Notice: We request that you don't just set up a new account at this time if you are a previous user.
If you used to be one of our moderators, please feel free to reach out to Chris via the facebook Outerlimits4x4 group and he will get you set back up with access should he need you.
Recovery:If you cannot access your old email address and don't remember your password, please click here to log a change of email address so you can do a password reset.

water proof wiring

Tech Talk for Suzuki owners.

Moderators: lay80n, sierrajim

Post Reply
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:50 pm
Location: redlands

water proof wiring

Post by big_little112 »

hey all im building a comp truck an i want to water proof all my wiring as ill be re wiring most of it anyway any suggestions on water proof products ideas? cheers
Posts: 7345
Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 3:29 pm
Location: Melbourne

Post by Gwagensteve »

Wiring is pretty waterproof from the factory - It's one of the advantages of 12 volts - it will cope with water.

If you are really worried, up grade the connectors to GM weatherpak or equivalent. You can buy these from most parts places - Narva make versions they are quite good.

if you want to avoid connector problems though, solder everything, don't rely on a crimp connection.

Steve.
[quote="greg"] some say he is a man without happy dreams, or that he sees silver linings on clouds and wonders why they are not platinum... all we know, is he's called the stevie.[/quote]
Posts: 82
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 8:18 pm
Location: QLD

Post by McGyver »

yea if you want to be real shmick with it solder everything possible then use a glue heat shrink that shit is the bomb and totally waterproof, can be hard to find it in smaller sizes tho, and make silicon your friend
GQ Patrol wagon, petrol, boat towing vehicle
Posts: 14187
Joined: Wed Apr 30, 2003 8:09 pm
Location: Trip Trip Trappin' across a bridge

Post by Goatse.AJ »

Gwagensteve wrote:Wiring is pretty waterproof from the factory - It's one of the advantages of 12 volts - it will cope with water.

If you are really worried, up grade the connectors to GM weatherpak or equivalent. You can buy these from most parts places - Narva make versions they are quite good.

if you want to avoid connector problems though, solder everything, don't rely on a crimp connection.

Steve.
X2
bru21 wrote:What happens in goat, stays in goat!
Posts: 4760
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:04 am
Location: Adelaide

Post by murcod »

Actually, a properly done crimp will be more reliable than a soldered joint. ;)

Have a look over all your factory connections - they're crimped. Crimped connections are less likely to fail in high vibration environments. When you do a solder connection the solder will "wick" up the cable and this makes it brittle and susceptible to breaking from vibrations.

Aircraft wiring is crimped for this reason (I work on aircraft electricals/ electronics.)

The main issue with crimp connections is very few people spend the money and buy the proper crimping tool- and that's why the connection will fail.
David
Posts: 835
Joined: Fri May 05, 2006 4:56 pm
Location: Sydney

Post by brendan_h »

do what i do. crimp and then solder
91 SWB Sierra. 16v 1.6efi, extractors, 6.1gears, SPOA, 32 BF muddys and 2inch bodylift
Posts: 810
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: vic

Post by ajsr »

brendan_h wrote:do what i do. crimp and then solder

I do
never had a joint fail yet
85 high roof 1.3, 6.5 tc, air lockers,ruf and 34 swampers. yep its an ugly pos.
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:25 pm
Location: Queensland

Post by tombutt »

that heat shrink with the glue is called resin sore u can get it from all electrical wholesalers in heaps of sizes
Posts: 4760
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:04 am
Location: Adelaide

Post by murcod »

brendan_h wrote:do what i do. crimp and then solder
Then you're running the risk of the wire breaking from vibration fatigue as I mentioned earlier. There is no need to solder a properly crimped terminal. ;)
David
Posts: 6221
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 12:51 pm
Location: Sydney

Post by v840 »

Murcod, do you have any leads on where to get a hex crimping tool? I've been looking for ages and haven't been able to find one.

I am fairly retarded though.
|^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ||
|.........SUZUKI..........| ||'|";, ____.
|_..._..._______===|=||_|__|..., ]
(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)*****''(@)
Posts: 53
Joined: Fri May 23, 2003 1:13 pm
Location: Camperdown Vic

Post by AndrewT »

v840 wrote:Murcod, do you have any leads on where to get a hex crimping tool? I've been looking for ages and haven't been able to find one.

