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Wiring

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frikenwoodro

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Location
Texas
Lookin to rewire my truck and or fix what I got
The truck had a tbi but caught fire so I snipped it and put a carb. Not the best idea but it worked
My plans are to have autometer Mechanical guages Oil pres,Temp, Vac,Volts,Possible trans temp, Speedo And tach.
I got a holley red pump and dual electric fans.
Head lights tails and indicators.
Gonna go to propane possibly but undecided as I have not a whole lot of info on that yet.
My wiring skillz are ok, But I cant read a diagram well.
I wanna do toggle switchs for all of this[except maybe turn signals]

Here is a diagram I made of my "Idea". Prolly get power from the bat. as it sits in the cab have one heavy guage wire run and splice off to each switch.
Wire.jpg


And an idea of the switch setup Ill be running.
mor-74131.jpg


Im sure its been covered more then once but seraching found me jack didaly.
Any input would be great. I want it to be reliable as I am a collEge student and have very limited funds. I was also thinking getting the universal 12 circut wire harness and going from there? Or should I pay someone a F%$& ton of money to do it for me? I would like to learn as I have done everything else to this thing.
That should cover the basics? If anyone in the abq area wana help I got beer :bow:
 
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You need to figure in relays for just about everything. Switches typically aren't designed to handle anywhere near the load things like electric fans put on them, and will burn out in short order.

Also would think about making the fan switch an override switch (or on/off/force on) for water crossings, with some sort of thermal switch that doesn't require you to be in the truck paying attention to temperature at all times. Personally I could see myself knocking the switch off and not noticing, which would be a bad thing if I was confident in my cooling system. So I'd want the switch something a bit harder to manipulate, or non-existent if water crossings that deep are not going to happen. (worst case you unplug them or the fuse before-hand)

Edit: I'd probably also trigger the fuel pump off the ignition circuit, as there is not much reason to have a switch.
 
Subscribed, I want to do the same thing and have been looking for a diagram. Same specs except no vac guage, probably windstar or lincoln electric fan, and propane for sure. Really want to do circuit breakers instead of fuses like Ryoken. Im also in the same boat about not being great with diagrams.
 
I thought about the cooling system thing. Run a constant hot to a temp switch prolly 190* that way it comes on at 190 no matter what. I would relay every switch with fuses Just forgot about them. Aslo not really sure how to wire them in? Would this setup work? Or am I being over confident in it being simple as i think?
 
I don't see any reason it can't be fairly simple. Relays essentially double the wiring (but shorter runs of large gauge wiring, theoretically) but that is just the switching portion you are "doubling".

You wouldn't want a constant(battery) 12V to anything but lights, you'd want ignition 12V to be controlling pretty much everything else. Relays have a "hot at all times" lead of course from the battery, but only things that must run with the key off need to be battery 12V.

Ryoken can be a big help here. :)
 
So relay everything got it. Its alot more simple then trying to figure out what the wiring is in my truck currently.

Is this what you mean? Somewhat?
wire2.jpg


Like said in first post when it comes to wiring. I SUCK! So I read it a few times and got this image in my head assuming that's how many prongs I wanna say they are call on the ignition switch. Or should I just run a simple one with no start button?And sorry if I seem dumb. :wink1:


I assume 'Ryoken' is a person thats good with idiot proof wiring answers for simple minded folks like my self?:D
index.cfm
 
Ryoken is one of the guys on here.

I know enough to be dangerous, but I use mostly stock wiring, so I have little experience with the push button start and what not.

I suspect with what you want to do, and the functionality you are looking for, Ryoken and a few others will be more help. I gave my opinion on what I'd consider to make a system a bit more idiot and bomb proof (whether necessary or not, that's your call) but in settin gup switches and relays, there are others who can elaborate better than I.

I look at a relay as a remote on/off switch. In your case, you have a switch for on/off, say for the headlights. You run power to the switch (fused) then the other wire from the switch to the relay. The relay has one wire as a ground. (both of these wires on automotive applications are pretty small gauge, like what you see mostly under the dash in a stock truck) One large gauge wire runs to the relay from the battery or a power distribution box, and one large gauge wire runs to the headlight(s).

When you flip your switch to on, that provides power to the relay through the small wire, which energizes and "switches" internally, allowing power from the battery to get to the accessory. That way the relay is carrying the "heavy" electrical load, and your switch is doing very little "work".
 
Oh I got it now. I saved a few of those relays I bought new from the trash. Thanks a bunch for dumbing it down. Haha. Any ideas for an ignition switch?

The wiring from the starter to the dist. is good then yeah?
 
