[GMCnet] 12 Volt wiring

[Terry Taylor]

There was some discussion last week about wire for 12v applications. I
tend to use the
black/red zip cord. MCM Electronics sells in various sizes and lengths.

Radio Shack also sells it as "speaker wire" in 25ft 18 gauge spools.

I would trust the MCM stuff better, as it is intended for automotive
applications
and is listed as "flame proof". Link below, or go to
www.mcmelectronics.com and search
for automotive zip cord

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/search.aspx?K=automotive%20zip%20cord

http://tinyurl.com/ydltrwn

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[Glenn Giere]

Terry,
You don't need two conductor wire for most 12V applications. One "hot" wire from fuse to device is enough with the chassis ground as a return. Some choose to use a second wire for the return, grounding everything at a single point on the chassis but I've never found that necessary except in some electronic installations. One exception, some radios require two conductors for speaker wiring as the return cannot be grounded.

I'd pick a good stranded automotive wire from any auto parts store near you. You'll need to determine the wire size (gage) according to the load. I don't know how extensive your project is but you might choose to use a variety of colors to help identify your various circuits.

Glenn Giere
'73 "Moby the Motorhome"