Plastic Flex Conduit & Wiring

[mtrevelino]

Has anyone run either 1/2" or 3/4" plastic flexible conduit from under the seat to the front of the bike? This is so that you do not have to strip the bike every time you want to run wires. And, which side did you install this?

Also, does anyone sell multi-conductor 12v wiring? Currently I am using "120v lamp" wiring for a couple of items and would like to clean up my "rats nest" in the near future.

[SilverBuffalo]

If you get down on your hands and knees and look up under the front of the fairing, There's a hollow space that runs from the front left side under the fuel tank and comes out under and behind the fuel tank under the drivers seat, it's difficult to find but worth the effort.

[grahamw]

Have you thought about using the sort of cable that they use for lighting boards on trailers?
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.co.uk/VWPweb2000/cables/cables.html

will give you an idea of what I mean.

[Dman]

Has anyone run either 1/2" or 3/4" plastic flexible conduit from under the seat to the front of the bike? This is so that you do not have to strip the bike every time you want to run wires. And, which side did you install this?

Also, does anyone sell multi-conductor 12v wiring? Currently I am using "120v lamp" wiring for a couple of items and would like to clean up my "rats nest" in the near future.

Have run lots of conduit. Works really well. Memory beings what it is, (I think) I run 6 14ga. wires in one and 7 18ga. in the other. Runs quite nicely under the tank. Multi conductor cable isn't really necessary when using conduit. I used different colors in singles and it turned out great. At this point there is still a few spare wires for future development.
HTH

[mtrevelino]

Thanks everyone for your advice!

[relic]

Have run lots of conduit. Works really well. HTH

Dman,

Good tips and pics. Is the conduit you used the "split" type or is it solid? All the conduit I see in shops around here is split. If you used solid, where did you find it? Is pulling an additional circuit or two possible (space permitting) after the corrugated conduit is in place?

Thanks.

[mtrevelino]

While I was at West Marine purchasing my bluesea fuse block, someone showed me some white solid flex conduit. I figure that I will be able to fish wires through this at any time. I will be installing this next Saturday, so I cannot answer if it will work or not. It looks something like this:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/4020/0/0/hose/All_2/mode%20matchallpartial/15/0

It is about 5/8" ID and cost approximately $2.80 LF. If you want I can provide you with the part number when I get home from work.

[relic]

Mike,
Thanks for posting the West Marine info. After you install and feel you can recommend the 5/8" white solid conduit for the task, I'd appreciate the P/N detail. It's not an urgent request. My re-wire task is a winter project.
Thanks.

[Dman]

Dman,

Good tips and pics. Is the conduit you used the "split" type or is it solid? All the conduit I see in shops around here is split. If you used solid, where did you find it? Is pulling an additional circuit or two possible (space permitting) after the corrugated conduit is in place?

Thanks.

The conduit I used is split. It actually holds the wires rather secure. Used a solid only once and found out it is a pain to fish wires through especially with any length to it. The split type is easy to run multiples through and can "drop" a line at any point and continue on with the conduit.
I've never tried fishing another wire through once the harness was in place. On the split type, I doubt it would work.

Always run way more wires than you need, that way there is room for expansion.

Source for this was NAPA but I'm sure just about any parts house has / can get it. Various sizes starting at about 1/4" up to about 1". I buy it in 100 foot rolls. Can't remember the price but seems that it is inexpensive. HTH

[mtrevelino]

Thanks for the additional photo Duane. I was not going to take off the nose cone to run my conduit. I just want to make it a straight as possible run that I can. Your conduit looks too "factory". I do not think that my solid conduit would make all of those bends, let along allow me to fish wires through it.

My only concern with you running extra wires through your conduit for future use is that you have to leave a lot of extra slack on each end as you do not know what and where you will be making future connections.
Thanks again!