ElectriZicals Help!
Discussion
A forlorn hope?
Well I must admit, I am beginning to feel a tad out of my depth here! I would like to say I am totally self-sufficient...but I am OK with spanners, and a bit of wiring, but this area is more of a challenge.
I have got to the sticky bit...this is where I have to start wiring up bits to see if they work before doing a final-fit of the cockpit...and procrastination has seeped in!
You know the story...wake up on a Sat morning all enthusiatic-like...
- open the garage door...start fathoming the wiring diags.. 
- look pensively at the components, 
- have a cuppa, look again, have another cuppa and.....go and do some DIY..all the time kicking yourself for being a wimp! 
...and yes I have some non-standard components like an SPA dash, Stubby-stalks, and a pre-factory option LS7 from Mr Schwartz..
..so I really dont want to ship all to a remote corner of the UK for someone else to do it for me, I would rather try to do some of it myself with assistance, but need that confidence that only a local mate-who-knows would provide. But as will all these sort of things, I dont know anyone local enough that might come and help (I'll even pay of course) at the odd weekend..and us Ultima guys are a rare breed!
Tall order but anyone out there not too far from Cheltenham/ Tewkesbury area that is an electrizical whizz and wouldn't mind helping an old-git in his hr of need, or maybe you guys could suggest someone you would recommend ????
cheers
Keith
Well I must admit, I am beginning to feel a tad out of my depth here! I would like to say I am totally self-sufficient...but I am OK with spanners, and a bit of wiring, but this area is more of a challenge.
I have got to the sticky bit...this is where I have to start wiring up bits to see if they work before doing a final-fit of the cockpit...and procrastination has seeped in!
You know the story...wake up on a Sat morning all enthusiatic-like...
- open the garage door...start fathoming the wiring diags.. - look pensively at the components, - have a cuppa, look again, have another cuppa and.....go and do some DIY..all the time kicking yourself for being a wimp! ...and yes I have some non-standard components like an SPA dash, Stubby-stalks, and a pre-factory option LS7 from Mr Schwartz..
..so I really dont want to ship all to a remote corner of the UK for someone else to do it for me, I would rather try to do some of it myself with assistance, but need that confidence that only a local mate-who-knows would provide. But as will all these sort of things, I dont know anyone local enough that might come and help (I'll even pay of course) at the odd weekend..and us Ultima guys are a rare breed!
Tall order but anyone out there not too far from Cheltenham/ Tewkesbury area that is an electrizical whizz and wouldn't mind helping an old-git in his hr of need, or maybe you guys could suggest someone you would recommend ????
cheers
Keith
Edited by V8 Vum on Monday 22 February 18:16
Too far away to help but more than willing to answer questions.
First bit of advise.
Buy an in-line fuse holder and wire it between the battery and the positive wire you would have connected to the battery. Fit a 5 amp fuse.
You can now start connecting and testing low power circuits like side lights, instrument lights and sensor circuits. If you get something wrong it will just pop the fuse. When you want to check heavier currents like head lights and flashers etc just up the fuse value. This way you can check things out without worrying about setting fire to the loom.
Steve
ETA If all else fails we could find room in the workshop for it.
First bit of advise.
Buy an in-line fuse holder and wire it between the battery and the positive wire you would have connected to the battery. Fit a 5 amp fuse.
You can now start connecting and testing low power circuits like side lights, instrument lights and sensor circuits. If you get something wrong it will just pop the fuse. When you want to check heavier currents like head lights and flashers etc just up the fuse value. This way you can check things out without worrying about setting fire to the loom.
Steve
ETA If all else fails we could find room in the workshop for it.
Edited by Steve_D on Monday 22 February 19:01
Steve_D said:
Too far away to help but more than willing to answer questions.
First bit of advise.
Buy an in-line fuse holder and wire it between the battery and the positive wire you would have connected to the battery. Fit a 5 amp fuse.
You can now start connecting and testing low power circuits like side lights, instrument lights and sensor circuits. If you get something wrong it will just pop the fuse. When you want to check heavier currents like head lights and flashers etc just up the fuse value. This way you can check things out without worrying about setting fire to the loom.
Steve
ETA If all else fails we could find room in the workshop for it.
