SOURCES FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS - QUICK CONNECTS / DISCONNECTS ?

[General Automag]

We need to make our own wiring harness, so to speak, for the radio/amp/CB/Ham/12VDC outlets in our FJ40. We had everything wired to an overhead shelf, but we needed to remove everything in order to make some repairs and ended up having to cut several wires.

What are some good sources to make your own quick connects/disconnects? It would be great to have one or two "plugs" where we could just unplug everything if we needed to remove it again. It would be great to find connectors that you can use different gauge wires in the same connector. The wires range from 10 down to 18 gauge in our setup. Thanks !!!

 

[Clutch]

http://www.molex.com/molex/index.jsp

http://pitstopusa.com/c-131860-electrical-system-electrical-connectors.html

 

[General Automag]

We're fairly new to electrical work. Thanks!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

FWIW Radio Shack has the 2,4,6 & 8 pin molex connectors if you need a quick fix. Look into weatherpack connectors as well.

 

[alia176]

NAPA typically carries a nice selection of Weather Pack connectors and tool. These are used by GM I believe.

 

[doug720]

Try this place -

www.delcity.net

Has nearly everything and is good quality.

Doug

 

[TangoBlue]

What? You're too good for a couple of wire nuts Mr. Fancy-pants?

 

[General Automag]

I was told that 4, 6, and 7-pin trailer wire connectors will work well. After looking at a few, I think that they will work fine except for a fat 10-gauge wire that's powering a radio amplifier. I simply need to be able to remove the front and rear overhead "shelf" if needed. Since I plan on leaving the hard top on, and because there are no provisions for a radio or any other accessories, I had to go the overhead route. On our rig, there's a bench seat which means no console, and there is no cutout for a radio, and shoving things into the glove box means you don't have a glove box to use. Plus, I cringe at the thought of cutting out holes for switches and gauges in the metal factory dashboard. Nothing is ever simple on these rigs....

 

[spressomon]

I use both Anderson Powerpoles and Powerlet as well as the above mentioned Weatherpack connector products on my LC...

http://www.powerwerx.com/

http://www.powerlet.com/products

http://www.mcmaster.com/#weather-pack-connectors/=jx1fs0

 

[rrclassicbt550]

I have been very impressed with Deutsch Connectors, they are waterproof, dust-proof, and vibration-proof. I have used them for 18+gauge all the way down to 12 gauge (but it gets interesting with 12 gauge), so I don't think you would be able to use them with 10 gauge (not sure about that though). They have a MANY different options for plugs to suit whatever you need to do.

They connect and disconnect easily, as well as the connector can be popped back out of the plug if you accidentally put it in the wrong place, which makes final adjustments/organization much easier. If you buy the kit, it comes with a good assortment of connectors and importantly...it comes with the tool. Because there are no instructions with the kit, I posted a short "How-to" in post #112 of my build thread. Once you get the hang of it, they can be put together easily and quickly.
I originally bought them because I thoroughly disliked the original Land Rovers seat switches, so I made my own and I used these Deutsch connectors to replace the OEM connectors. I liked them so much I also used them to replace my radio wiring harness connector, so that my wiring harness never has to be spliced by..."installers"..., ever again.

I am also going to make the wiring harness in the rear of my Rover using these connectors. The rear wiring harness consist of a remotely mounted auxiliary fuse box running off of the auxiliary battery and will supply the power for to 2-power rear seats, 3-12v outlets, a water pump for the water purification system, and probably more accessories in the future.

They can be bought from Amazon, Ebay, Jegs, Summit, etc. I have purchased Deutsch connector parts from all of the sites listed previously but I bought my actual kit from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pico-0003-DT-...=1351587110&sr=8-5&keywords=deutsch+connector

And I bought this kit for the refill when I had used all the connectors in the first kit:
http://www.amazon.com/Pico-0003d-Deutsch-Asrtmnt-Plastic/dp/B001QRZU6A/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_3

Also, I would like to say that I have no affiliation with the makers or sellers of these connectors other than having used them as a customer and being very impressed with them.

Here are a couple of pictures of them from when I made my rear seat switch harnesses.

 

[mathers420]

Thanks a lot Jon!

I have done all my aux wiring with molex connectors. They are ok, but not great and nowhere near waterproof so molex connectors are only good for interior stuff.

The Deutsch connectors are expensive, but you can reuse them more easily than the molex connectors and you really do get what you paid for. I will probably switch my connectors to Deutsch when I redo my wiring next.

 

[Wheelingnoob]

Deutsch connectors are totally worth the price, I used them in a few race cars and not once did I have a connector fail or have any water issues. They plug and unplug easily and reliably again and again been very impressed with them. Will probably use them for my 80 series wiring needs.

 

[General Automag]

Thanks again for the recommendations. Taking the overhead shelves or trays out and having to rewire everything is a bee-ahtch, but we want to do it right, so we endure. Regarding the wiring, do you all run separate power and ground leads (wires) to your different components or do you or should you share (or split) a hot wire for different accessories? Right now we have and are planning to run separate hot wires for each accessory (stereo, 12Vdc sockets, amplifier, rear interior cabin light, Ham radio, CB radio). Everything that is not stock is currently connected to a Blue Sea fuse box like this one: http://bluesea.com/category/81/21/productline/126.

