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Splicing several grounds together?

fl0w3n

fl0w3n

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More newb wiring questions…

Trying to redo several splices in my old crusty Renix wiring harness and the factory has 8 18awg grounds going into a single 18awg ground to the block.

Looking to redo it and upsize the single wire to the block.

I’m having a hard time finding a good way to splice 8 damn wires together other than trying to goober them all together with some solder like the factory did. I guess I could splice it and at least do heat shrink unlike the factory?

Any other solutions I’m missing?
 
You can get a butt connector big enough for 8 18s.. my guess would be a #8 or even 10. Get non-insulated butts and heat shrink. Don't twist them together. If it needs to be insulated, rtv the 8 wires after crimping, then slip the shrink over the rtv and heat it.
 
faf39ce6ccef3c7_lg.jpg
 
I think butt connecting from the ground to a bus bar would be easiest. It just requires 8 butt connectors and 8 strands of wire.
 
RunningProblem said:
I think butt connecting from the ground to a bus bar would be easiest. It just requires 8 butt connectors and 8 strands of wire.
Click to expand...
I think 8 butts, wire, ring terminals, and bus bar is far more complicated (and spaghetti monstered) than one butt, one ring terminal and one piece of wire. No need to over-complicate things and spend extra money.
 
Oddball said:
I think 8 butts, wire, ring terminals, and bus bar is far more complicated (and spaghetti monstered) than one butt, one ring terminal and one piece of wire. No need to over-complicate things and spend extra money.
Click to expand...
Soldering 8 grounds in the engine bay into one lug, and hoping it comes out awesome sounds more complicated and painful than cut, crimp, and continue.


If the entire wiring harness is pulled from the vehicle laying on the garage floor and he’s cleaning off the sticky residue from the factory with plenty of working space and time then I guess running all new grounds into one connection is easier.
 
RunningProblem said:
Soldering 8 grounds in the engine bay into one lug, and hoping it comes out awesome sounds more complicated and painful than cut, crimp, and continue.


If the entire wiring harness is pulled from the vehicle laying on the garage floor and he’s cleaning off the sticky residue from the factory with plenty of working space and time then I guess running all new grounds into one connection is easier.
Click to expand...
No need to solder..anyways, I guess it depends on your ability..if you can zip tie wires together and slip them into one non-insulated butt connector, you're one of the kids who can color within the lines, if not, go back to eating your glue. :homer:
 
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fl0w3n said:
More newb wiring questions…

Trying to redo several splices in my old crusty Renix wiring harness and the factory has 8 18awg grounds going into a single 18awg ground to the block.

Looking to redo it and upsize the single wire to the block.

I’m having a hard time finding a good way to splice 8 damn wires together other than trying to goober them all together with some solder like the factory did. I guess I could splice it and at least do heat shrink unlike the factory?

Any other solutions I’m missing?
Click to expand...
Molex parallel splice

1710159286072.png
 
Bebop said:
Molex parallel splice

1710159286072.png
Click to expand...
Thanks I’ll look into that

For a single use, I don’t really want to buy some special tool. Does the right crimp pin it or crush it? If it’s crush can I just slam it in a vice?
 
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Yeah I forgot you pulled it all out right after I posted about butt connections.
 
Bebop said:
Molex parallel splice

1710159286072.png
Click to expand...
Good stuff there ^^^ my only issue with any of the gang splicing ideas is, now you are dependent upon 1 wire to secure the path and fif that 1 wire fails...
Kinda why the oem daisy chain a ground wire thru the loom.
But it is less tidy.
Clean and secure + some anti corrosion products ftw
 
Clb said:
Good stuff there ^^^ my only issue with any of the gang splicing ideas is, now you are dependent upon 1 wire to secure the path and fif that 1 wire fails...
Click to expand...
This is why proper harness design and strain relief are important.
 
Bus bar for hot, chassis ground for grounds. Grounds that run to a controller, tie them together along the way.

I guess you could make the main ground runa 16 or 14 gauge wire if you want to, but then you'd need another wire size. Most likely, you won't be limiting your current with 18gauge
 
Provience said:
Bus bar for hot, chassis ground for grounds. Grounds that run to a controller, tie them together along the way.

I guess you could make the main ground runa 16 or 14 gauge wire if you want to, but then you'd need another wire size. Most likely, you won't be limiting your current with 18gauge
Click to expand...
This is how the factory generally does it (good OEs at least). Increase the wire size at each splice to handle the load until you get to your final ground point. I'd carry that on to the battery to reduce ground loop noise.
 
Here’s what I settled on

Two 18s to a single 14
988B2A74-CC69-4F4A-996F-75CB2DD9C8C7.jpeg



Solder
F616A951-1365-4535-B92E-49BA6D0F8F11.jpeg



Two 14s to a single 12. Repeat 1 more time, then I’ll run the final two 12s into a single ring terminal. Left the 12 long so I can make sure routing is good before I put the ring terminal on.
BA6BD141-DC23-4578-8F70-61D5F41AE063.jpeg
 
Bebop said:
It's a very important part of harness longevity.
Click to expand...
I believe the question had more to do with why a stud ground would cause an inherent issue with harness strain. Seems easy enough to plan it into the harness build like anything else
 
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fl0w3n said:
More newb wiring questions…

Trying to redo several splices in my old crusty Renix wiring harness and the factory has 8 18awg grounds going into a single 18awg ground to the block.

Looking to redo it and upsize the single wire to the block.

I’m having a hard time finding a good way to splice 8 damn wires together other than trying to goober them all together with some solder like the factory did. I guess I could splice it and at least do heat shrink unlike the factory?

Any other solutions I’m missing?
Click to expand...
You poke them all in a box of dirt in the trunk for ground.
 
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