Even better you can buy a trip switch which goes in line.... the fuses will cost a forture in halfords if you keep popping them.......First bit of advise.
Buy an in-line fuse holder and wire it between the battery and the positive wire you would have connected to the battery. Fit a 5 amp fuse.
You can now start connecting and testing low power circuits like side lights, instrument lights and sensor circuits. If you get something wrong it will just pop the fuse. When you want to check heavier currents like head lights and flashers etc just up the fuse value. This way you can check things out without worrying about setting fire to the loom.
Steve
ETA If all else fails we could find room in the workshop for it.
Edited by Steve_D on Monday 22 February 19:01
When wiring I use a power probe........ its available online and you connect its cables to a battery... the probe is possitive or negative and its fused.... you can supply a power down a line to test the circuit...it also has a light on it that tells u if the wire you are touching is possitive or nagative already as well.... great bit of kit and easier than a multimeter.... any advise just ask... too far to travel im afraid
Dom
t.One other bit of advice when wiring. Purchase a label maker. Label and trace every wire. Makes putting them all together easy. One thing I felt was done poorly is the grounding in the car. Placing a grounding bar at different areas in the car would fix alot of the intermittent problem I have had with the wiring in this car. When I changed the car to fuel injection and put the Audio system in my car. I made a three part area for the wires to run all the power. One was a switched positive, the second was a unswitched positive and the third was a ground area. All were 3 inch by 1 inch copper bars with multiple screws tapped in to them. This gave me places to put all the different wires need for the job. Lastly, take your time the wiring diagram posted in the stick areas is excellent. You can take out just the circuit you are working on and print it. Make it much easier to trace the circuit you are work on.
It's also handy to print a copy of the BS-AU7 standard for colour coding automobile wiring. (Lucas wiring colour code.)
The Ultima loom closely follows the standard. Once you get used to it, you can determine a circuits function simply by noting the colour combinations of the wire. (It's really handy when you open up the loom to look for a particular wire circuit that's imbedded in a bundle.)
The Ultima loom closely follows the standard. Once you get used to it, you can determine a circuits function simply by noting the colour combinations of the wire. (It's really handy when you open up the loom to look for a particular wire circuit that's imbedded in a bundle.)
John1949 said:
I made a three part area for the wires to run all the power. One was a switched positive, the second was a unswitched positive and the third was a ground area. All were 3 inch by 1 inch copper bars with multiple screws tapped in to them.
Jihn,Have you got any pictures of these 'bars' in situ?
cheers
Keith
V8 Vum said:
Hi Adam,
Was your cockpit in place already or was this done prefit?
cheers
Keith
Had all the wiring sorted before the cockpit was fitted. Had cut all the holes for dash and gauges so the electrician could get all the wiring in the correcty position.Was your cockpit in place already or was this done prefit?
cheers
Keith
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[/URL]Hi Adam,
Do like your centre panel idea! - looks the DBs!
You using the tvr pots there? ..and whats the top item in the middle?
Did you fabricate the cowl yourself?
Very noice old chap!
...oh annd how did you find the electri-man? yellow pages?
I am nervous about using a pin in the yellow book!
Keith
Do like your centre panel idea! - looks the DBs!
You using the tvr pots there? ..and whats the top item in the middle?
Did you fabricate the cowl yourself?
Very noice old chap!
...oh annd how did you find the electri-man? yellow pages?
I am nervous about using a pin in the yellow book!
Keith
Edited by V8 Vum on Wednesday 24th February 08:03
V8 Vum said:
Hi Adam,
Do like your centre panel idea! - looks the DBs!
You using the tvr pots there? ..and whats the top item in the middle?
Did you fabricate the cowl yourself?
Very noice old chap!
...oh annd how did you find the electri-man? yellow pages?
I am nervous about using a pin in the yellow book!
Keith
Had the nobs machined up, the gauge in the middle is a digital brake bias. Made cowl and center pod myself from Ali.Do like your centre panel idea! - looks the DBs!
You using the tvr pots there? ..and whats the top item in the middle?
Did you fabricate the cowl yourself?
Very noice old chap!
...oh annd how did you find the electri-man? yellow pages?
I am nervous about using a pin in the yellow book!
Keith
Edited by V8 Vum on Wednesday 24th February 08:03
The electrician was recomended by a friend of mine
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