generic wiring querie

Hi all, I'm fancying tidying my wiring up as I go along with some repairs, and I was wondering what rating the wires should be to the rear lighting, would 17 amp be too high?ta

i do not mean to bend or break any copywright laws so the following can be found at autosparks.co.uk

There's nothing wrong with 17 amp cable if it's what you've got - it just makes a rather thicker loom.

Yeah, you can't really go too high when sizing cables, it just means it costs more and takes up more room, won't be any ill effects.

and please don't use T&E

Sean said:

and please don't use T&E

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I did this once to get me out the ****, and thats all it did, got about a month out of it until one of the cores snapped

I've got about 24 metres of various coloured 8 amp, got one rear quarter out and found all the lovely twisted wire wrapped in duct tape! All in random colours, so I gotta get to work teasing em all out and replacing all the old rotten stuff... Also found that the rear lights were held in with (fanfare please) you guessed it, bathroom sealant f*ckin lovely, at least I got some new ones that aren't rusted to sh*t! Can't upload any pics from me fone (coz I don't know how!) Sorry! :doh:

It's worth making up a new loom on the kitchen floor - you can use lengths of string to get the dimensions right. I did this using soldered bullet connectors (as per original) and the bullet barrel connectors, covered it in insulating tape and ran it under the tub (not through the chassis). I also made up the extension to the tow hitch. Took about a day to make and fit.

just having a gander at that chart, what cable then should be running from the alternator to the battery positive (or solenoid) think its 17amp on mine, is that not big enough?

Schmarnst said:

just having a gander at that chart, what cable then should be running from the alternator to the battery positive (or solenoid) think its 17amp on mine, is that not big enough?

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what Alternator have you got fitted? add 30% to the max Amp output and use that.

Schmarnst said:

just having a gander at that chart, what cable then should be running from the alternator to the battery positive (or solenoid) think its 17amp on mine, is that not big enough?

Click to expand...

I'd go with No. Your alternator will produce more than 17A.

If it's a generic alternator for a Series then it'd be in the region of 45A - I think that's what's fitted to my 88". If it's got a V8 or a petrol then it'll usually be a bit bigger. Me 110 has a 65A one fitted, the new RR is something like 250A cos of all the electrical gubbins required to run it.

It's the standard Lucas alternator

Upped the cabling to some 50A thinwall stuff seems to be doing the job, seems to have upset the missus tho, they sent me a catalogue with the cable and I think the wife is expecting me to flight the house in order to buy all the shiny gubbins they sell....

Maybe I will :flame2: