Fuse block for accessories

[BIGdaddy]

I'm finally seeing the need for an aftermarket fuse/relay block for wiring up accessories.

This is on my short list of things to do...

any recommendations for inexpensive/bulletproof setups, that will let me wire things like my CB, 2m, lights, etc? I have my compressor on its own heavy duty 3 wire fused setup since it'll be drawing close to 30amps, so this'll be for some of the lighter duty items.

I could fab something myself, but wondering if there are some nice off the shelf products that Jeep owners have used.

Also I'm thinking of possibly adding some solar panels to the setup. Is there a cheap/easy way of integrating a fuse position that backfeeds into the battery?

 

[BIGdaddy]

Ok so on this page:
http://www.wiringproducts.com/contents/en-us/d136.html

I see Blade fuse type fuse blocks that allow push-on type connectors.

So, let me get this straight...Is there one power wire that goes to the battery to energize all the positions, and then one ground wire to ground them all? (or maybe the devices ground wire simply gets grounded where its convenient...that makes more sense why I'm seeing only a power source connection on some of the blocks)

Thus allowing a direct fused connection to the power source without having 20 wires connected to your battery terminals?

 

[Spikepretorius]

These guys have fantastic fuse boxes
http://bluesea.com/

 

[BIGdaddy]

didn't see prices on that website. that's always a bad sign. any other reputable dealer's websites like the "wiringproducts.com" option above?

thanks spike for the option, though. I'll paruse it tonight when I have more time.

 

[WF-Wagrub]

I've got items from BlueSea and Wiring Products on my jeep. The BlueSea is a much better product and I think you will be much more satisfied with it. I got mine from West Marine.

I used a 6 circuit BlueSea fuse block for all of my interior circuits. I think the one I used handles up to 125a and connections for both + and ground. I'm pretty satisfied with the setup, I only have 2 wires going through the firewall (a #8 + & -). I used a circuit breaker from Wiring Products which has a manual disconnect, that way if I have to 'jump' another vehicle I can disconnect my radios ect.

 

[BIGdaddy]

hey thanks for the source...found this:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/177684/377%20710%201629/712/Switches,%20Fuses%20/Primary%20Search/mode%20matchallpartial/0/0?N=377%20710%201629&Ne=712&Ntt=Switches,%20Fuses%20&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial&page=CategoryDisplayLevel1&isLTokenURL=true&storeNum=5002&subdeptNum=9&classNum=295

$38.00 aint bad at all. I'll have to look around and see what else they have

 

[ExpoMike]

The BlueSea ones are about the best out there. Ultra duty for the harsh environment of the ocean.

The other ones you listed are the standard ones you will find for most automotive applications. They work well for their use, since they typically won't be exposed to salt air/water. Of those, you have the ganged and individual circuit type. For your use, the ganged ones would be best, for a single connection to your battery to multiple outputs. Get the ones with the covers to help keep them clean inside.

 

[adrenaline503]

I am installing a blue sea fuse block right now. I do also have a painless wiring fuse block with 3 ignition hot circuits and 4 constant circuits in the cab. I have a spare painless setup if youre intersted, PM me.

 

[BIGdaddy]

The BlueSea ones are about the best out there. Ultra duty for the harsh environment of the ocean.

The other ones you listed are the standard ones you will find for most automotive applications. They work well for their use, since they typically won't be exposed to salt air/water. Of those, you have the ganged and individual circuit type. For your use, the ganged ones would be best, for a single connection to your battery to multiple outputs. Get the ones with the covers to help keep them clean inside.

hey, so I understand the concept of a gang switch since working here at sdge, so let me see if this makes sense.

One thing I was looking at was interior LED lighting that was rated @ .25amp peak draw per light. Pretty cool! Since this obviously is well below a circuit positions rating of say 15a, and well below the boxes rating of say 65A, would a ganged circuit type allow me to run say 4-6 lights on one single circuit?

...Leaving 5 other circuits(on a 6 circuit block) open for me to add accessories to, being mindful not to exceed the 65a block maximum?

I'll have to look at the products a bit more, but that was one of the main questions I had.


BTW, yeah Mike, I can see the difference in quality from the pics. Thanks again spike for bringing them up. I don't want my ride to end up a smoldering campfire, and this is one of those things that Mrs. SDoverland has
greenlighted as a "great idea" to spend a bit of money on.

