Large pink wire under dash?
Large pink wire under dash? Large pink wire under dash. I understand this is key on power. How are you guys tapping it?
Cut and splice w/ wire nut or quick splice?
How many amps could I potentially suck off of this wire?
Cut and splice w/ wire nut or quick splice?
How many amps could I potentially suck off of this wire?
I think that he is trying to run his remote wire to the pink wire, which can be done, but like Dragonrage mentioned, there is an open slot on the fuse box for this.
The yellow wire is your ignition controlled power anyway not the pink. Pink is your power antenna output which may or may not be used depending on whether or not you have an aftermarket radio that turns the antenna off when not in radio mode which would turn off your amp as well. I am refering to the factory colored wires in the harness.
As already mentioned by Dragonrage, use the fuse box, it is your best option.
The yellow wire is your ignition controlled power anyway not the pink. Pink is your power antenna output which may or may not be used depending on whether or not you have an aftermarket radio that turns the antenna off when not in radio mode which would turn off your amp as well. I am refering to the factory colored wires in the harness.
As already mentioned by Dragonrage, use the fuse box, it is your best option.
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Staging Lane
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They break the insulation open on the wire and leave it unprotected, allowing it to corrode and build up resistance, which results in it losing conductivity after a while.
It's NEVER the only option, look at the way GM splices grounds together inside of their harnesses for a good option. Takes a little bit of time with a soldering iron and some careful work with tape and heatshrink...but it's a much better solution to wiring that lasts much more long term.
Scotch locks also are just clunky and messy, they're big things sticking off the wires, that makes it harder to keep the harnesses organized and protected out of the way in the car...soldering heat shrinking and taping is much cleaner and easier to route/protect.
I've wired cars from scratch, and NEVER had to use a scotch lock, anyone who says they're sometimes the only option, is looking for a shortcut and probably doesn't care about quality work.
It's NEVER the only option, look at the way GM splices grounds together inside of their harnesses for a good option. Takes a little bit of time with a soldering iron and some careful work with tape and heatshrink...but it's a much better solution to wiring that lasts much more long term.
Scotch locks also are just clunky and messy, they're big things sticking off the wires, that makes it harder to keep the harnesses organized and protected out of the way in the car...soldering heat shrinking and taping is much cleaner and easier to route/protect.
I've wired cars from scratch, and NEVER had to use a scotch lock, anyone who says they're sometimes the only option, is looking for a shortcut and probably doesn't care about quality work.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 302
Likes: 0
Don't know what your plans are, but sounds like people are already all over you for that....lol
To answer your original question, I just splice back the insulation a little bit. DO NOT CUT THE WIRE. Stick a pointed pick tool through the wire to spilt it apart and make an "eye". Thread whatever wire your tapping in through the eye and wrap it around a few times. Squeeze the connection tight to close up the eye if need be. Use a solder gun to solder the connection. Cover with quality electrical tape. (3M is preferred. Junk from WalMart is not) I have done this no less than 200 times. I have seen my connections years later and they still look and work fine. Don't know about you, but I don't keep ANY car for more than maybe 10 years TOPS.
To answer your original question, I just splice back the insulation a little bit. DO NOT CUT THE WIRE. Stick a pointed pick tool through the wire to spilt it apart and make an "eye". Thread whatever wire your tapping in through the eye and wrap it around a few times. Squeeze the connection tight to close up the eye if need be. Use a solder gun to solder the connection. Cover with quality electrical tape. (3M is preferred. Junk from WalMart is not) I have done this no less than 200 times. I have seen my connections years later and they still look and work fine. Don't know about you, but I don't keep ANY car for more than maybe 10 years TOPS.
Couldn't you just wrap the scotch lock with electrical tape? Same difference, right? Either way you're ripping off insulation, so neither way is going to be bullet proof, atleast in my thoughts.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Troy, MI
Soldering makes for a much more solid and quality connection and if you use heat shrink tubing, you make an airtight seal that will prevent the wire from corrosion as well as make the joint more durable.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,334
Likes: 347
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Another option is using Posi-Lock connectors. They are as easy to use as ScotchLocks but they do less damage to the wire. The Posi-Tap connector slides over the wire to be tapped and the tap is screwed onto it. The tap part pierces the wire insulation with a sharp pin that makes only a small hole in the insulation instead of cutting it like a ScotchLock.
I still believe that it is better not to use these things to tap into existing circuits but occasionally it's necessary because of the locations of the wires.