Rocky Hoffler
Platinum Member
I have heard dryer sheets will keep vermin away cheap as they are I would try.
Rat Disaster. Need Electrical Help.
- Thread starter N80
- Start date
OP
N80
Super Member
I don't think I'm going to spend $300 on a new harness plus running the whole thing to replace the old one.
I used to solder some on RC race trucks. I was terrible at it. And this will be very awkward with the dash assembly dangling to one side. And there really isn't an extra inch of wire to work with. It would be very tight, close work. Just don't feel confident enough to do it well. But, I've got a soldering iron (a cheap one, which is probably part of the reason I'm so bad at it) and some soldering wire so I can certainly try it. Nothing to lose. What do I need to shrink the heat shrink? Will a hair dryer work? (Edit: I missed where you said I could just use the soldering iron.)
The other issue is that these are just gauges (and the fuel float doesn't work half the time anyway. Tractor runs just fine. So this is not a critical repair. So the butt connectors really sound appealing to me. I know soldering is better but is bad soldering better than butt connectors?
As far as the rats....and there are mice too....I don't know what to do. This is the first problem in 6 years of the tractor living outdoors. I've had to clean out plenty of nests but have never had them chew on anything. And the tractor will have to stay outside (open shed). For a while I had a TomCat enclosed poison holder and that seemed to keep the wood rats gone, but not the mice. I'm also pretty sure it was mice that got in behind the dash, that rat was too big to fit in that tiny space.
Finally, does anyone know if the glow plug wire is just a single wire or a pair? From the frayed end it looks like a single wire. I've got the service manual and wiring diagram so I can check if no one knows offhand. This isn't a big deal as I almost never need the glow plug. Even on cold days it fires up even when I forget to use the glow plug.
I used to solder some on RC race trucks. I was terrible at it. And this will be very awkward with the dash assembly dangling to one side. And there really isn't an extra inch of wire to work with. It would be very tight, close work. Just don't feel confident enough to do it well. But, I've got a soldering iron (a cheap one, which is probably part of the reason I'm so bad at it) and some soldering wire so I can certainly try it. Nothing to lose. What do I need to shrink the heat shrink? Will a hair dryer work? (Edit: I missed where you said I could just use the soldering iron.)
The other issue is that these are just gauges (and the fuel float doesn't work half the time anyway. Tractor runs just fine. So this is not a critical repair. So the butt connectors really sound appealing to me. I know soldering is better but is bad soldering better than butt connectors?
As far as the rats....and there are mice too....I don't know what to do. This is the first problem in 6 years of the tractor living outdoors. I've had to clean out plenty of nests but have never had them chew on anything. And the tractor will have to stay outside (open shed). For a while I had a TomCat enclosed poison holder and that seemed to keep the wood rats gone, but not the mice. I'm also pretty sure it was mice that got in behind the dash, that rat was too big to fit in that tiny space.
Finally, does anyone know if the glow plug wire is just a single wire or a pair? From the frayed end it looks like a single wire. I've got the service manual and wiring diagram so I can check if no one knows offhand. This isn't a big deal as I almost never need the glow plug. Even on cold days it fires up even when I forget to use the glow plug.
PILOON
Super Star Member
I used to do wireing in aircraft.
Heat shrink and solder would be my preference. I'd be generous and probably add about 6 inches. If the dash end is easy to solder you might want to eliminate one solder joint and go directly to the dash.
Just be sure to use same gauge wire or betterand be sure to join same colors , just do one at a time.
The trick is to twist wires B4 applying solder and then a slight drop of solder and done!
Make life easy and buy a small heat shrink gun for a pro job.
Glow plug wire will be single (the plug, which is ground) completes the circuit. You will note that glow plug wire is heavier guage as it carries a lot of current.
Heat shrink and solder would be my preference. I'd be generous and probably add about 6 inches. If the dash end is easy to solder you might want to eliminate one solder joint and go directly to the dash.
Just be sure to use same gauge wire or betterand be sure to join same colors , just do one at a time.
The trick is to twist wires B4 applying solder and then a slight drop of solder and done!
Make life easy and buy a small heat shrink gun for a pro job.
Glow plug wire will be single (the plug, which is ground) completes the circuit. You will note that glow plug wire is heavier guage as it carries a lot of current.
TomSeller
Super Member
The glow plugs use the engine block to get the - side. There should be a switched + that jumps from one to the next glow plug. I have seen individual wires as well, but they go back to the single switched point. Somewhere I saw a spark plug type connector to the glow plugs, but not on your vintage. It is likely simple electrical connector rings on the end of wires under a nut. Sometimes a rod or a bar.
OP
N80
Super Member
Thanks for all the info guys. I found some butt connectors that have heat shrink around them. I actually have the proper crimp tool for these. What is the downside to this verses soldering?
The individual wires are tiny. Any way to tell precisely what gauge they are?
