Need some help with some wiring

[wireman957]

I realize I'm a newcomer here, but I am a journeyman electrician for the last 22 years. The color code standard for DC (direct current) wiring is green=ground, black=negative and any other color (in this case red) = hot, or positive. Hi guys!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by wireman957

I realize I'm a newcomer here, but I am a journeyman electrician for the last 22 years. The color code standard for DC (direct current) wiring is green=ground, black=negative and any other color (in this case red) = hot, or positive. Hi guys!

So two red wires on one and one on the other. Where does the second red wire go?

[F3RGY68]

While ground is normally green, I do know green in the dome light is power while red is a ground for the door switch. Just for future reference, and to say it's not always safe to assume green=ground.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by wireman957

I realize I'm a newcomer here, but I am a journeyman electrician for the last 22 years. The color code standard for DC (direct current) wiring is green=ground, black=negative and any other color (in this case red) = hot, or positive. Hi guys!

Also as I said the standard colour system is frequently pitched out in cars.
You wire green as ground on what ever this is from you are in for a rude shock (no pun intended).

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by timmydatooth

Whats the worse that can happen if i tap into the wrong wire?

Seriously, guessing is the quickest path to failure. If you aren't confident in figuring out how to be certain, find/make a friend who is.

We can only help so much. You have to make that decision.

[wireman957]

That's a really good question. In my opinion, if the manufacturer is doing things correctly, the connector would just be like a splice in the red conductor. Kind of like a standard light switch is just an on-off disconnect between power and the base of a light bulb. Looking at this connector, though, that's tough to tell. A continuity tester (or to be redundant from a previous post, a multimeter) would tell if the two red wires are electrically connected inside the connector. Interesting...Tcoat, you are one of the last people on this forum I'd like to piss off and you are the first to respond to my previous post!

It may be, that if the two red conductors are not internally connected, that the other can be connected to negative. Generally speaking, a light bulb will still work if the hot/neutral or positive /negative are reversed. At any rate, the green should definitely be a ground, unless Subaru/Toyota has completely thrown convention out the window.

[wireman957]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Also as I said the standard colour system is frequently pitched out in cars.
You wire green as ground on what ever this is from you are in for a rude shock (no pun intended).

Okay, wow...I'm smiling big-time. You show a Lucas chart. Years ago, I owned a '57 MGA with Lucas Electricals. There is a reason Lucas was called the Prince Of Darkness. Like I said, in agreement with an earlier post, the best way to tell which is the positive wire is with a multimeter. Check between two wires and when the switch is on figure out which two wires give you a reading of approximately positive 12V. That should show you which is the + wire and which is the - wire. Ground shouldn't even be an issue.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by wireman957

That's a really good question. In my opinion, if the manufacturer is doing things correctly, the connector would just be like a splice in the red conductor. Kind of like a standard light switch is just an on-off disconnect between power and the base of a light bulb. Looking at this connector, though, that's tough to tell. A continuity tester (or to be redundant from a previous post, a multimeter) would tell if the two red wires are electrically connected inside the connector. Interesting...Tcoat, you are one of the last people on this forum I'd like to piss off and you are the first to respond to my previous post!

It may be, that if the two red conductors are not internally connected, that the other can be connected to negative. Generally speaking, a light bulb will still work if the hot/neutral or positive /negative are reversed. At any rate, the green should definitely be a ground, unless Subaru/Toyota has completely thrown convention out the window.

Dude I wasn't pissed off. It was a real question. It is just way to easy to read everything as sarcasm or mad. I totally agree with your statement that those are the colours for standard for DC wiring but learned the hard way several times that wiring harnesses sometimes (not always) deviate from that standard and wiring by trial and error has nasty results.

[wireman957]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Dude I wasn't pissed off. It was a real question. It is just way to easy to read everything as sarcasm or mad. I totally agree with your statement that those are the colours for standard for DC wiring but learned the hard way several times that wiring harnesses sometimes (not always) deviate from that standard and wiring by trial and error has nasty results.

I didn't think you were pissed off. Just that I don't want to piss you off. You have a wicked sense of humor and sarcasm from what I've read before posting. And you're absolutely right about wire color conventions going out the window in auto wiring. I've run into situations where I could swear the manufacturer just used whatever color wire happened to be laying around that day. In the fore-mentioned MGA, add that to the fact the system was 12V positive ground and it could REALLY mess you up. I can't see the previous posts right now, but the one that first suggested using a multimeter was right on. They can be had cheap and are worth every penny when trying to trace circuitry.

Edit: In fact, black, being (supposedly) negative should be the normal ground in these cars, so green could very possibly be another positive wire for some function.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by wireman957

I didn't think you were pissed off. Just that I don't want to piss you off. You have a wicked sense of humor and sarcasm from what I've read before posting. And you're absolutely right about wire color conventions going out the window in auto wiring. I've run into situations where I could swear the manufacturer just used whatever color wire happened to be laying around that day. In the fore-mentioned MGA, add that to the fact the system was 12V positive ground and it could REALLY mess you up. I can't see the previous posts right now, but the one that first suggested using a multimeter was right on. They can be had cheap and are worth every penny when trying to trace circuitry.

Edit: In fact, black, being (supposedly) negative should be the normal ground in these cars, so green could very possibly be another positive wire for some function.

Hmmmm somebody that actually reads before posting I think we will get along just fine. And don't worry I get over being pissed off fast and some of the guys that pissed me off the worst are now my best cyber buds.
@timmydatooth did you get this figured out yet?

[Braces]

Originally Posted by wireman957

I didn't think you were pissed off. Just that I don't want to piss you off.

Hilarious. Tcoat the Internet hitman.

Uh, I was just kidding. Please don't kill my family.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Braces

Hilarious. Tcoat the Internet hitman.

Uh, I was just kidding. Please don't kill my family.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93085

[Max FRS]

If you will do a search for "sidemarker", there are posts about making the sidemarker blink and I remember reading one that gave the which color wire in the front signal lights controls run and blink operations. If I remember correctly, the left and right sides have different colored wires doing the same function.

[Chaetagnath]

Originally Posted by timmydatooth

Thank you so much! Now while i have your attention guys which one of these wire do i tap in to so that my fogs will be on when i turn on the parking lights? Theres red black and green. I was assuming red but maybe its green...

Probably want to double check with a voltmeter, but I am pretty sure red is turn signal, green is parking light, and black is the ground for both.