The CABLE ASSEMBLY consists of a stranded conductor with insulation or a combination of insulated conductors enclosed in a covering or jacket from end to end. Terminating connections seal around the outer jacket so that the inner conductors are isolated completely from the environment. Cable assemblies may have two or more ends.

WIRING HARNESS assemblies (fig. 2-86) serve two purposes. They prevent chafing and loosening of terminals and connections caused by vibration and road shock while keeping the wires in a neat condition away from moving parts of the vehicle. Wiring harnesses contain two or more individual conductors laid parallel or twisted together and wrapped with binding material, such as tape, lacing cord, and wire ties. The binding materials do not isolate the conductors from the environment completely, and conductor terminations may or may not be sealed. Wiring harnesses also may have two or more ends.

WIRING IDENTIFICATION
Wires in the electrical system should be identified by a number, color, or code to facilitate tracing circuits during assembly, troubleshooting, or rewiring operations. This identification should appear on wiring schematics and diagrams and whenever practical on the individual wire. The assigned identification for a continuous electrical connection should be retained on a schematic diagram until the circuit characteristic is altered by a switching point or active component.

Figure 2-86.- A typical wiring harness.

Wiring color codes are used by manufacturers to assist the mechanics in identifying the wires used in many circuits and making repairs in a minimum of time. No color code is common to all manufacturers. For this reason, the manufacturer's service manual is a must for speedy troubleshooting and repairs.

Wiring found on tactical equipment (M-series) has no color. All the wires used on these vehicles are black. Small metal tags (fig. 2-87), stamped with numbers or

Figure 2-87.- Metal tag wire identification.

codes, are used to identify the wiring illustrated by diagrams in the technical manuals. These tags are securely fastened near the end of individual wires.

WIRING DIAGRAMS
Wiring diagrams (fig. 2-88) are drawings that show the relationship of the electrical components and wires in a circuit. They seldom show the routing of the wires within the electrical system of the vehicle.

Often you will find ELECTRICAL SYMBOLS used in wiring diagrams to simulate individual components. Figure 2-89 shows some of the symbols you may encounter when tracing individual circuits in a wiring diagram.