it worked - helped me an aweful lot
excel is a spreadsheet - I suspect you mean visio as that is a drawing package with 'connectors'.
I used eagle schematic capture (which is free), but it doesn't do coloured wires easily.
no - excel has connectors in it as well - i have 2003 version
you can even colour the wires and colour them with stripes!
makes it very easy to shuffle parts around but still keeping parts connected
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