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Speaking as an automotive engine mechanic, sometimes we use lacing in long-haul tractor trailers. Wiring for sensor modules along the air-slide fifth wheel, ne

Speaking as an automotive engine mechanic, sometimes we use lacing in long-haul tractor trailers. Wiring for sensor modules along the air-slide fifth wheel, near the attic, or especially around the air brake dryer are always laced. The reason for this is zip ties will quickly fail after freeze-thaw cycles. professional drivers in wisconsin or Minnesota cannot get stuck due to an electrical failure on the side of a remote road, as it can prove fatal. The same goes for heat. sensors near the differential or aux transmission MUST be laced. Climates like Arizona and Texas can cause zip ties to bite into soft wire insulation or vice versa, causing the harness failures. Then theres manufacturer recommendations. Zip tie plastic can contain additives that bugs or rodents find quite delicious, which cause nesting issues and failures. kevlar twine or lacing cord can be dipped in bitrex or other chemicals to prevent this.

dsb5 7y ago
I had a rodent problem in my garage where rats and mice ate through wiring in my motorcycle and garage door wires. When I had them repaired after eradicating the problem, both my motorcycle mechanic and garage door repairman said that ya the wires they are making in china are made with something especially tasty for rodents.
- mikestew 7y ago
  something especially tasty for rodents Soy-based wiring insulation: https://www.thedrive.com/news/20878/rodents-are-feasting-on-newer-cars-soy-based-wiring-insulation https://www.thedrive.com/news/20878/rodents-are-feasting-on-...
  - tapland 7y ago
    LOUD Auto playing video far down on site even with Ublock.
    - mikestew 7y ago
      Sorry, should have just written the words and let people find their own link. Or be a less sucky curator.
dsfyu404ed 7y ago
>Then theres manufacturer recommendations. Zip tie plastic can contain additives that bugs or rodents find quite delicious Lol, what a load of BS on the part of the OEM. The soy plastics are more expensive. Your $1.99 pack of Harbor Freight nylon zip ties won't use it. OEMs (at least for smaller vehicles) have been phasing in soy based wiring insulation since the late 1990s (done at the recommendation of the EPA IIRC). This is why rodents now are more likely to chew on wires (whereas in the past they'd just make nests in dumb places). I guess they'd rather stretch the truth than say "because reasons". Edit: looks like someone else posted a link to a story about soy wiring.
marmaduke 7y ago
Why wouldn't zip ties be made of the same material as for lacing? (sorry if that's a stupid question)
- luminiferous 7y ago
  The lacing isn't plastic, it's (as the article mentions) typically waxed linen or some other type of fiber/rope. Zip ties have to be made of a more solid material like plastic, since you need to mold in all those tiny teeth that cause the zip tie to ratchet closed. It's neat that a lot of these plastics are apparently tasty for rodents and other pests to eat though; I wonder if you could add a bitterant to combat this. But zipties will still have other issues caused by the plastic material: brittleness from UV exposure, and cracks due to freeze/thaw cycles and thermal expansion. There's other (non-plastic) alternatives to cable ties though, for example metal hose clamps. Although that might be too harsh on the cables, not to mention being conductive. It seems lacing is by far the gentlest option on the cables, and longer lasting than zip ties, at the cost of requiring more time to set up correctly.
amelius 7y ago
But why worry about the tie material when the electrical wire itself is insulated using plastic?
m463 7y ago
In racing (and aviation) there's a whole art to safety wiring. Is that ever used anywhere anymore?

dsb5 7y ago

I had a rodent problem in my garage where rats and mice ate through wiring in my motorcycle and garage door wires. When I had them repaired after eradicating the problem, both my motorcycle mechanic and garage door repairman said that ya the wires they are making in china are made with something especially tasty for rodents.

mikestew 7y ago
something especially tasty for rodents Soy-based wiring insulation: https://www.thedrive.com/news/20878/rodents-are-feasting-on-newer-cars-soy-based-wiring-insulation https://www.thedrive.com/news/20878/rodents-are-feasting-on-...
- tapland 7y ago
  LOUD Auto playing video far down on site even with Ublock.
  - mikestew 7y ago
    Sorry, should have just written the words and let people find their own link. Or be a less sucky curator.

dsfyu404ed 7y ago

>Then theres manufacturer recommendations. Zip tie plastic can contain additives that bugs or rodents find quite delicious Lol, what a load of BS on the part of the OEM. The soy plastics are more expensive. Your $1.99 pack of Harbor Freight nylon zip ties won't use it. OEMs (at least for smaller vehicles) have been phasing in soy based wiring insulation since the late 1990s (done at the recommendation of the EPA IIRC). This is why rodents now are more likely to chew on wires (whereas in the past they'd just make nests in dumb places). I guess they'd rather stretch the truth than say "because reasons". Edit: looks like someone else posted a link to a story about soy wiring.

marmaduke 7y ago

Why wouldn't zip ties be made of the same material as for lacing? (sorry if that's a stupid question)

luminiferous 7y ago
The lacing isn't plastic, it's (as the article mentions) typically waxed linen or some other type of fiber/rope. Zip ties have to be made of a more solid material like plastic, since you need to mold in all those tiny teeth that cause the zip tie to ratchet closed. It's neat that a lot of these plastics are apparently tasty for rodents and other pests to eat though; I wonder if you could add a bitterant to combat this. But zipties will still have other issues caused by the plastic material: brittleness from UV exposure, and cracks due to freeze/thaw cycles and thermal expansion. There's other (non-plastic) alternatives to cable ties though, for example metal hose clamps. Although that might be too harsh on the cables, not to mention being conductive. It seems lacing is by far the gentlest option on the cables, and longer lasting than zip ties, at the cost of requiring more time to set up correctly.

amelius 7y ago

But why worry about the tie material when the electrical wire itself is insulated using plastic?

m463 7y ago

In racing (and aviation) there's a whole art to safety wiring. Is that ever used anywhere anymore?