Wiring from hell with pictures!

[RichardH]

and the wire gauge at each spec is slightly larger than AWG. (auto spec)

????????
Shirley AWG stands for "American Wire Gauge"? so the wire gauge is the wire gauge. Do you mean the the Marine industry uses a larger wire gauge than the automotive industry?

It is also perfectly acceptable to solder the end of the crimped wire. This reduces the likelyhood of corrosion affecting the crimp contact in hostile (automotive/marine) applications, providing the solder does not run through the crimp to the insulated side, so that it preserves the flexibility of the insulated fixing. Wicking of contaminants along the strands of wire is a known problem. Soldering the joint reduces the likelyhood of this.

 

[Jack]

The AWG (American Wire Gauge) specified for automotive by SAE is lighter in the sense that Marine grade wire (stranded, copper & tinned) has a minimum of 17 strands. Not positive of the SAE standard but it is fewer strands. The wire jacket or cover for marine use must also meet minimum heat requirements, perhaps that is what gives the appearance of a larger wire for any particular AWG.

As for soldering the connectors, do not use an acid flux type solder or acid based flux. One of the reasons that prompted the ABYC to include connectors in the standard was because of the resultant corrosion, salt water migration, etc. This was done eon's ago and has been continued to date as it minimized the problem years ago.

I have no problem soldering wire for crimp connectors in automotive use as RichardH pointed out. Adding some heat shrink finishes the job nicely.

 

[Thomas Rouw]

a different opinion on the wiring pecifications of automotive wiring.

the industry has supported the ISO6722:2002 standart and have since many moons tried and tested it to work from the top peaks in the Andes mountains to the 60C degrees+ op the Sahara desert, who are we to decide that something else will suit the job better?

as for the connectors indeed only Tyco Amp Sureseal or Mill-spec connectors must be used in automotive/racing applications.

that and a very well thought out schematic design.

I also like to add, that I see many cars that have hole loom routes with just tape around it, also mid engineds with unfused main line to starter-motors that run through the wole car.
have you ever seen what happens when for instance a AGM red-top40 battery is shorted out?
Sure it will save 500grams on a whole car, but if you can put the looms in Co-Flex PP tubing a quality german product that withstands just about anything a serious racing accident or a chemical mishap can throw at it.

grtz Thomas