Inferior Wire Harnesses Can Cause Fire Damage

For many electronic projects, having the correct wiring harness to handle the current is imperative to overall functionality. The proper gauge of wire needs to be addressed, the length of the harness and even the security of the connectors within the heads need to be well-developed. Without these aspects being examined, your project could experience everything from lack of operation to direct damage of the printed circuit board. Electricity is more sensitive to surrounding environments than you may realize.

Loose Connections

Yourwiring harnessneeds to be able to provide a secure method of keeping wired connections within the Molex or other connecting mechanism. Without this security, the actual connector could eventually work itself out, exposing your project and yourself to the electrical current flowing within. If this wiring connector was to touch a grounding surface such as a metal chassis or other electronic component, the wire could cause a kind of feedback that could short out various components within the PCB. It could also create enough heat for the plastic molding around the wire to melt, exposing the actual wiring itself. In some cases, this can also lead to small fires developing within the electronic device.

Inside the chassis, even the smallest fires can cause a great amount of damage to the internal workings of the device or machine. The heat generated from the flame could compromise additional components throughout the system. Additional wiring, diode damage, capacitors and eventhe rigid printed circuit boardPCB itself can be compromised due to the slight flame caused by inefficient wiring harnesses.

Inadequate Wiring Gauge

Some inferior product manufacturers purposely use a slightly smaller gauge of wire in order to save on the cost of copper and plastic molding. Although these thinner wires have been briefly tested to work at the intended current of electricity, they often create hazards through prolonged exposure to this unsupported current. Without the proper gauge of wire in your harness, the electrical current causes a great deal of heat, which melts the molding and exposes the copper lines. Should any of these lines touch, it could cause equipment failure and possibly ignite your project.

Improper Wrapping of the Harness

In order to improve airflow in many electronic devices such as computer systems, wiring harnesses are often wrapped in plastic or in an expandable mesh in order to house the wires in a thinner collection. Installation of these coverings could lead to compromises within the harness. In some situations, the Molex of the harness may need to be removed and then re-attached after the covering is installed. Without proper reconnection of the Molex, a wire could become exposed, posing a threat to the device. Another threat could be from wires being inadvertently nicked during installation, which exposes several of these copper lines to each other and increases the likelihood of danger.