nuetral safety switch wire size: Baumann Optishift to AAW harness question....

[67 Halfcab]

....from the electrical illiterate.

So I'm towards the end of my rewiring and notices something weird. Why is it the two wires to the neurtal safety switch from the AAW kit are 12 guage monsters, while the two wires in the optishift harness from the nss are 16 guage wimps? it seems strange that two wiring harness companies would have such different size wires for the same circuit! Am I overthinking this, or do I just splice each pair to it's partner and forget about it? Thanks.

 

[TwoDalesDad]

The wire from baumann is the right size

 

[67 Halfcab]

So why do you think there is such a large difference in wire size?

 

[Steve83]

Because it was cheaper for them to buy 100 miles of the thick stuff & use it everywhere than to buy every possible size, and keep track of where the skinny stuff was OK, and how often they wanted to get sued for fires.

There are a grand total maximum of 2 reverse light bulbs; each one drawing ~2.1A. That's <5A on a circuit that runs 1 way <16' from the fuse block. Very cheap (PVC) 18ga wire will carry >8A, so you're OK with either of those.

 

[Broncobowsher]

As stated, the 12 gauge is simply oversized. Why? I have a few wild guesses like others.

The end result, just splice them together.

 

[DirtDonk]

And if the sizes are too different to easily go into one butt-splice, they do sell dual-size splices.
Or you would be just as well off simply soldering them directly together without a crimp splice to worry about.

Paul

 

[67 Halfcab]

Thanks, guys! Sometimes I tend to overthink things.

 

[67 Halfcab]

And if the sizes are too different to easily go into one butt-splice, they do sell dual-size splices.
Or you would be just as well off simply soldering them directly together without a crimp splice to worry about.

Paul

"Crimp splice" is a dirty word. All of my splices get soldered and heat shrinked!;D

 

[Steve83]

Done properly, there's nothing wrong with crimped connections. It's just that VERY few people (even pros I've worked with) do them the way the factory does. Check this out: