PDM Installation & Configuration: Step 4: Build the Wiring Harness
Step 4: Build the Wiring Harness
02.58
00:00 | - The 4th step of the PMU configuration process for our SR86 worked example is to build the wiring harness for the vehicle. |
00:08 | Now this isn't a step that we cover in any detail in this course because we have specific, it's a massive topic and we have specific dedicated courses relating to that. |
00:19 | So if you're interested in wiring harness construction, fundamentals, a club level or a full on really high level race car specific wiring harness construction methods, we have 3 courses dedicated to those. |
00:34 | Now there is something that I'll mention here is that often it is a case, if you're working, this is particularly true in the race car world, when you're doing a project like this you'll be working with a wiring harness that already exists in the vehicle. |
00:48 | Pretty big expense and investment to build a wiring harness that's nice and reliable and robust and neat and tidy for a race car application so that investment wants to be over a relatively long term so often when configurations like this are getting modified or changed, you will be working with existing wiring harness designs. |
01:09 | Now where that might cause you issues is going to be around the pin assignment stage because there could be physical things already connected to specific pins or you might have to re pin connectors to move things around to spread the load so make sure you're keeping all that in mind. |
01:24 | This is particularly where CAN bus is incredibly useful. |
01:28 | It really adds an extra layer of flexibility. |
01:31 | I've definitely worked in scenarios before where I've needed to add an entire extra PMU into a vehicle for a extra suite of electronics and loads that are going into that vehicle and being able to get all of the inputs into that PMU via CAN meant the wiring was actually really simple, it was able to be done in a very discrete way. |
01:53 | The PMU could be put in, its main power supply wiring run to it which is probably going to be discrete bolted connections anyway, different to the other power supply systems already existing in the vehicle and then all of its inputs are coming via CAN bus so that was really just two wires to interface with the existing harness and then all of its outputs could be run in discrete bespoke built harnesses. |
02:16 | Now this is why you'll see in a lot of race cars there will be wiring harnesses run in the vehicle, there will be other wiring harnesses directly on top, cable tied to those existing ones. |
02:25 | It would be absolutely great if we could do a complete design for a race car and build it in a one off period, everything just worked and was perfect, that's not the real world though. |
02:36 | The real world is that designs happen, racing rules change, things are iterative and you've got to be a little bit flexible around these processes. |
02:44 | So make sure you're keeping all the relevant factors in mind if you are working in an environment with putting a PMU into a vehicle with an existing power distribution system. |