Wiring harness wire gage?

I’m cleaning up a bunch of wiring and replacing some as well, i’m cleaning up a bunch wiring and replacing some as well, Can get the correctly colored wire from British wiring but can’t remember what gage the basic wires are. For instance the 5 wires that go back to the tail light need to be replaced, is that 14 gage wire??? Thanks, Glenn T. S.

gtsun said:

Can get the correctly colored wire from British wiring but can’t remember what gage the basic wires are. For instance the 5 wires that go back to the tail light need to be replaced, is that 14 gage wire???

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The original wire was 14/32SWG (14 strands of 32SWG). The modern equivalent is 14/0.30mm, 1.0 sq mm standard PVC or, approximately 17/18 AWG.

http://www.britishwiring.com/PVC-Wires-s/67.htm
http://www.britishwiring.com/14-Strand-PVC-Wire-18-ga-AWG-p/c114.htm

https://www.autosparks.co.uk/faq

I believe that the failure of the original wiring loom over time is due to the inability of the PVC jacket to withstand the heat and weather. I understand the desire to use the original colour/strips however think the lastest wiring being produced for the major auto builds is a much better product . the wiring now required under the hood is called TXL and has a crosslinked chain polyethylene jacket. in the USA it can be bought from places such as the wirebarn. Unfortunately all they sell is solid colour jacket.

I have no connection to wirebarn, just a satisfied customer...

I agree that new tech wire is superior but if not the original color coded wire it really screws future owners who try to figure it out. Myself, I wouldn't buy a bike that has had the wiring "upgraded" or had the polarity changed. My harness has lasted 40+ yrs and I would expect another 40. Yes, the bullet connecting sleeves have all been changed. If you're the one who labeled all the wires in another thread... really nice job but the odd colors just put me off.
Russ

Russ; fair comment, as i was inspecting the wiring harness under the tank, everything was hard and brittle. my goal is relaiblity, a replacement was in order, but i wanted to get away from + gnd and also add a fuse panel, a modern Regulator/rectifier, and not have any loose wires dangling unused. im sure there are others who have also done the change and labeled the wires. a handy wiring diagram takes no space when traveling. If as you say its an issue i can always change it back.

I've added a 4 fuse box and Podtronics, 3 phase alternator, headlight and horn relays etc so not at all opposed to sensible upgrades. The original wires seem OK not cracking or stiff so I left it as-is. Maybe someday they will make improved wires with the correct color coding. Falls into the same category as a fix for fiberglass tanks. I don't mind positive ground. I learned to drive as a kid on a 1947 Allis Chalmers Model B tractor with 6V positive ground. I don't have anything to plug in that cares about polarity.

I guess we've kind of gone beyond the original question so I apologize to the OP for thwarting the thread.

No apologies needed batrider it’s all relevant to the conversation. On this particular bike I am still using parts of the original wiring harness but i have up graded a lot of things like the charging system, blinker unit/turn signals etc and changed out parts of the wiring. The wires going back to my tail/brake light & rear turn signals have been repaired over the eaons and are now to short. So I’m going to splice in new stock colored wires from up under the front of the seat with a single multi pin connector for now.. Sometime in the not-too-distant future I want to completely rewire it front to back but not right now. sometime in the not-too-distant future I want to completely rewire it front to back but not right now. Thanks guys, & L.A.B. now that I’ve had a chance to look at mine I️ remember now that 18 gage is what I’ve used in the past. Thanks, Glenn T.S.