I am fairly retarded though.
Any electrical wholesaler, AWM ,Middys L+H Auslec
Posts: 4760
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:04 am
Location: Adelaide

Post by murcod »

What sort of crimps are you trying to do?

I bought a hydraulic hex crimping tool off Ebay recently that does a decent job- it was around $80 delivered (something like 8 tonne crimping pressure and 6mm2 to 70mm2 capacity.)

Jaycar also sell a crimping tool that has changeable jaw inserts. That's good for the non insulated terminals that you get in most auto plugs. You can also buy the jaws to suit the pre insulated (ie. red, blue, yellow) crimps terminals, plus various other styles of jaws.
David
Posts: 3098
Joined: Sat May 28, 2005 3:22 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Post by PJ.zook »

I just modified loom for fitting G16B into sierra, and i just soldiered all the joints then used the heatshrink lined with hot melt glue that you can get from Jaycar (when the stupid bastards actually stock it that is), but as others have already said, it can vibrate the wire in half, but that wont be a problem if you secure everything properly. Dont just run a wire and leave it, make sure its both shielded (with conduit, electrical tape, external shielding provided with multicore wire, etc) and secured in many places so the wire cant actually move much or rub on anything.
Also be aware when running wiring from body to engine to leave a fair bit of slack. This allows for engine torquing/moving, and try not to have a soldier joint in the slack area.
Another thing to think about is that if youre running efi, where to put computer as far from water levels as possible, and when running wire to the computer, is to try and have the plugs on the bottom if possible and have the wiring loop down past computer, then back up to plugs. This helps any water that happens to get in down the loom say from the firewall grommet to drip off at lowest point in looped wiring, instead of flowing into the computer.
Motorized three seater couch buildup:

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic ... 0&t=196047
Posts: 2600
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:40 pm
Location: Townsville

Post by GRPABT1 »

Look in 4wd monthly mag for an ad on a product called "plastidip" it's a paintable plastic coating that looks like it could come in handy, I considered this for making mine water proof. I want going to seal up the dizzy cap etc with it as it looks like it'll do the job but is easy enough to peal off when needed.
Build Thread - http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=168546&p=1927514&hilit=GRPABT1%27s+zook#p1927514
Posts: 511
Joined: Thu Oct 31, 2002 8:59 am
Location: Sydney

Post by Liam »

plasti dip rocks. When I had a stock dash I thinned some down and sprayed a few coats up under the dash. No more dramas once the dash is under. My sparky was not so enthusiastic once every wire, every conection and every component was blue.
www.bbmotorsports.com.au
User avatar
Guy
Posts: 10366
Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2002 8:43 am
Location: Wangaratta

Post by Guy »

I cannot stress this enough.

DI-ELECTRIC grease. water proof, non conductive, no corosove and self healing. You pull it apart and put it back together it reseals itslef, as it also excludeds air and moisture it stops corrosion forming and creating high resistance joints.
" If governments are involved in the covering up the knowledge of aliens, Then they are doing a much better job of it than they do of everything else "
Posts: 4760
Joined: Mon Dec 30, 2002 6:04 am
Location: Adelaide

Post by murcod »

That'd be the stuff Daihatsu filled the engine bay fuse/ relay box with on my old Feroza.

Where can you buy it from?
David
Posts: 2600
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 2:40 pm
Location: Townsville

Post by GRPABT1 »

I think 4wd megastores might stock it (tjm)
Build Thread - http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=168546&p=1927514&hilit=GRPABT1%27s+zook#p1927514
Posts: 179
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:43 pm
Location: Shidney

Post by RockHopper »

murcod wrote:That'd be the stuff Daihatsu filled the engine bay fuse/ relay box with on my old Feroza.

Where can you buy it from?
Maybe Jacar, but forklift spare parts retailers like EMC or TVH should stock it as most if not all cold storage electric forks have all they're major electrical components covered in this stuff. I'd highly recommend it.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests