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Race car electrics


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Time to install a new, simpified dash for the race car. I intend to re-wire the car at the same time; I don't want to be disentangling someone else's mess when trying to find a problem in the pitlane.

 

Usual array of clocks are going in (tach, water temp, oil temp, fuel pressure, volts), plus simplified 'big knob' switching and LED tell-tales.

 

The car currently has the bastardised remains of a 1500 dashboard, and a loom that is STD plus a variety of mods - some good some bad.

 

So - looking for recommends/experience on gauges (good enough but not too expensive quality - apart from tach, I'll pay good money for that); wire (weight, quality and cost are all factors) and switching (quality and ease of use in driving gloves are the criteria here).

 

Thoughts?

 

Richard

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My first thoughts are you would need to begin by deciding your fusing and fuse boxes as this can either complicate or decomplicate the car.

Also try and use connector blocks for the wiring like Dave has suggested, keeps it all together and detacheable.

 

Personally and this has got nothing to do with race car wiring, for which the stuff debs wrote seems to be excellent, I would look at putting an internal live 12v fuse hub inside the car and one on the bulkhead (that one is generally called the starter solenoid/battery.. but where you put the fuse box...).

 

This would mean that every time you want to add or remove a 12v item you don't have to put holes in the bulkhead or try and squeeze another one through.

Actually if you did this it might be possible to have both removable 'normal' mod con wiring and just race car wiring. The drawback being the additional weight... Not much I guess, but it all adds up.

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Thanks James

 

I'm planning a 'bugger all fuses or relays' general approach. High current switches, simple operation, less to go wrong, less weight. I was on a tack that led to a full array of relays and fuses - but having discussed it with Jon Wolfe and others I've come to believe that simplest is best, providing all circuits are to spec (with a margin).

 

R

 

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Have you thought about how you're going to set out your dash? The aviation industry has learnt a lot of lessons about how to lay out guages and switches which can eisily be applied to cars. All the aircraft I've ever seen have the main instrument bang in front of the pilot with auxiliary instruments located around it. So on a car it'd be the tacho in front of the driver with the four most important auxiliary guages located top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right around it. Anything that's not that important can go out of the way in the centre of the car. Don't use fancy digital readouts. If you look down and see a needle pointing straight up you know it's all good. It takes time for the brain to interpret a number on a digital guage and work out what it means. Any warning lights should be bright, in front of the driver and at the very top of the dash.

 

Glare is also important. There's a reason most cars have the instruments recessed slightly! Aircraft (and the spitfire as stock) have a lip at the top of the dash which works nicely!

 

Switches in planes are ALWAYS chunky rocker style. The traditional flick switches have a nice positive click but the plastic ones can break off leaving you in trouble. Whether metal or plastic you also have the problem that the bezel can loosen and then the switch then dissapears behind the dash when you don't want it to! With rockers you can use them easily in gloves and they won't fall through the dash or break! Make sure you get them all in the same orientation too - bottom pressed in = on, top pressed in = off.

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i have just fitted a lot of Tim superdash gauges to my spit, they fit well and are relatively cheap and are accurate enough.

 

like this

tim-superdash-electric-24v-tp_2009197674633411337vb.png

 

simple basic nothing fancy although best to go with cappiliary rather than electric, less to go wrong.

 

the taco you really want either elliot, spa design or any other decent stepper motor one. Speedo is a tricky one as you'll need to mount sensors to the prop unless you use the original which is what i would do.

 

Fit the fuse box inside the car, in passenger seat well? how about resetable breakers rather than fuses, that way anything goes wrong its a quick fix without having to get out the car.

 

I would start a fresh with the wirring and work from the basics to the ancillaries, draw it out first, your main part is the battery going to the master switch, make sure that is perfect then work from there

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We had to wire my new race Clan from scratch and it was something I wasn't looking forward to.  However with help from a former expert from this site it turned out to be quite straightforward.  Instead of starting from scratch, however, I got a wiring module from Car Builder Solutions. It's basically a fuse and relay board, with correct fuses and relays, all integrally wired with 20 numbered terminals that connect to the component wiring.  Comes with concise and simple directions.  Worth checking out at £89 + Vat on www.carbuildersolutions.co.uk

 

Pete Richards

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SIMPLE SIMPLE SIMPLE is the key, always consider how to fix faults in a rainy paddock because it will happen.

 

Wire is heavy, the less the better, but do keep plenty of slack in the loom.

 

Fuse each circuit, you should only need 8 max, makes it easier to located a circuit with problems if you have a fuse each.

 

Minimal, ie lights no dip/high beam needed - just lights. You don't always need headlights so put them as an optional extra, you don't need indicaters.  Do some research on daylight only MoTs if you want to run it on the road, you do not need lights at all for these!

 

You don't need a speedo, you need tacho (my elliot is good) oil press, water temp, I have amps too which has proved useful several times when running out of electric (see ring report to follow some time soon)

 

Andy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hey Mattius, ththanks for thinking of me and taking the pic.

 

I have a plan, and after just one more run in the car today, I've ripped out the mk4 dash and most of the wiring. Wow what a mess - the electrics where put together just like a teenagers first mini - crap wire and joints everywhere - NASTY!

 

So I'll start from scratch - every wire, every joint and a new lightweight alternator. Looking forward to it.

 

Plan a new minimalist dash from black aluminium, a 12 way fusebox and all the info that's needed - but no more.

 

I already have an Elliot tacho - other gauges will be new, water temp (2 off, top of rad and block), oil temp (where should I put the sensor - radiator feed pipe perhaps?), fuel pressure, oil pressure, amps)

 

It's coming together!

 

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All I would add to the excellent advice you've been recieving, look to circuit breakers instead of fuses.  They are available both plug in and hard wired and really make finding a fault so much easier.  And they may get you back to the pits on your own rather than on the hook. ;)

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I took this pic for you this weekend of our friend chengs race cobra electrics, this is a thing of beauty worked out over many many years

 

IMG_3908.JPG

 

dont look at the gearbox, it would take me a week to explain how it works.

 

Make a new thread, more pics please.

I wasted (not really) some time yesterday looking and drooling at www.jaylenosgarage.com

Mark

 

 

 

 

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Simple.

 

I wanted to keep the costs down.

 

But I have the following.

Fuses/Switches/Lights

1. Brake lights

2. Rain lights

3. Fuel pump

4. Fan

5. Coil/Ignition

6. Accessories (Transponder & gauge power)

 

This should do me for a season or two and then I will revamp the whole thing.

 

I want to use race spec super light wire if I can next time too.

 

A.

 

DSCN4864.JPG

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Nice plan Andre.

 

I'm going a little more stripped out (size of dash) AND comprehensive. The racer will probably get MOT'd soon (to was transport to workshop and qualify for trackdays etc) so I need all the usual guff for indicators and lights, plus horn, water pump etc etc etc.

 

I'm planning 12 fused circuits - no relays and soldered joints. I'm abandoning colour coded wires and will ID ends instead (encapsulated markings). Good reminder about transponder power - I'd forgotten that!

 

That car of yours is looking almost ready to race (on the inside anyway) - you and I are in a similar position aren't we? Newbie racers with plans for coming seasons?

 

I need to start looking at racewear soon - any recommends for the daper driver? ;)

 

 

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I got a smoking deal on my race clothing OMP suit.

 

When I actually run I'll let you know how it goes.

 

3 layers of Nomex is the way to go. My group recommends 3 or 2 with a set of fireproof under garments.

 

Issue there is you have to change in the padock. I'll just wear shorts and a t-shirt under the suit.

 

As per the wiring. I went with blue, green and red.

 

Blue for the fan and rain lights.

Green for the fuel pump and acc

Red for the brakes and main power

 

A

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A futher tip, site any essential switches like ignition, fuel pump, water pump as far away from the steering wheel as you possibly can.  Many races have been DNF'd from switches being knocked off by flailing arms during drastic arm twirling steering manouvres.

 

Don't ask me how I know :-/

(not just me others too)

 

Andy

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