SS rebuild

[mitt]

I am pretty sure Europe doesn't use AWG NEMA sizes. More like mm or mm^2.

Cool project ML.  

edit - found a quick x-reference chart

http://www.litz-wire.com/wirediminsions.html

mitt

[mitt]

The optimal ground size could be determined pretty easy if you know how many amps and how long a run it is.

Wiring practices on cars / bikes / trailers are so sh!tty compared to any other wiring it is amazing they work at all.  I always get a kick out of car audio amp kits, that come with like 16' of 4 gauge wire for the + side, and 1' of 4 gauge for the - side, then use the iron body / frame for the rest of the - line.  Using steel as a conductor for 15' defeats the runs of massive Cu wire.

mitt

[Monsterlover]

Thanks Mitt.

Your chart is the same as all the ones I found. What's the deal with my wire being marked 8 and actually being much larger than that?

[mitt]

Thanks Mitt.

Your chart is the same as all the ones I found. What's the deal with my wire being marked 8 and actually being much larger than that?

I am not sure why that would be.  There are so many different types of wire, it could be it is larger due to a loose braid for flexibility (you mentioned it was soft) like for welding cable.

mitt 

[♣ McKraut ♣]

so... there's no harm in "over-doing" the gauge with a thicker gauge wire... like 4 or larger(thicker)?

[mitt]

so... there's no harm in "over-doing" the gauge with a thicker gauge wire... like 4 or larger(thicker)?

No harm - until you get into a very specific wiring application I deal with.  In my industry, we use the resistance of the wire (like 10 to 14 size) to help limit the current during very high short circuits on our devices.  If we over cabled our devices, we would have more current let through the cable due to lower impedance, and thus push our devices further toward or perhaps over their intended design margins.

mitt

[Monsterlover]

So it's like a fuse...

That comes on a spool?

[mitt]

So it's like a fuse...

That comes on a spool?

Everything is a fuse if you use enough current    But, we can't fuse open the wire, or even blister its insulation, but 8 feet (4 on each side of the device) of 14 gauge wire can limit a lot of current due to its internal resistance when you are taking 10,000 amps or more available at say 120V potential.



mitt

[Monsterlover]

I don't know what you do for a living but I think I'm afraid of it.

[1KDS]

at say 120V potential.



mitt

Isn't it 110V?
 

[mitt]

Isn't it 110V?
 

Oh no you didn't     


mitt

[1KDS]

Couldn't resist, I have been watching you talk electrics in this thread waiting for my chance to pounce.

[1KDS]

Oh yeah, the bike turned out sick ML 

[ducpainter]

Oh no you didn't     


mitt

[Monsterlover]

So I upgraded the power and ground cables on the SS and OMG what a difference in start-ability.

The cables that were on there were actually 6 awg.

I replaced them with 4awg that I had laying around.

As it turns out car audio makers (or at least Phoenix Gold and Monster Cable- the two brands I had laying around) oversize their cables.

They call it 4awg, it's actually 2awg when you measure it and look it up on the chart.

So I went from 6 to 2 on the bike.  I replaced the ground cable, the power to the starter solenoid, and from the solenoid to the starter.

I use a tiny battery.  If it were any smaller it would say Everedy on it.

Before the bike would crank and crank and crank and maybe sputter a little.  By the time it actually would start i would be wondering if it was going to start or the battery would die first.

Now it cranks a couple times and it's running.



For those with tiny batteries I highly recommend doing this.