Ignition switch

Post by **DARK STAR** » Fri Aug 17, 2018 9:42 pm

I think heater knobs have a spring detent in a little recess underneath.
But I might be thinking of the Coupé ...

Post by **peter freeman** » Sat Aug 18, 2018 9:01 am

Allen grub screws in the heater knobs for the 5s and 6s - sprung indent as you say for the Coupe's

Ollieoldbeard · Post by **Ollieoldbeard** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 10:50 pm

Does anyone know the correct size of the wires to the ignition, like the red & white one that goes to the starter, i.e. The amp &/or mm size, mine is all crumbling down by the starter
(Can't make head or tail of the wiring diagrams in book)
Thanks

Post by **peter freeman** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:03 am

1.5mm wire should be fine for the white/red - never bothered to measure the current the solenoid takes ( Sorry ) easier wiring drawing to follow here :- https://www.scimitarweb.co.uk/~nenoggins/Wiring.htm

Post by **philhoward** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:42 am

Original White/red is generally thicker than that - 2.5mm or so from memory?

Post by **peter freeman** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 11:32 am

1mm wire is rated at 16 amps at 12 volts so 1.5mm wire should carry the 10amps or so taken by the solenoid easily. Quote from a wire distributor below.

Description

1.0mm² high temperature thin wall cable suitable for low voltage auto and marine applications.

This type of cable is used as standard by OEM manufacturers throughout Europe due to its high performance characteristics. The Thin Wall insulation provides significant weight and volume savings, particularly in large wiring harnesses, and it has good resistance to fuels (petrol & diesel), oils, dilute acids and moisture. The hard grade insulation also provides good protection against abrasion damage and cut-through.

Specification

Manufactured to: ISO 6722:2006 (Class B)
Voltage rating: suitable for 12V & 24V systems (60V max.)
Nominal current rating: 16.5A
Maximum loading: 198W@12V, 396W@24V
No./size of conductors: 32/0.20mm
Conductor cross section: 1.0mm2
Maximum overall cable diameter: 2.1mm
Resistance per m at 20oC: 0.0185 Ω
Conductor material: Plain copper
Insulation material: PVC (hard grade)
Working temperature range: -40oC to +105oC (with brief excursions up to +120oC )

Post by **philhoward** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 12:04 pm

A bit of googling suggests a pull-in current of around 40A, with a holding current of about 10A.

10A would be about right for a remote solenoid (i.e. to suit the older inertia or moving shoe starter motors) though - and for some reason I'd got a figure in my head of 35A in the first place but that well be related to switch rating as opposed to cable rating. That might also be why earlier cars of all types (not just Scimitars) which would have had a remote solenoid and inertia starter have smaller wire than you generally find on later cars.

Saying that - the pull-in current is only for a fraction of a second, so 16A rated cable would be fine based on duty cycle.

Ollieoldbeard · Post by **Ollieoldbeard** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 12:11 am

Thanks fella, like a lot of people I find auto electrics hard to understand,
I would air on the side of caution and uprate the size rather than downrate and save weight elsewhere,
That white & red wire measures at over 2.5mm core on mine and I will do some heat shrink stuff over them all too..
They say Volts jolts & Amps kills, but in auto electrics is low voltage and high amps, but safe to touch, don't make sense...
thanks