Also, there are two black wires in the bundle. On the wiring diagram it looks like they both tie into a common lead so I'm assuming it makes no difference which black goes to which black?
The individual wires are tiny. Any way to tell precisely what gauge they are?
Also, there are two black wires in the bundle. On the wiring diagram it looks like they both tie into a common lead so I'm assuming it makes no difference which black goes to which black?
PILOON
Super Star Member
The main downside to butt connectors is the mass they create hence I prefer solder technique.
Generally black is ground or negative so no matter.
An ohm meter would confirm if those blacks are common grounds.
You also can buy heat shrink that incorporates hot melt and in just about any gauge.
The factory harness being $200. means your labor will earn you at least $100/hr or more. LOL
Generally black is ground or negative so no matter.
An ohm meter would confirm if those blacks are common grounds.
You also can buy heat shrink that incorporates hot melt and in just about any gauge.
The factory harness being $200. means your labor will earn you at least $100/hr or more. LOL
Scott65
Silver Member
Sorry to sound uninformed here. I read your entire first post and just skimmed all the rest so I didn't get all the replies, just trying to help. I'm limited on time and on my phone...
Personally, I wouldn't do the harness. While it would no doubt be the BEST fix, it's really going to suck when they chew through it again. The next best would be solder and heat shrink, but only if your decent at it. If you aren't, a bad solder joint can be worse than a butt splice. I saw mentioned to fold the wires over themselves. This works, i don't like it only because it fattens the wire bundle and can cause wire strands to poke through your heat shrink and short to other wires or ground. To the person that suggested this, no offense, I'm certainly not saying it doesn't work. Lastly, if the first 2 are ruled out, I would say butt splices are the next best. The little blue or pink ones would work as long as it's dry. But you pointed out all the rat pee rusting the metal. I'll try to link pictures of what I use when working on customer vehicles when soldering isn't an option. Plus again, the plastic coated splices fatten the harness.
Any time with DC current, use multi strand wire. I also suggest marine heat shrink. Also called adhesive lined or double layered. That would make it water tight for sure.
And on the glow plugs. I'm a truck diesel mechanic, not tractors. But I would imagine it's the same. As stated, it should be a single wire for power and ground through the threads of the plug itself. And if you can only find one wire, it's common for the power source to daisy chain from one plug to the next.
Hope I didn't leave anything out
Personally, I wouldn't do the harness. While it would no doubt be the BEST fix, it's really going to suck when they chew through it again. The next best would be solder and heat shrink, but only if your decent at it. If you aren't, a bad solder joint can be worse than a butt splice. I saw mentioned to fold the wires over themselves. This works, i don't like it only because it fattens the wire bundle and can cause wire strands to poke through your heat shrink and short to other wires or ground. To the person that suggested this, no offense, I'm certainly not saying it doesn't work. Lastly, if the first 2 are ruled out, I would say butt splices are the next best. The little blue or pink ones would work as long as it's dry. But you pointed out all the rat pee rusting the metal. I'll try to link pictures of what I use when working on customer vehicles when soldering isn't an option. Plus again, the plastic coated splices fatten the harness.
Any time with DC current, use multi strand wire. I also suggest marine heat shrink. Also called adhesive lined or double layered. That would make it water tight for sure.
And on the glow plugs. I'm a truck diesel mechanic, not tractors. But I would imagine it's the same. As stated, it should be a single wire for power and ground through the threads of the plug itself. And if you can only find one wire, it's common for the power source to daisy chain from one plug to the next.
Hope I didn't leave anything out
Scott65
Silver Member
I did leave something out... If your going to crimp, do yourself a huge favor. Don't use the cheapo crimp tool that comes with most wire sets. Use one that has the little tang to crimp into the wire. The other will almost always leave a weak crimp somewhere in the bundle that will eventually pull out. I googled some pics but i can't tell on my phone which is which. The black ones are good. Yellow are a no no.
/pine
Super Star Member
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- Mar 4, 2009
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- 15,059
can you not remove the instrument cluster assembly from the dash and enough of the harness to give you some comfort room to work on the repairs?
woodlandfarms
Super Member
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- PowerTrac 1850, Kubota RTV x900
If money i tight, tin and shrinkwrap. Butt connectors pull apart.
But, and this is for me, I find these small wires will break again at these connection points. the solid tin and the flexible copper in a vibrating application spells failure in the future (but if it fails, at least you know the first place to look).
Maybe I have no luck with electrical, but I would replace it. $300 to keep you from your tractor failing in afield is priceless in my book
But, and this is for me, I find these small wires will break again at these connection points. the solid tin and the flexible copper in a vibrating application spells failure in the future (but if it fails, at least you know the first place to look).
Maybe I have no luck with electrical, but I would replace it. $300 to keep you from your tractor failing in afield is priceless in my book