Is anyone reproducing the helmet type battery positive cable C.2778 and the C.2612 earth lead?
I would like to identify the cable size used. I measure it as about 1/4" diameter and it has 16 bundles of 15 wires each for a total of 240 wires at .012" diameter.
If I understand AWG sizing correctly, this would be 2 AWG 240/28.
Can anyone confirm or correct me on that?
Anyone know of a source for about a foot of this stuff?
I need to make a C.2663 Mark V battery ground cable.
However, the diameter is different. Though, if I recall correctly itās the right size for Jaguar XKs.
If you need a short piece, I can cut you one, I must have some left over at home.
Tadek
0.012" diameter sounds possibly British Standard Wire Gauge (SWG) instead of AWG. Your top, larger photo looks suspiciously like the engine grounding straps on the Mark V, which might have been similar strand cable as used on the batteries. Would you like me to measure properties on a grounding strap and also see if any spare grounding straps are lying about? I donāt think I have any helmeted battery cables.
For those who have the book, Jaguar XK140 EXPLORED, I did a huge amount on Lucas Electrical Cables and Wiring, based on a lot of research into period Lucas technical literature and catalogues I have.
Admittedly it is focussed on being XK140 Specific, but the technical detail is equally applicable to Mark V and XK120, as these post-war Lucas Standards remained unchanged until many variations introduced from 1957 onwards.
Page 304 and 305 fully detail cables as per these Lucas post-way>1957 standards, which of course pre-date Lucas and other electrical cable manufacturers INDUSTRY STANDARDS, which evolved to become the first BRITISH STANDARD introduced in c1962. As Lucas was one of the two dominant UK auto-cable/loom manufacturers in 1950s, the 1957 updates dominated the 1962 British Standard.
But - I have no idea how different or otherwise current British Standards are, as is presumably the Standard applicable to modern reproduction Autosparks cables/wiring, given current British Standards changed considerably to align fully with the European ISO standards. Regardless, for those in USA, you need to put your British conversion hats on, as USA standards have never been the same as Lucas 1945-56, Lucas-UK Industry 1957-62, British 1962> and I think ISO 1970s> standards.
Having said that, when I really had a good look into accurate reproduction cables and wiring looms for my 1955 XK140, the stand-out BEST by far, regarding authentic cables, looms, connectors, was USA Company - Rhode Island Wiring who specifically make Lucas authentic reproduction cable/looms amongst various American cables/looms. Cant comment on accuracy of their American cables, but given how good their āLucasā reproductions are, presumably similar.
Having said that - BATTERY and EARTH cables. Page 306 and 307 of XK140 EXPLORED, I fully detail all Battery and Earth Cables as applicable to XK140, but note XK140 uses two EARTH cables, both Jaguar Part No. C.2612.
Some years ago when buying my XK140 Rhode Island Wiring loom, USA Company BRITISH AUTO USA, made superb/accurate reproductions of all these XK140 applicable āLUCAS Helmeted Terminalā cables, and also C.2612 Cables, that I could not differentiate from my originals - apart from them being brand-new. British Auto USA no longer exist as a separate company, but werenāt they taken-over/absorbed?
The C.2612 looks to be exactly as the pictured cable - 5" C/L to C/L (pitch), with one āPā terminal 3/8" dia, and the other 5/16" dia
Thanks, guys.
Tadek, if 0.30 means the wire strand diameter in millimeters, it is equal to about .012", and the 16/16 may be the stranding scheme, 16 bundles of 16 wires.
I wonder if I might have miscounted the number of strands in one bundle on mine; Iāll check it again tomorrow.
Roger M., yes that is one of my C.2612 Mark V grounding straps, also used on XK120 incidentally.
Roger P., I was not aware, though I should have suspected, that there was a British Standard Wire Gauge.
Looks like this stuff is about 3 SWG.
SWG dates from 1883 and AWG from 1857. I wonder why they couldnāt get together, maybe the same reason Sellers and Whitworth couldnāt get together, or the not-invented-here syndrome.
Since Rhode Island Wiring is in my own country I will try them first to see what they have. For all I know they may be selling the same stuff as Auto Sparks.
Thanks for the tips.
Hi Rob, my Mark V C.2612 Earth-Lead, from Engine to Frame (Lucas No. 859340), measures 0.012" diameter strand. This is Imperial, British Standard Wire Gauge SWG No.49 diameter.
My no longer used battery to solenoid negative lead shows 0.0255" diameter strand (a little corroded). This is AWG 42 , not an SWG gauge. This old cable has what looks like paper next to the wire, surrounded by back rubber surrounded yet again by a fabric weave painted black. The copper eye lug at solenoid end has stamped 31 next to stamped 24 and another line with a reversed āCā followed by āHICā . This cable has no helmet end but the common squeeze clamp. I could not say if it was original to the car, but it does not match the helmet description in the parts lists.
