Proper way to power fuse block on old pickup

[SheepnJeep]

Hey folks,

A friend of mine gave me a fuse block recently. I would like to add a cigarette lighter jack, and 55 watt reverse light. I was thinking about using some 12 gauge wire I have already. Way overkill hopefully for the reverse lamp (55 watts / 12 volts is 4.6 amps?)

For now I am content to add a hot wire to my sketchy battery post, maybe make this fuse block keyed hot later and make better battery cables. The cigarette jack currently is the green wire on the positive terminals and has an inline fuse under the dash.

How should I best wire the hot leads from the battery to the fuse panel? Individual wires for each circuit to the battery? One hot from the battery and then daisy chain it on the fuse block? I was thinking I could buy say 10 gauge wire and daisy chain the two hot sides together, then to the battery terminal. I have noticed most auxiliary fuse panels simply have one hot wire distributed to all of the circuits.

Thanks! This would be a big improvement for the ol' gal.

-Jesse

 

[rayra]

for starters I'd suggest following a proper color code on your added wiring.

The fuse block OUGHT to be already configured to all be hot from a single heavier gauge wire hookup to your battery. I wouldn't use that fuse array unless I couldn't afford a proper aux fuse block.

I added the kind of fuse block I'm talking about into my cargo area 'power module' in my Suburban, to hook up all sorts / flavors of power ports. IIRC it was a Blue Sea product and they come in various configs with different numbers of connections. But my chief point is it is one fat lead to the power source. I used a separate terminal block for the negative / grounds for all the ports / devices. Each block was then connected to the main power cables I'd run to the back of the vehicle. I'm still adding functions / devices to that box.

https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...-inputs-on-my-inputs-and-ouputs.161657/page-6

You might try and get your topic moved to the PowerSystems subforum, lot more 'subject matter experts' there.

Power Systems: 12v, Solar, Gen.

Discussion of auxiliary power systems as they relate to expedition travel.

www.expeditionportal.com

 

[Buliwyf]

Wire with an inline fuse holder near the battery, to the fuse block. Maybe an 80 amp fuse. Something that pops if the wire shorts out on the way to the distro block.

Bestbuy should have battery terminals that accept multiple wires. Sometimes even with fuses built into the clamp.

 

[SheepnJeep]

for starters I'd suggest following a proper color code on your added wiring.

The fuse block OUGHT to be already configured to all be hot from a single heavier gauge wire hookup to your battery. I wouldn't use that fuse array unless I couldn't afford a proper aux fuse block.

I added the kind of fuse block I'm talking about into my cargo area 'power module' in my Suburban, to hook up all sorts / flavors of power ports. IIRC it was a Blue Sea product and they come in various configs with different numbers of connections. But my chief point is it is one fat lead to the power source. I used a separate terminal block for the negative / grounds for all the ports / devices. Each block was then connected to the main power cables I'd run to the back of the vehicle. I'm still adding functions / devices to that box.

https://www.expeditionportal.com/fo...-inputs-on-my-inputs-and-ouputs.161657/page-6

You might try and get your topic moved to the PowerSystems subforum, lot more 'subject matter experts' there.

Power Systems: 12v, Solar, Gen.

Discussion of auxiliary power systems as they relate to expedition travel.

www.expeditionportal.com

Hmm, I forgot about the power systems sub forum. I will check that out.

I see that it isn't an ideal fuse panel, but for my purposes it seems okay. Say a phone charging draws 2 amps and the light draws 5? If they were both working that's 7 amps on a 10 gauge wire? Maybe I am just trying to talk myself into it, ha-ha. I will wire everything else for now and keep researching the best route for power. Thanks!

*edit good idea to add an inline fuse to the battery, at least I would be protected for the time being. I am moving shortly so I would at least like to get a phone charger set up for the road. A breaker box would be slick in the future. I can repurpose the fuse block I have for a trailer later! Good idea!

 

[rayra]

Oh you're right about the loads. But for every circuit you add you've got to hang another wire off the battery terminal.
They sell standalone 'terminal' lugs, so you could run one fatter wire from the battery terminal to the standalone lug and then run all your separate power leads to that, using ring connectors, stacking them on the standalone terminal lug. But that's going to be a growing mess of wires, once you lay down the foundation of using the fuse block you've got.

very good 'Blue Sea' products
4 fuse block $25

Blue Sea 5045 4 Circuit ST Blade Compact Fuse Block with Cover, 4 Circuits

Provides surface mount circuit protection for ATO/ATC fuses in a compact footprint. Single side design allows wire entry from one side to minimize footprint. 100 Amp max per block, 30 Amp max per circuit. Includes clear snap-in cover. Fuses not included.

powerwerx.com

8 fuse block $36

Blue Sea 5046 8 Circuit ST Blade Compact Fuse Block with Cover, 8 Circuits

Provides surface mount circuit protection for ATO/ATC fuses in a compact footprint. Single side design allows wire entry from one side to minimize footprint. 100 Amp max per block, 30 Amp max per circuit. Includes clear snap-in cover. Fuses not included.

powerwerx.com

standalone terminal lug $9
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005I5I5GI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't find a handy link real quick, but I also found and bought a 4-fuse block that had a flat mounting tang which you bolt directly to the battery side terminal, which works pretty nice in terms of adding extra circuits and limiting the mess. I should have a pic of it installed in one of my build topics, I'll look right now for a pic and add it here.

eta - Turns out that direct-connected block was also blue sea. I'm using it to run a heavier wire to a new center console fuse block for my radios stack, and a new power feed for both my factory 12v powerports and a couple I added, so I can run all that stuff from my Aux battery and rooftop solar.

good luck with your project and make sure to route and secure your wiring so it is safe.