All things electrical need good wire, ebay and amazon seem to tend to have very cheap wire, but it seems they are often not the wire gauge spec they claim to be or are CCA which can't carry as much current as straight copper.
What/Where do you all get for your primary wire?
What are you referring to as primary wire? For general automotive wiring purposes, I have a huge tote full of wire and harnesses that I have salvaged from Japanese project cars past. For heavy gauge main wire -- battery, alternator, kill switch wiring, I like to raid older BMWs with rear-mounted batteries.
Google said:
In addition to Evan McCarty's answer in the context of power distribution systems, "primary wire," at least in the United States, is a name for insulated stranded copperwire used in general-purpose automotive (and sometimes marine) applications.
In my case, I am mostly using for lighting, engine/ECU harness, and the like. 10-14ga depending.
If I'm in a hurry I use McMaster-Carr. Otherwise I've been using Del-City.
APEowner said:If I'm in a hurry I use McMaster-Carr. Otherwise I've been using Del-City.
So, like this stuff? https://www.delcity.net/store/12-Gauge-Wire/p_181401.h_181870
And you've found them to be decent quality?
I’ve just used the small bundles from bi-mart or autobone. Usually good enough to work with my Vatozone/bimart connectors. But I always over gauge my wiring so make sure you step it up.
AWSX1686 said:APEowner said:If I'm in a hurry I use McMaster-Carr. Otherwise I've been using Del-City.
So, like this stuff? https://www.delcity.net/store/12-Gauge-Wire/p_181401.h_181870
And you've found them to be decent quality?
That's the stuff and yes, it's good quality.
In reply to AWSX1686 :
I've ordered multiple times from this ebay ventor ("12voltwire"). It's Chinese stuff, but I've found the gauge to be accurate and the insulation to be good quality. I have a lot of stuff in the rally car and all the auxiliary/roof lighting in the Sequoia wired with this stuff (in various gauges) and it's held up well, no issues whatsoever. This is also what we carry in our race/rally spares kit. And it's about 1/3 the price of the link a post or two up....so I would say it's at least worth trying to see if you like it as much as I do.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Rolls-14-Gauge-100-Feet-Primary-Remote-Power-Ground-Hook-up-Wire-Automotive/261576591286?hash=item3ce72e07b6:g:9rIAAOSwNglZ1Vzy
I don't think I've ordered any since my MegaSquirt project quite some time ago, but Waytek Wire is the first place that springs to mind.
I've always used Del-City for all my wiring needs and been happy with the product and service.
I used to do custom manufacturing equipment build and wiring for a living. I recently ordered a 12 pack of 16GA primary wire from Del City in assorted colors and spent the past week upside down inside the Spitfire race car rewiring everything. The wire quality is good and easy to work with (strips clean, routs flat, solders quickly).
I'll buy from them again.
mike h
I have used The Wire Barn And have been very happy. USA made wire and they are easy to deal with.
Whats the general preference for the PVC coated wire vs the stuff companies like Painless use in their kits (TXL?)
What is GXL wire?
The few times I have done a Painless harness, I have kept every scrap of leftover wire, its far and away better than anything else i have found in terms of flexibility, ease of stripping, ability to lay flat, etc.
Hardware store wire always looks like hardware store wire to me. See that under the hood or under the dash sets up a lot of warning flags. Almost as bad as seeing speaker wire or lamp cord!
OFracing said:I used to do custom manufacturing equipment build and wiring for a living. I recently ordered a 12 pack of 16GA primary wire from Del City in assorted colors and spent the past week upside down inside the Spitfire race car rewiring everything. The wire quality is good and easy to work with (strips clean, routs flat, solders quickly).
I'll buy from them again.
mike h
Nice! I am mostly looking because I am about to be setting up a Megasquirt based ECU on my Spitfire and also re-doing every other wire in the car.
And also to put some backup flood lights on the truck.
JBasham said:I have been loving this stuff for 16 gauge.
That's not bad...
93gsxturbo said:Whats the general preference for the PVC coated wire vs the stuff companies like Painless use in their kits (TXL?)
What is GXL wire?
The few times I have done a Painless harness, I have kept every scrap of leftover wire, its far and away better than anything else i have found in terms of flexibility, ease of stripping, ability to lay flat, etc.
Hardware store wire always looks like hardware store wire to me. See that under the hood or under the dash sets up a lot of warning flags. Almost as bad as seeing speaker wire or lamp cord!
The GXL, TXL (and SXL) are cross-linked polyethylene insulation rather than PVC. It is much more abrasion resistant than PVC and also more flame resistant. It isn't going to burn and singe like PVC when you heat shrink with a torch or lighter.
GXL is a thin wall insulation, TXL is extra thin wall. Both are better for harnesses and applications with lots of wire since they take less space. SXL is the same thickness as PVC insulated wire.
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