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Wiring Remote Switches


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#16 paulrockliffe

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Posted 07 January 2018 - 12:33 PM

Made a start this morning, stripped out the dash and it's a bit of a mess with wires all over the place wires spliced all over and dubious looking connections. I've mostly been prodding at wires, working out where they go and either labelling them or removing them.  Glad I bought a label writer now!

 

I've removed a cigarette lighter and a huge load of stereo wiring and it's starting to look a bit better.

 

The next thing to think about is earthing.  With it being fibre-glass there aren't the usual earth points on the body, there's a large earth cable to the engine block then a smaller cable to a junction box in the corner of the boot.  Everything is ultimately earthed to that box via a handful of 2mm ish cables.  It would be miles neater to have an earth point behind the dash, so I should probably run a 10mm cable from the engine connection to a suitable junction box behind the dash and start tidying the earths.  Same situation with the lives, though I've not traced all of those yet - big loop of cables from the rear corner rather than one short fat length from the solenoid.

 

The fuel pump is powered by two wires running from the front of the car, that was spliced into a random switched live.  So that is also earthed by doing a full loop around the car and back to the battery negative that's 10cm away from the pump!

 

The rear loom is a mass of wires all tied together, half of those aren't connected to anything too.

 

So loads to tidy and correct and a much bigger job than I was aiming for, but it's only to do once.  I've been working while my daughter is sleeping in the workshop, she's awake now, so I might not get much more done now.

 

Recommendations for a suitable junction box?  Can I get a fuse box that'll take a single feed and distribute to a number of fuses?



#17 phillrulz

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Posted 07 January 2018 - 01:01 PM

Made a start this morning, stripped out the dash and it's a bit of a mess with wires all over the place wires spliced all over and dubious looking connections. I've mostly been prodding at wires, working out where they go and either labelling them or removing them.  Glad I bought a label writer now!

 

I've removed a cigarette lighter and a huge load of stereo wiring and it's starting to look a bit better.

 

The next thing to think about is earthing.  With it being fibre-glass there aren't the usual earth points on the body, there's a large earth cable to the engine block then a smaller cable to a junction box in the corner of the boot.  Everything is ultimately earthed to that box via a handful of 2mm ish cables.  It would be miles neater to have an earth point behind the dash, so I should probably run a 10mm cable from the engine connection to a suitable junction box behind the dash and start tidying the earths.  Same situation with the lives, though I've not traced all of those yet - big loop of cables from the rear corner rather than one short fat length from the solenoid.

 

The fuel pump is powered by two wires running from the front of the car, that was spliced into a random switched live.  So that is also earthed by doing a full loop around the car and back to the battery negative that's 10cm away from the pump!

 

The rear loom is a mass of wires all tied together, half of those aren't connected to anything too.

 

So loads to tidy and correct and a much bigger job than I was aiming for, but it's only to do once.  I've been working while my daughter is sleeping in the workshop, she's awake now, so I might not get much more done now.

 

Recommendations for a suitable junction box?  Can I get a fuse box that'll take a single feed and distribute to a number of fuses?

 

This is the one i used on my mini

https://www.ebay.co....20AAOSwGYVW9LXm

 

Most if not all fuse-boards will take a single feel and distribute it. 

 

https://www.ebay.co....5.c100005.m1851

 This one has LEDS to show a blown fuse.

 

There is thousands on fleabay so just have a look and pick. 



#18 paulrockliffe

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Posted 07 January 2018 - 01:18 PM

Thanks, I looked on vehicle wiring products but they only have one that goes on the battery terminals. eBay was much more useful, there are some with a built in earth distribution too, I'll probably get one of those I think.

#19 paulrockliffe

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Posted 08 January 2018 - 03:07 PM

So I managed a bit more yesterday, cleared the wiring out a bit, removed some stuff that wasn’t connected to anything, found some random wires that don’t go anywhere and started building the new switch box and working out how to mount it.

 

I’ve got a plan now I understand what’s been done and how best to change it and I’ve ordered most of the bits I need to get it sorted.

 

I’ve got a 8 fuse distribution box to go behind the seats and a 12-fuse one with 12 earth points to go in the dash.  I’ve ordered a pair of 170A cables to run power from the battery to the rear fuses and from the starter solenoid (Where the main battery cable terminates) to the dash fuses.  I’ve bought a pair of 200A relays to wire with the fuse board, switched from Ignition point 2 to give me switched and unswitched terminals at each fuse board.  I’ve ordered a second multi-core cable to run from the new switches to the dashboard so I can add a few extra switches there and to future-proof the setup if I ever need to add other bits.  I’ve ordered some USB ports to wire in as well to charge stuff.

 

I made a start working out my alarm wiring to see how best to install that, fairly straightforward, but realised I need to label up all the wires before it goes in or I’ll have fun!  Need to work out how this interacts with my wiring of the ignition and fuel pump circuits, the fuel pump will need to be wired to the dash area and I need to make sure it’s not wired in a way that couldn’t be easily shorted at the switch – will use one of the soon to be redundant wires in the sill to create a loop for that, though it’s only as secure as the boot.  I suppose my new fuel tank will make it a lot harder to by-pass the immobiliser as it’ll stop quick access to the battery and pump.

 

I can get all this done then ditch the daft junction box in the corner of the car and then fit a different earth busbar for the rear lights that’s fixed to the car and out of the way.

 

Couple of quick questions to save me Haynes/Googling/Tracing them:

 

The ignition/starter barrel has three fat wires running to it.  I presume they are power in from the battery, power out to switched circuits and position 2 to the starter solenoid.  Is all he electrical system power running through these cables, or were there relays for things and power coming in from somewhere else in a normal setup?

 

I have three relays behind the dash – a small silver thing, a normal looking relays and a big orange Lucas one.  I can work out what these are and I know one is he indicator flasher, but if that’s so normal that someone can say, it’ll be x, y and z then it would be useful to know what they are?

 

General comments on my approach more than welcome too.....

 

Cheers



#20 phillrulz

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Posted 08 January 2018 - 06:27 PM

Guess it really depends on how your car is modded and what mini its based off. Mine a C reg has no relays except starter and the one i installed myself.

The lucas relay may be this one which is controlling the lights : http://www.minispare...|Back to search

 

Im not much use with MPI /SPI as i have a carb mini im afraid.

 

Have a look at mini spares catalog they show the relays and name them.

http://www.minispare...s.aspx?2~20~201

http://www.somerfordmini.co.uk/eshop/index.php?main_page=page&id=88    - Relay section 



#21 paulrockliffe

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Posted 08 January 2018 - 07:31 PM

Thanks, no idea what the loom is, but it's the dim/dip relay you linked to, flasher and something else. I'll work it out when I get round to that bit, working on the switch box when the kids are asleep.....

#22 phillrulz

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Posted 08 January 2018 - 07:43 PM

Thanks, no idea what the loom is, but it's the dim/dip relay you linked to, flasher and something else. I'll work it out when I get round to that bit, working on the switch box when the kids are asleep.....

I saw something about a electric fan relay? Possibly that 



#23 paulrockliffe

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Posted 08 January 2018 - 08:03 PM

Could be, I do have an electronic fan, but it seems to have its own wiring and switch setup rather than be tied into the mini loom.

Should really go and have a look rather than guessing!




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