Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Rocky_Road

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I received my Mercury temperature audible warning switch today...and installed it in my 2005 3.0L engine. Ran a length of trailer wire that I had laying around, to the tied off tan/blue wire in the engine harness (unused, but the engine harness was wired to the alarm buzzer at the helm).

Everything works as advertised...but I am a stickler about keeping everything as close to factory, as I can...so I would like to get my hands on a couple of feet of the right color coded wire (tan w/blue stripe).
 

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pvanv

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Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Glad to see someone following consistent color codes. Makes any future troubleshooting a lot less hassle. I recommend always using 100%-tinned, marine grade wire, with proper crimps and adhesive-lined shrink tubing at the connections. Cheap insurance. You can likely get a small roll of Ancor brand wire in a tan color at the local chandlery, but it likely won't be striped with a tracer.

HTH
 

Lone Duck

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Oct 17, 2007
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Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

In the past I have used permanent marker to mark solid color wire I have bought. On a long length I have cut it to length and stretched and tied off each end. Then run a can of paint spray along it. It works alright but time consuming. I have often wondered why you cannot buy the proper color coded wire on the market. Anyone know?
 

a70eliminator

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Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Good question, I have a friend who's wife works at KWA (Kent Wire Assy) it's a factory that assembles wire harnesses for cars. If you go to your local bone yard and find a heavily optioned lincoln or cadilac or probably nowadays just about any car will have a mile of all sorts of wire, just get the whole dash wiring harness an you'll have wire to last for years of tinkering, used to just a gimme item but nowadys they're probably too greedy but it mignt be worth a try, heck just a stereo speaker harness would probably get you one, or the trunk light wire, maybe just a tailight wire, i'm sure you find a tan/blu wire easily. Oh yea about KWA, we used to pull big gangly tangles of wire out of their dumpster just to have around the garage, but not anymore everybody got greedy.
 

Rocky_Road

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Oct 8, 2008
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Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Glad to see someone following consistent color codes. Makes any future troubleshooting a lot less hassle. I recommend always using 100%-tinned, marine grade wire, with proper crimps and adhesive-lined shrink tubing at the connections. Cheap insurance. You can likely get a small roll of Ancor brand wire in a tan color at the local chandlery, but it likely won't be striped with a tracer.

HTH

You read my thoughts, HTH!

I already used marine crimp connectors (heat shrinking, and adhesive), on my temporary setup...not the cheapest short term solution, but worth the peace of mind.

My two local marine stores (Boater's World and West Marine) have the marine wire I intend to use...but not in any color even close to tan. I was going to do the blue stripe, myself.

If no one here has what I need, I will go with some neutral color (white?), and add a reference tag stating the wire's correct color code!

Happy New Year...to all!

P.S. Just had a thought...any reason why I can't spray paint white marine wire tan? Then, do the blue stripe?
 

pvanv

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6,570
Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Tan is indeed the correct color for your application. see http://www.marinco.com/page/marinecolorcodes for a description of the correct marine color codes. I know that we have tan wire in our store, so it should be possible even for "worst marine" (sorry, cheap slam) to get the proper (solid tan) color for you. However, getting the tracer stripe on the wire (to match your installation) is something that you will likely have to do yourself, if you insist in having the tracer.

I would stay away from running non-marine (automotive wiring harness) wire. Marine wire is superior in a number of areas, including better insulation, AWG sizing (bigger conductor), 100% tinning, and is available in marine color codes.
 

Rocky_Road

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Oct 8, 2008
Messages
1,798
Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

Tan is indeed the correct color for your application. see http://www.marinco.com/page/marinecolorcodes for a description of the correct marine color codes. I know that we have tan wire in our store, so it should be possible even for "worst marine" (sorry, cheap slam) to get the proper (solid tan) color for you. However, getting the tracer stripe on the wire (to match your installation) is something that you will likely have to do yourself, if you insist in having the tracer.

I would stay away from running non-marine (automotive wiring harness) wire. Marine wire is superior in a number of areas, including better insulation, AWG sizing (bigger conductor), 100% tinning, and is available in marine color codes.

Interesting...and informative...link!

But, even this site offered every color, but tan.

I am going with marine grade white...spray it tan...add the blue stripe. I will be using the shrink marine crimp ends. If you can get your hands on a short length of marine tan for me...I will cover your outlay.

Thanks for the link...I added it to my 'boating' file!
 

Scottdock

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Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
26
Re: Where can I get some tan/blue wire...?

There are a few places I use for my wiring needs.

1) Waytek www.waytekwire.com
They offer a stripping service for any wire.

2) Del City www.delcity.net

3) Genuinedealz.com

Hope this helps as it ie a late post

Scott
Nauti-Boy Marine Inc
 
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