However, with the power (hot) wires and wires for the dual battery gauge and override switch, the entire combined "wire" ends up being quick thick. We have this combined "wire" routed from the Blue Sea fuse box, through the firewall, between the dash and above the plastic heater air duct, and up the A-pillar on the passenger side to the overhead shelf. I would like to make all wiring and connections look neat, (aka Mr. Fancy Pants per the post above), and I haven't found any heat shrink options for this bundled, thick "wire," though I'm sure that there is a good-looking solution out there. Bullet connectors haven't worked well for me. I made very good connections and crimps, but most of the bullet connectors have pulled apart on me, even when I'm very careful when separating the wires.

Right now we have all of the wires bundled using small zip ties. This takes forever to do, but it looks neat and tidy. We used different colored wires for each connection so as to make the installations easier, but it would look better if we could use heat shrinks of some type. Electrical tape is what Toyota used 41 years ago for the wires running up the driver's side A-pillar for the interior light and windshield wiper hot wires, but with the wire bundle being over 1/2" thick, new electrical tape doesn't look very stock.

Running off the Blue Sea fuse box we have the following:
1) 30 amp fuse: 300-watt stereo amplifier (10 gauge wire) (great compact 4-channel unit, by the way http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/product_details.aspx?itemid=120465 )
2) 15 amp fuse: two dual-socket 12Vdc marine outlets (one in the front overhead console and one in the back) 16-gauge wire
3) 10amp fuse: radio 16-gauge wire
4) open for Ham radio (not yet installed) 16-gauge wire
5) open for CB radio (not yet installed) 16-gauge wire
6) open for front auxiliary lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire
7) open for front fog lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire
8) open for rear/backup lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire


What about using quick-disconnect electrical connectors like these?
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-electrical-wire-terminals/=jz6bsw
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-electrical-wire-terminals/=jz6c9w
They will stay together if you crimp them well enough. 'Any concerns with voltage loss with these?

 

[rrclassicbt550]

Thanks again for the recommendations. Taking the overhead shelves or trays out and having to rewire everything is a bee-ahtch, but we want to do it right, so we endure. Regarding the wiring, do you all run separate power and ground leads (wires) to your different components or do you or should you share (or split) a hot wire for different accessories? Right now we have and are planning to run separate hot wires for each accessory (stereo, 12Vdc sockets, amplifier, rear interior cabin light, Ham radio, CB radio). Everything that is not stock is currently connected to a Blue Sea fuse box like this one: http://bluesea.com/category/81/21/productline/126.

However, with the power (hot) wires and wires for the dual battery gauge and override switch, the entire combined "wire" ends up being quick thick. We have this combined "wire" routed from the Blue Sea fuse box, through the firewall, between the dash and above the plastic heater air duct, and up the A-pillar on the passenger side to the overhead shelf. I would like to make all wiring and connections look neat, (aka Mr. Fancy Pants per the post above), and I haven't found any heat shrink options for this bundled, thick "wire," though I'm sure that there is a good-looking solution out there. Bullet connectors haven't worked well for me. I made very good connections and crimps, but most of the bullet connectors have pulled apart on me, even when I'm very careful when separating the wires.

Right now we have all of the wires bundled using small zip ties. This takes forever to do, but it looks neat and tidy. We used different colored wires for each connection so as to make the installations easier, but it would look better if we could use heat shrinks of some type. Electrical tape is what Toyota used 41 years ago for the wires running up the driver's side A-pillar for the interior light and windshield wiper hot wires, but with the wire bundle being over 1/2" thick, new electrical tape doesn't look very stock.

Running off the Blue Sea fuse box we have the following:
1) 30 amp fuse: 300-watt stereo amplifier (10 gauge wire) (great compact 4-channel unit, by the way http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/product_details.aspx?itemid=120465 )
2) 15 amp fuse: two dual-socket 12Vdc marine outlets (one in the front overhead console and one in the back) 16-gauge wire
3) 10amp fuse: radio 16-gauge wire
4) open for Ham radio (not yet installed) 16-gauge wire
5) open for CB radio (not yet installed) 16-gauge wire
6) open for front auxiliary lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire
7) open for front fog lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire
8) open for rear/backup lights (not yet installed) ? gauge wire


What about using quick-disconnect electrical connectors like these?
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-electrical-wire-terminals/=jz6bsw
http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-electrical-wire-terminals/=jz6c9w
They will stay together if you crimp them well enough. 'Any concerns with voltage loss with these?

You could take a set heavy gauge wires and run them from the battery through the firewall, up the A-pillar, to a smaller blue sea fuse box, and then install one large connector on the heavy gauge cables (like a winch connector). That way when you do have to pull the overhead shelf, you would only have to disconnect one connector and not have to mess with the wiring to everything else. This would also help for wiring, instead of running a bunch of wires to a fuse box under the hood you would just have to run the wires to the remotely mounted fuse box in overhead shelf.

As far as shared positive and negative wires go, I prefer to run both a positive and a negative for each piece of equipment because if something goes wrong its a bit easier to figure out the problem. Wiring it all separately can be a pain to do though, which is why I recommend just running heavy gauge wires to a remotely mounted fuse box; it makes for a much easy install and clean look.

Here is one of the smaller fuse boxes: http://bluesea.com/category/81/21/products/5025
Here is the type of connector I am talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Superwinch-22...1352516090&sr=1-2&keywords=quick+connect+plug

Regarding wrapping the wires for protection and a clean look. I used "split loom" wire sheathing. You can buy 10' sections of it very cheaply at Harbor Freight. It comes in 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2". Harbor Freight also sells heat shrink tubing in LARGE diameters (in the same aisle as the split-loom"), its down to your preference though.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-x-10-ft-protective-wire-wrap-66987.html

Heres an example of before and after with the split loom.

 

[psykokid]

waytek wire has a lot of different styles of connectors..

http://www.waytekwire.com/products/