Twisted CAN Wire

Twisted pair CAN bus wire for motorsport wiring harnesses. All wire is Spec55 type (TE Connectivity / Raychem, part series 55A0121) — modified radiation cross-linked ETFE insulation on tin-coated copper conductor, rated to 150°C and 600 V.

What is CAN Bus Wire?

CAN (Controller Area Network) is a differential serial bus used in motorsport to connect ECUs, data loggers, display units, and sensors on a single two-wire network. Twisted pair construction is essential: the twist causes electromagnetic interference picked up by both conductors to cancel out (common-mode rejection), keeping the signal clean in the high-noise environment of a race vehicle.

Why Spec55?

Spec55 uses modified radiation cross-linked ETFE insulation — the same material family as mil-spec M22759 Tefzel wire. Compared to standard automotive wire it is lighter, thinner-walled, and chemically resistant to fuel, oil, and brake fluid. The 150°C temperature rating allows routing close to exhaust and engine components without risk of insulation degradation.

Colour Conventions

Colour pair	Convention
Red / Blue	Motorsport standard — Red = CAN High, Blue = CAN Low
Black / White	Alternative pair for systems where Red/Blue is already allocated

CAN Bus Wiring Notes

• Terminate the bus at both ends with 120 Ω resistors
• Keep stub lengths (drop cables to each node) as short as possible
• 24 AWG suits most motorsport harnesses; 26 AWG is lighter for shorter runs
• Route away from high-voltage ignition wiring where practical