Dorians got most of it covered, just some additional thoughts/confirmations...

honestly, I'm really not sure whats going on in some of that diagram, maybe some additional labeling... :confused::o

here's some basic concepts you want to start with.. any circuit you run will need protection.. it's not as simple as just feeding a "hot" off your ignition to your acc's...

basically what your going to want is 2 hot fused sources.. one constant, and one for the run position to feed the various circuits... h.lights, maybe a few select items you want to be runnable with the keys off on the constant.... fuel, fans, the majority, etc on the run...

As Dorian mentioned, any switched app will benefit from a relay.. yes, it adds wire/connectors/brain spasms, to the diagram, and work... but you really have/should do, fans, fuel, lights, etc...

also a thermal fan switch is a switched grd, not hot...

this is also the ideal time to do a slave solenoid for your starter, often refered to as "the ford solenoid mod"... solenoids can be had for $25 to 50...

if you have a week or so time to kill, you can look thru the early part of my build thread, linked in my sig, for a fair amount on this kinda endeavor, Ryoken style... :haha:

there is an incomplete diagram up in there... mostly base eng compartment functions, batts and such, no cab orientated stuff on it yet...

wait, here it is... sheesh, I need to redo/complete this...


diagram31.jpg
 
"basically what your going to want is 2 hot fused sources.. one constant, and one for the run position to feed the various circuits... h.lights, maybe a few select items you want to be runnable with the keys off on the constant.... fuel, fans, the majority, etc on the run..."

That part I'm not really getting?

Here is a better labeled thing I made. Paint didn't label things so other people can read em
trythisone.jpg



I looked at your thread left you a message about that gauge idea actually.
I'm working on the relay and charging idea.
 
well, what I was talking about there, is what your missing in your diagram... your power supplies.. you can't just feed the ign switch, than jump everything off it... you need to have a fuse block, with "run only" circuits being turned on by the key... than you can feed your individual circuits/switches...

couple other points.... the dizzy needs to be an "ign circuit", run position powered item.. you can't just feed it from a push button start.. it'd only get juice while cranking... which is another one... your push button start will be a simple wire in, powered in the run position, than out the other side of the switch as a "signal" that goes down to the trigger post on the starter, or preferably to a trigger post on a slave solenoid... there are NO grds involved in this circuit/switching...

feel free to pm me if ya need any help.....
 
nada.. thats right you can't pm.... where they recent?
 
Yeah i sent them right after I read your post. I been lookin at this thread all day.
This time around I got a ignition switch and when on it should power all the relays or switches witch ever it may be.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRF-80121/
This^^ looks like it would be good so I can have the oem style light switch and dimmers so I can have brights? There is an ignition switch as well look like 3 wires [ground,power and Acc. if I'm correct?]
Here it is with relays and and that Ignition switch tho I forgot power to the switch
Let me know if there are any changes need to be made? Or if I'm even in the ball park
I can't really explain it so I just went back to the drawling bored and reading what you posted.

I will add the ford selonod at a later date just wanna get this straight Edit#1

Everything will have a fuseable link. Edit#2

All the part are the same and there is a charging system.Edit#3
Wire2-1.jpg
 
ryoken said:
well, what I was talking about there, is what your missing in your diagram... your power supplies.. you can't just feed the ign switch, than jump everything off it... you need to have a fuse block, with "run only" circuits being turned on by the key... than you can feed your individual circuits/switches...
Click to expand...
I didnt see this part? Would I be better off getting the 12 circuit universal wire harness? Cuz I feel like I'm wasting time with my "ideas' :haha:


ryoken said:
couple other points.... the dizzy needs to be an "ign circuit", run position powered item.. you can't just feed it from a push button start.. it'd only get juice while cranking... which is another one... your push button start will be a simple wire in, powered in the run position, than out the other side of the switch as a "signal" that goes down to the trigger post on the starter, or preferably to a trigger post on a slave solenoid... there are NO grds involved in this circuit/switching...
Click to expand...
Took care of that.
 
frikenwoodro said:
I didnt see this part? Would I be better off getting the 12 circuit universal wire harness? Cuz I feel like I'm wasting time with my "ideas' :haha:


Took care of that.
Click to expand...

yup.... for most, thats enough of a project.... full blown custom takes a bit of circuit understanding that many don't have...

i'll hit all this tonight for ya......
 
ummmm, it isn't even evening yet dood.... :rolleyes:

honestly, buy that universal and build off of that... that'll walk ya thru about 95% of what you need to do...

that revised diagram, still has quite a few "issues".... doing a system from scratch isn't for the weak of heart... :wink1:
 
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