 

[barlowrs]

I've got a blue sea in mine right now. GREAT product. and they do have all the specs you can imagine on the site. That is one nice thing about blue sea, even their switches have all the specs you could want documetned on their site...they make VERy quality products. I figure if its good enough for a boat (salt water enviroment) it will be plenty good enough for my truck.

 

[ExpoMike]

hey, so I understand the concept of a gang switch since working here at sdge, so let me see if this makes sense.

One thing I was looking at was interior LED lighting that was rated @ .25amp peak draw per light. Pretty cool! Since this obviously is well below a circuit positions rating of say 15a, and well below the boxes rating of say 65A, would a ganged circuit type allow me to run say 4-6 lights on one single circuit?

...Leaving 5 other circuits(on a 6 circuit block) open for me to add accessories to, being mindful not to exceed the 65a block maximum?

I'll have to look at the products a bit more, but that was one of the main questions I had.


BTW, yeah Mike, I can see the difference in quality from the pics. Thanks again spike for bringing them up. I don't want my ride to end up a smoldering campfire, and this is one of those things that Mrs. SDoverland has
greenlighted as a "great idea" to spend a bit of money on.

To answer your questions, on your example of 6 circuits with a max block rating of 65A, you can place any mount of fuse rated load, not to exceed the max rating (i.e. 5 spots @ 10A fuses, 1 spot 15A fuse = 65A max load).

As for what you put on each leg of the block is up to you. If you have LED lights rated at a max .25A each, you could safely hook 35 LED's (8.75A) and still have a little overhead for surge protection. Typically you don't want to run you fuse at max rating but around 70-80% but it will depend on the item connected too.

Hope that clears it up a little.

edit Also to add, you want to make sure your fuse rating is not more than the wire rating your items are connected with. You want the fuse to blow before the wire melts. I also try to go one size bigger than what the item needs. This way I get max voltage/current (no loss due to the wire) and don't have to worry about the wires melting before the fuse pops.

I'll be happy to help you out as I am fairly experienced with 12V systems and if I'm in doubt, my best friend has been doing 12V auto electrical for 20+ years so I get the answer from him if needed.

 

[BIGdaddy]

To answer your questions, on your example of 6 circuits with a max block rating of 65A, you can place any mount of fuse rated load, not to exceed the max rating (i.e. 5 spots @ 10A fuses, 1 spot 15A fuse = 65A max load).

As for what you put on each leg of the block is up to you. If you have LED lights rated at a max .25A each, you could safely hook 35 LED's (8.75A) and still have a little overhead for surge protection. Typically you don't want to run you fuse at max rating but around 70-80% but it will depend on the item connected too.

Hope that clears it up a little.

yeah, that reiterates what I was thinking. With these products, do they usually have one hot position per circuit or multiple positions? or are there several models with different configurations?

I'm not sure how I'd theoretically "hook 35 LEDs" to one circuit if there's only one 15A rated hot position. make sense?

like a strand of christmas lights in series with one 110v plug. is there a clean way to do this? I can't quite think of how...

thanks dude.

yeah, understood on the wire size/fuse size...I've got that part of the theory down...thanks, tho!

 

[telwyn]

Blue Sea

I also used the Blue Sea in my Lightweight (12 fuse) and my trailer (6 fuse).

I like the quality and ease of wiring to them as well as the perceived toughness and durability, but admittedly, can't give you any scientific evidence to why they are so much better than other brands other than the popularity here on ExPo.

 

[BIGdaddy]

I also used the Blue Sea in my Lightweight (12 fuse) and my trailer (6 fuse).

I like the quality and ease of wiring to them as well as the perceived toughness and durability, but admittedly, can't give you any scientific evidence to why they are so much better than other brands other than the popularity here on ExPo.

haha:elkgrin:

 

[ExpoMike]

Depends on the fuse block. I have seen some where all are hot with a single hot input. Others have two different positive inputs allow you to have always hot and switched hot. Many different ways of doing things. BTW relays are your friend for doing switching.

As for hooking up lights (or anything for that matter) you have two different ways to do it, series and parallel. In the light example, series will divide the voltage by the number of lights (i.e. 12v input + 3 lights = each light runs at 4 volts). Parallel adds the current together for each light (lights peak load .25A x 4 lights = 1A total draw).

To help wrap your head around electricity, research Ohms Law and that can help explain things. Also, don't confuse AC and DC electrical. Though similar, they have some definite differences. DC is easy for me, AC I am still somewhat fuzzy on at times.