Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:18:17 -0600
Reply-To: Jarrett Anthony Kupcinski <kupcinski@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jarrett Anthony Kupcinski <kupcinski@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Instrument cluster rewire
In-Reply-To: <4eff6f4e.52b7e00a.571d.ffffb006@mx.google.com>
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Thanks David. Good point about the stranded wire. Maybe I'll make a second version now that I've seen what's involved with doing this.
I actually did use the copper foil for patching up the flex circuit previous to this reworking. It works well, and I completely recommend it as a small fix if the rest of the sheet is in good shape. In addition to having been patched in that way, the layers on mine were separating, and I uh, sorta fried a couple of the circuits while tracing down a wiring fault in the turn signal circuit. Seemed like making a new harness was the best long-term option.
I am a bit concerned with the ground and main panel supply circuits. Everything seems to be working fine, but on a hot day, with the smaller gauge wire I used, I won't be surprised if I get some resistance in the circuit and it causes problems. We'll see how that goes. I figure, worst case scenario, I can always jump a second ground wire from the affected point to the ground pin in the connector if need be.
If I do remake the circuit, I think I'd be more comfortable taking liberties with the circuit map. Doing so would allow me to run a single heavier gauge main ground line which the individual circuits could tie in to. As it was, I started with the existing flex circuit sheet and cut out the most circuitous lines since I wasn't restricted the way it was.
The voltage regulator is connected to the original metal heat sink on the back of the tach, so I'm covered there.
Thanks for the feedback!
-Jarrett
On Dec 31, 2011, at 2:23 PM, David Beierl wrote:
> Use stranded wire for its better fatigue resistance. The main panel supply and ground are 20-ga or so which might be preferable for those. The panel lights get changed so seldom that I don't see any real problem soldering to them. But to avoid that you could perhaps solder to that part of the existing flex-circuit if it isn't damaged. Or craft supply places sell sticky copper foil for soldering pieced of stained glass together - of course a roll would be a thousand-year supply.
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