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Author Topic: Rewiring issues  (Read 2668 times)

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Offline Saskajeep

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Rewiring issues
« on: May 29, 2014, 10:57:04 AM »
   So I have had my 3A home for a couple of months now and have done a few things just to make it more reliable and roadworthy. I intend to enjoy it for the summer before tearing into it this winter. It still has all the original wiring which, as you all know, crumbles at the slightest touch. There is lots of bare copper exposed. I have a new harness from Walcks and have installed parts of it. The jeep is still only equipped with the one tail light and I intend to change that to 2 turn signal lights. The pigtails on the lights I have are 18ga wire whereas I believe the main harness is 12ga. I understand the need for heavier wire with a 6 volt system which is what I have and intend to stick with. My question is will the 18ga pigtails cause me problems? Will my tail lights be dimmer than they should be? Should I bother attempting to take things apart and run 12ga all the way to the bulb?

     It has been a long cold winter and spring up here in Saskatchewan (the ice just went off the bigger lakes last week) so I have only had one day to play but it was super cool. The wife and I loaded up the jeep with some tools, a couple of .22's and a brick of ammo. We spent a couple of hours touring the back roads and ended up in the neighbors pasture where we spent a couple of hours doing our part to control the gopher population. The old jeep performed wonderfully aside from jumping out of second gear a couple of times. I am amazed at how easily it crawled through the pasture up and down hills in 1st low with just a touch of throttle. And sitting in the open air with the windshield  down is just a great feeling. You really feel a part of your surroundings.

   
1947 cj2a
1952 cj3a
2017 cherokee

Offline johnrb3b

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Re: Rewiring issues
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2014, 04:18:45 PM »
Quote
�My question is will the 18ga pigtails cause me problems? Will my tail lights be dimmer than they should be? Should I bother attempting to take things apart and run 12ga all the way to the bulb?
You are perfectly fine with the wire that's there. The pigtail on the tail light is so short that its smaller size will have no effect. Just make sure your splce is solid. Connections are more critical than wire size.
1946 2A - - - 1949 me - older than most of my Jeeps
1954 3B - - - 1957 Wagon - - - 2010 4-door JK
past Jeeps ---> '54 3B - no tub --- '59 3B - no engine
past addiction - VW ---> '69 bus --- '70 camper

Offline SteveW

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Re: Rewiring issues
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2014, 06:48:13 AM »
The 18 is fine for a short jumper. A good ground is very important. I am an electrical contractor and do not like vehicle wiring. You have your harness but Vintage Wiring of Maine makes top notch stuff. He made me one with 2 tail lights and turn parking set up and a tail for a trailer.
1950 CJ3A finished. 1950 CJ3A in pieces. 1947 Bantam T3-C trailer, 1946 Cushman Scooter 50 series