Color coded or not?

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Color coded or not?

Postby Seattle G60 » Fri Jul 15, 2005 9:09 am

So I am getting ready to put a bit of electrical in my tear this weekend.
I have all the parts mounted and just need to connect them to the fuse block.

Do you guys recomend using color coded wire, or have you just gone with one spool?
Seems like it might be a bit harder to keep track of if it is one color, but much less expensive.

Thoughts?
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My 2 cents

Postby february1966 » Fri Jul 15, 2005 10:30 am

I used two colors red & black, and labeled everything at the fuse block.

my trick -- transparent tape folded in half around the wire with the label (bit-o-paper) sandwiched in between.
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Postby Woody » Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:10 am

I tag all my runs with tape and wrote on it what circuit it was on both AC and DC circuits at the fuse boxes
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Postby An Ol Timer » Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:13 am

I usually use a sheet of the smallest return address labels that I can find and use them for marking wires. Cost usually about 50 cents per 50 labels.
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Postby JeffKimble » Fri Jul 15, 2005 11:35 am

I've wired cars and boats and houses..

Cars and boats, the wiring is commonly traced as accessories are added, and I always use color coded wire.

Houses? Well, I haven't found a good supply of color coded romex, but I do spray the inside of each junction box with a separate color of paint to represent different circuits.. Who knew that the computer, microwave and refrigerator would be on the same circuit?( I have a 70 yr old house now )


Basically, if you are going to wire it, and never touch it again, I wouldn't bother with color coding.. Trailers are not that complex in their wiring.. You might have 2 circuits in there.

Good luck!
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Postby Seattle G60 » Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:07 pm

OK,
So it sounds like most people jsut use one color.
My system is pretty small (six circuts all DC).

Next question is regarding the gauge wire.

Would I be safe to run just one gauge?
I was going to just run the whole thing in 12-14 gauge.

Thoughts?
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Postby madjack » Fri Jul 15, 2005 12:14 pm

...you should be able to run everything except your mains in 12/14 ga wire(I am using 14) your mains should be at least 8/10 ga(I am using 8 ). If you run a common ground it should also be 8/10 ga
madjack 8)

p.s. if you are going to use an inverter, the circuit it is on should also be 8/10ga depending on size of inverter
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Postby Seattle G60 » Fri Jul 15, 2005 3:24 pm

Sounds good....I'll let you know how it turns out.
;)
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Postby asianflava » Fri Jul 15, 2005 4:55 pm

On the AC side, I'm using chopped up 3 conductor extension cord 14ga. The wires are color coded inside.

On the DC side I'm using 2 conductor red/black 14ga or 16ga depending on load. The main connection between the inverter and battery is 4ga, the connection from the battery to power distribution block is 8ga.
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