The only reason I used "color code" was all the wire was either "scrap" or what I had on hand. And I've got a great source for wire at prices from the 80's still, but only if ya don't care about color! And that spread sheet evolved over several different installs of the system
the next one I do from scratch will use black for all ground/return runs and red for all feeds/loads, numbered of course!
The "wire run" and numbering system are my own...that evolved in the order in which I originally ran the wire runs. "numbered" wiring harnesses/wire runs are what IH and many hd truck manufacturers used/use. But I did not try and replicate any of the original IH wire runs, I basically use standard marine practices.
As additional loads are introduced when expanding the system, then it's simple to add the wire runs with the appropriate I.d. Number.
One system we've done used only red wire in several different gauges, this was scrap obtained from a major backcountry firefighting rig manufacturer locally, they discard any length of wire under 20ft. Or so in length.
The only color code used in my wiring system is the turn signal switch, because I use the oem switch when possible and it was "color coded" from the manufacturer and interfaced with numbered wire runs at the point of vehicle assembly. In the case of the Scout 80 signal switch, there were two entirely different switches used...and many vehicles had no turn signals as that was an option in the beginning.
Oem wiring systems use wire gauge that is barely sufficient for the load. In the case of IH light duty stuff, the wire gauge in nearly every run is insufficient. The bean counters determine stuff like that, not the engineers. And the never ending quest for weight reduction in modern vehicles plays heavily in that scenario.
IH used only a horn relay in their systems, the lighting systems used no relays and wire gauge of insufficient ampacity (and switching devices also), so that poor illumination quality is the second most crappy electrical issue after the shitball quality bulkhead connectors they used!
In my systems I also use no relays (except for the horn) and the starter, that keeps things very simple and eliminates many points for potential failure. I use wire gauge that is way overkill, along with switching devices that have max ampacity for their intended use, thus no need for relays.
Del city is a good source for supplies, but from now on I'll be using these 12 circuit fuse panels from blue sea (marine electrical components), I have a local source for those also:
st blade fuse blocks - blue sea systems
Same for the blue sea battery switches. I use the isolators for the multi-battery systems from these folks:
sure power industries
The saint wiring system marketed through ihon is a very cost-effective route to go (14 circuit version)! Extremely high quality stuff and far superior overall to the over-priced mess from ron francis, painless (my last choice in anything!), etc.
14 circuit vehicle wiring kit - IH Parts America Scout
I missed the s80 in the title.
