Online Guides for Basic Car Electrics?

[mrbounce]

I love doing things with cars. I can twirl spanners well, I have stripped down and rebuilt an engine, and am 70% through completing a full rebuild of my Midas. However, there is one thing that causes major problems for me and that's electrics. I am a COMPLETE novice. I know next to nothing about the subject and have always relied on my friend who has been in the trade for 30-odd years. However, he is not available for the foreseeable future due to family stuff and I do not want to bother him for those reasons.

Are there any easy to follow guides online or books that would help me? I probably do know a little bit more than I think I am letting on, but I have no confidence that what I am doing is correct. Ideally I need something that'd teach me the basics and show me how to wire in additional gauges and switches, troubleshooting and how to use a multimeter. 

I don't really remember any school stuff about electricity other than wiring a house plug as it's 30 plus years ago and have never done much more than replace a battery and jump start a car, so any advice is gratefully received.

Thanks in advance. 

[crockpot]

There was a beginners guide published in Rod and Custom in 1979 (I know!). I have a copy I could scan for you. May take a day or two.

[Phil H]

Good and bad news is it’s a kit car

Take it one device at a time;

Ignition switch :
Main feed in, then 2 or 3 wires out; everything ignition (coil, wipers, indicators, heater fan, instruments), starter motor and radio (accessory).

Lights:
Consists of a main switch, a dip switch and a few wires out (ok, they go to multiple places but that’s not important now) - headlamp main and dip beam (through the dip switch - usually on the stalk), and side lights (the ones that go front, back and dash). For the ignition fed stuff (but not the actual Ignition circuit) just fire a relay with that one, then feed everything from that. Plenty of diagrams online on how to wire a relay.

Wipers:
Assuming a 14W wiper motor there’s plenty of small diagrams for them.

Heater?
Ignition (relay) feed to switch, then the wires to the fan.

Indicators:
Ignition relay feed to switch, switch out to the left/right lamps (front and back).

Keep going that way - bit by bit, and if you want to be safe,, add a fuse for each bit.

When you’re done then (and only then) think about cutting wires to length and looming it up.

[mrbounce]

Nov 29, 2019 18:11:29 GMT Phil H said:

Good and bad news is it’s a kit car

Take it one device at a time;

Ignition switch :
Main feed in, then 2 or 3 wires out; everything ignition (coil, wipers, indicators, heater fan, instruments), starter motor and radio (accessory).

Lights:
Consists of a main switch, a dip switch and a few wires out (ok, they go to multiple places but that’s not important now) - headlamp main and dip beam (through the dip switch - usually on the stalk), and side lights (the ones that go front, back and dash). For the ignition fed stuff (but not the actual Ignition circuit) just fire a relay with that one, then feed everything from that. Plenty of diagrams online on how to wire a relay.

Wipers:
Assuming a 14W wiper motor there’s plenty of small diagrams for them.

Heater?
Ignition (relay) feed to switch, then the wires to the fan.

Indicators:
Ignition relay feed to switch, switch out to the left/right lamps (front and back).

Keep going that way - bit by bit, and if you want to be safe,, add a fuse for each bit.

When you’re done then (and only then) think about cutting wires to length and looming it up.

That's all great advice - however, I already have a loom in the car but I don't know how to connect everything (I told you it was basic stuff!). I am more looking to understand HOW the electrics work and how to do basic troubleshooting when problems occur. I've never followed a wiring diagram in my life, and it's the understanding of the what and the why I need to start with. I really have no idea, and the small amount of knowledge I do have worries me because I do not know WHY I am doing it  

[comfortablynumb]

My first foray into car electrics was taking the ignition switch out of a mk2 cortina without disconnecting the battery
The next task i did was learning how to fit a loom from a breakers yard because the short i caused had burnt out the loom
If i was you id be considering getting a simple loom from a scrappy, or ebay etc, and a wiring diagram and teach yourself to identify the wires from both
If you're feeling REALLY brave you could remove your existing loom and start again 😳
If its a simple loom they're really not that complicated, and you'll learn better that way ( i did!)

[melle]

I found "Auto Electrics" by Dave Westgate a very useful little book. It's from the '70s and long out of print I suppose, but I guess you can pick up a copy for not a lot on eBay.

[mrbounce]

Nov 30, 2019 14:59:37 GMT melle said:

I found "Auto Electrics" by Dave Westgate a very useful little book. It's from the '70s and long out of print I suppose, but I guess you can pick up a copy for not a lot on eBay.

Marvellous - thanks melle - that's exactly the sort of thing I am looking for. I've found a few on eBay so will grab a copy. 

[melle]

Cool!

[briang]

Just remember that everything bolted to the body needs a separate earth wire as fibreglass doesn't conduct electrikery like tin does!
Bad earths can cause all sorts of odd problems.

Brian.

[melle]

I also have a Haynes Automobile Electrical Manual, just can't remember how useful it is (don't have it handy here). I just looked on eBay and they're cheap enough anyway.

[igor]

Midas is Mini based right? That being the case it should be a very good project to learn on as if it is anything like the donor car it will have a very simple electrical system. Even a standard Mini wiring diagram might help you. It's not rocket science. Just have a go. Once you get into it you'll probably find it easier than you thought it would be. Best of luck and please let us know how you get on.

[melle]

Dec 1, 2019 2:12:07 GMT igor said:

It's not rocket science. Just have a go. Once you get into it you'll probably find it easier than you thought it would be.

Sound advice, that's what I found.

[mrbounce]

Dec 1, 2019 12:09:52 GMT melle said:

Dec 1, 2019 2:12:07 GMT igor said:

It's not rocket science. Just have a go. Once you get into it you'll probably find it easier than you thought it would be.

Sound advice, that's what I found.

Thanks guys - that's my plan. It is Mini-based so as you say, it's not rocket science. I just want to have a basic understanding of what I am doing before I connect everything, otherwise all that Lucas smoke might escape

[Phil H]

I know it’s a physical book but seemingly every charity shop seems to have a copy of that huge silver tone “The AA Book of the Car” - think I lost mine in a house move but I recall some from-the-start descriptions on electrics. It might be from the late 60’s/early 70’s but so is a Minis electrics.

[comfortablynumb]

Dec 2, 2019 5:33:15 GMT Phil H said:

I know it’s a physical book but seemingly every charity shop seems to have a copy of that huge silver tone “The AA Book of the Car” - think I lost mine in a house move but I recall some from-the-start descriptions on electrics. It might be from the late 60’s/early 70’s but so is a Minis electrics.

Is that the one that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to repair sills with chickenwire, newspaper and filler? Invaluable😁
Must dig out my copy again😀

[Phil H]

That's the one!

[matty2300]

I've got a copy of "Classic British Car Electrical Systems" its a pretty good book, thar is a preview of it ere - might be worth a read

books.google.co.uk/books/about/Classic_British_Car_Electrical_Systems.html?id=9kQ941Dh0dcC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false