Different colors TXL wire, why not?

Hi!

I was wondering, is it just a cost/purchase question, of why we are trained to use so much white wire in the harness, rather than using striped combinations for each sensor/actuator.

I put together a list of combinations, and with all inputs and outputs for a V8 sequential, with some spare aux in/out, and stepper idle constol, i will need 50 different combinations. but if buying 10ft lengths of each, the cost for each harness is not that bad. But is it way overkill?

Thinking 20AWG will be sufficient for all outputs, and 16AWG for power supplies before splices, and 20AWG after splice. for inj and coils.

It's purely a cost thing and availability thing. If you can do individual colour combinations for each circuit, then go for it I'd say, it'll absolutely save you some time with the multimeter when you're pinning out the connectors.

If your doing it professionally then you can certainly build up a good selection of colours as you go. Each job you do, get a few more colours in your stock. This is effectively what i have done, and I now have a pretty extensive range close to 100 various different colours/stripes/sizes/types of cabling in my inventory. (I actually have to build a new wire rack, as my old one is now too small haha)

Doing a one off construction might be more difficult as you either end up with way too much cable. Or pay a premium for short lengths. But if you can get do it, and budget for it, then i personally think its better to colour code as it does make things easier during construction and any subsequent fault finding in the furure.

I just chatted with Bob at 4R Customs Wiring, and he sells 10ft lengths og 20awg for US$6.6. With what I want, a harness would be around $200-250. Depending of I4 or V8 :p

How much do you calculate in wiring for a single harness?

This is just for hobby for now, but i want to settle on a color scheme from the start.

My distributor make prices depending on how much i buy. So if i buy 100m i get price 4EUR per meter, at 200m .. 4,8EUR, 500m price will drop to 4,4EUR etc...... is it is very frustrating to buy small amount of each color, but i still do it. I buy large amounts of commonly used colors, and small amounts of other colors. But if you start, its very, very painfull. My first couple of harnesses i built was using FLRY cables, and even at this point i spent nearly 5000EUR to built first harness sold for 500EUR. No i shifted to Spec44 and Spec55, and again this huge amount of money put in on a starting point. But i like to have more options, more price ranges, and customer can choose, what he want to pay for.

On the other end, i have find few "builders" around me using just one AWG, one single color........... and once i was forced to end project they started, i was in serious trouble. Find correct wires for all the wrong wired things like DBW, WBO etc... was really pain in a..... I was nearly "Beaped" to the death from my multimeter.... Your decision must fit your way of thinking.