Harness Sleeving?

[Draimond]

Trying to build a new wiring harness on a budget, I came across this silicon fibreglass sleeveving on eBay.
It's pretty affordable and looks pro. More importantly, it does actually resist a direct flame for a while and it enables you to chemical and weather seal your wiring harness.

Problem is I'm struggling to find it as it's a Chinese product that doesn't seem to be widespread. I've spoken to a couple of auto electricians who were very impressed with the product when I showed them, but had never seen it before.

So I'm just reaching out to see what other people have been using or if they know of this product and where to get it more readily.

I'm not interested in corrugated tubing and haven't been since I did my first amp install over a decade ago. It's a dreadful product for automotive use in the engine bay and I feel like it's had its day and there's much much better options unless we're talking about running a cable under a desk. Specifically, it's not a weather seal and requires electrical tape to seal it. If you've ever stripped electric tape that's been exposed to heat, oil and time... You'll know what I'm talking about.

Nylon braid is ok for abrasion resistance but it's not a weather seal nor is it a heat seal.

Then the chunky raceworks silicone fibreglass sleeveving is... Well... Chunky and it's not priced as a product you could use for a wiring harness.

I've never seen a formula 1 wiring harness but I assumed they just use Raychem or a similar heat shrink over the bulk of the harness.
This is basically my plan B, but I've already started with this slim fibreglass silicon stuff I'm talking about and would love to continue using it if I can find somewhere to get it where I'm not waiting 2 months for delivery from China.

Probably spent an hour scrolling through eBay trying to find this stuff only to realise when I was about to checkout that it's coming from China... I don't know what's happened to eBay but it doesn't really work correctly all the time. Literally the first thing I do, anytime I open the eBay app is select Australia only and I still get results from abroad.

 

[J_D 2.0]

Probably spent an hour scrolling through eBay trying to find this stuff only to realise when I was about to checkout that it's coming from China... I don't know what's happened to eBay but it doesn't really work correctly all the time. Literally the first thing I do, anytime I open the eBay app is select Australia only and I still get results from abroad.

Not sure about the specific issue WRT wiring harnesses but eBay is complete shite these days. I tried to start an eBay business quite a while ago and gave up with it because the majority of sellers are Chinese now and of course they get the inside run on pricing and shipping costs so you can never compete with them on price.

The only advantage you used to have was keeping local stock to send out straight away but even that advantage is gone now in a lot of cases as they use drop shippers that keep stock in Australia.

Also it‘s more expensive to send something by Australia Post to the next suburb over than it is for a Chinese seller to send something from China and if it’s only a small item like a phone charging cord, etc it only costs them a few cents to air mail it to Australia.

The Chinese also manipulate the listings to make sure they show up as Australian as they know people filter by country. Once they have suckered you into ordering they have won anyway so there’s no real downside to them being dishonest.

 

[shane_3800]

That stuff is used on many OE cars, I think it's the stuff they use on the O2 sensor pigtail.

I'll see if I can find it.

 

[shane_3800]

Is this the stuff?
https://www.efisolutions.com.au/hea...W4hIwzzOrRmmHoQFQn84Pzdn0DrYutDAaAlW1EALw_wcB

 

[shane_3800]

https://www.spoolimports.com/hoses-...JQ4-DNJqFBLe8S0_GPaBtRohi8DvDwTUaAtfzEALw_wcB

 

[shane_3800]

This is very close, but Digikey where I get some Ham radio components is a global shipper.

https://www.digikey.com.au/en/products/detail/techflex/SFA0.38BK100/5818903

Edit this is just the spool racing stuff, never mind.

 

[07GTS]

i used that stuff on all my engine wiring, one is the thinner stuff and u can get a thicker insulated inside both with the silicon outside

this is a thinner braid inside

Insulating Heat Sleeving

Insulating Heat Sleeving Withstands temperatures of up to 250°C Braided E glass Elastomer coated Good flexibility Resistance against: - Ozone - Ultraviolet radiation - Humidity Compliant to 2002/95/EC [RoHS] directive Available in 4, 6, 8, 10 & 15mm diameter

jaydeeautocables.com.au

this stuff has the more thicker braid inside

Fibreglass Hose Heat Shield Sleeving - Raceworks

 

[Draimond]

Cheers guys!!!!

Yeah I remember that time. Where everything from China was available in Australia for an extra 5 - 10%. Bunch of local resellers buying in bulk and offering quick postage. It's still a thing but the market's so saturated now and it's hard to tell what's what. Back then it was very straightforward and very obvious.

@shane_3800 that last link looked interesting, the first couple are the same as the raceworks one I mentioned. A bit too chunky. I'll have to investigate that last one further though, really need a cross sectional photo.

@07GTS that first link is exactly what I'm chasing. It still looks a bit thicker than some of the stuff I got off eBay from China. Awesome!

Having never built a harness before, I thought everyone was crazy for using a bunch of 24 and 22 gauge wire, The pros seem to really flirt with the minimum spec wire gauge, while all the beginners I've seen talking about gauge sizes lean towards over specing wish I was kind of on board with myself just for safety and assurance.

However, now that I'm trying to cram these thick logs of wire through sleeveving, p clips, routing around the engine and making turns and transitions... I'm really forming that understanding of why the thinner gauge wires and the more thinly insulated mil spec wires are so desirable.

It's one thing to hear them say it'll be neater and the only downside to using overspect wiring is bulk and weight. It's another thing entirely to hold a cluster of four dozen wires in your hand and realise you're screwed because the thing is enormous.

But yes, that's why I'm after thin but decent insulating, preferably in every ID from 6mm to 40 or so. Preferably cheap as well because if this thing's going to look perfect I'm going to need a few metres in every size.

 

[shane_3800]

Cheers guys!!!!

Yeah I remember that time. Where everything from China was available in Australia for an extra 5 - 10%. Bunch of local resellers buying in bulk and offering quick postage. It's still a thing but the market's so saturated now and it's hard to tell what's what. Back then it was very straightforward and very obvious.

@shane_3800 that last link looked interesting, the first couple are the same as the raceworks one I mentioned. A bit too chunky. I'll have to investigate that last one further though, really need a cross sectional photo.

@07GTS that first link is exactly what I'm chasing. It still looks a bit thicker than some of the stuff I got off eBay from China. Awesome!

Having never built a harness before, I thought everyone was crazy for using a bunch of 24 and 22 gauge wire, The pros seem to really flirt with the minimum spec wire gauge, while all the beginners I've seen talking about gauge sizes lean towards over specing wish I was kind of on board with myself just for safety and assurance.

However, now that I'm trying to cram these thick logs of wire through sleeveving, p clips, routing around the engine and making turns and transitions... I'm really forming that understanding of why the thinner gauge wires and the more thinly insulated mil spec wires are so desirable.

It's one thing to hear them say it'll be neater and the only downside to using overspect wiring is bulk and weight. It's another thing entirely to hold a cluster of four dozen wires in your hand and realise you're screwed because the thing is enormous.

But yes, that's why I'm after thin but decent insulating, preferably in every ID from 6mm to 40 or so. Preferably cheap as well because if this thing's going to look perfect I'm going to need a few metres in every size.

With wire gauge, you can get silver plated PTFE wire from china, I waited about 2 weeks last time from an ebay seller.
I used it to make a 1:1 current unun and a 4:1 balun, for my end fed wire antenna.

 

[shane_3800]

This stuff is cheap, unlike tefzel it's thin and it can handle higher current.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3952311...ussq_yRWoft23CZbi5nCHNEOQKG0wnrAaAhhPEALw_wcB