Stebel Nautilus

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Irishrover
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Stebel Nautilus

Post by Irishrover »

Just ordered one, but after reading the installation link it recommends using 14guage wire. Could I use speaker cable or mains lead cable as an alternative? Is the copper stranded or solid?
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kmtscoot
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Post by kmtscoot »

Speaker cable is most likely too small for your horn. In the US our house wiring (we call it romex, don’t ask me why) is solid conductor. I suspect yours is too. Solid conductor is cheaper and OK as long as the wire never moves. Otherwise it will suffer metal fatigue and break. Like when you wiggle a piece of metal back and forth and it separates. For a motor vehicle, stranded is the only way to go. You’ll probably have to purchase some 14-guage stranded wire for your horn installation. You don’t need the 300 or 600 or higher volt rated wire that is used for housing and other applications. (Here) retail automotive wiring is usually rated at 60 volts and that is fine since cars and scooters use 12 volts for the electrical accessories. The 60 volt wire is a little easier to work with too because it is more flexible.

Incidentally, I just installed a Stebel Nautilus on my scooter! The nameplate rates it at 18 amps so I would definitely not use any wire guage smaller than 14 guage. I don't know if your scooter already has a horn relay. If not, be sure to use the one that comes with the Nautilus. If you add the relay, you'll have to get +12 volts directly from the battery or a HEAVY wire that comes from the battery and you should install an in-line fuse. Any questions, just PM me. Good luck.
2008 Buddy 125 (sold)
2009 SYM RV250
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Irishrover
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Post by Irishrover »

Thanks for the info. Over here our wire is not measured in AWG, but I'm sure 14awg equates to 2mm cross sectional diameter, just looking for an alternative that I may have lying around. When I mentioned speaker cable I should have been more specific and said it was home speaker cable wired from an amp that would have a higher rating. :)
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fantumx420
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Post by fantumx420 »

kmtscoot wrote:(we call it romex, don’t ask me why)
Romex is a brand name. Like called all tissue paper "kleenex"

Did I spell that right :?
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vaderscoot
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Post by vaderscoot »

or calling a subwoofer box a "kicker" box
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kmtscoot
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Post by kmtscoot »

Or putting your food in the "frigidaire", like my mother used to say when I was a kid in the 1950s. Or calling all MP3 players "iPods". I guess there's a lot of examples of brand names that manage to become generic names. Manufacturers probably love it. I imagine it would be good for their sales.

For a wire size conversion chart, here is one source:

http://www.technick.net/public/code/cp_ ... _to_metric
2008 Buddy 125 (sold)
2009 SYM RV250
1963 Karmann Ghia
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DennisD
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Post by DennisD »

Also caulk, or caulking compound. Seems many think its "cork" as in "Cork that winnder."
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Irishrover
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Post by Irishrover »

Back on topic, I have decided to use mains extension lead cable which I have a drum of and will pull out the cores to give me two different coloured cables, its rated at 13Amp for 240volt as that is our supply rating, but seen as I'm using 12volt it should be more than enough.
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