My aux fuse panel

[Matt400]

Just added one and thought I would share.

Some will remember issue 54 page 14 that had a neat inexpensive approach. I did something similar in that same location but I used a panel with screw terminals that I found here. I thought it would make it more easy to buddy up low current circuits if needed.



As you can see I am only using two out of 6 at the moment. I was going to power it with a relay but decided to splice-loc into pin#1 on the ignition switch. Its (ign & acc on) that uses a heavy gauge wire with 40a fuse under the hood.

 

[JCasper]

Looks good.



I have 2 panels with 6 spots each in the same spot. It's kind of a tight squeeze, but I have one powered all the time and one with ignition on.

 

[wlowe]

Matt, personally I would have gone with a relay. The wire you spliced into may be heavy guage but the problem is you don't know what the existing load is on the wire. When you add the load of the fuse panel to the wire it may be too much. I would use the ignition wire as the power source to switch the relay. Just my opinion.

 

[Matt400]

Very true on the added load issue especially if I start filling things up. Guess I will know if I blow that 40a fuse.

The two ckts I added are for sat radio and gauges (not gauge ilumination) so there pretty low draw.



Actually once I did this I realised my un-used cig. lighter ckt that I had unplugged would have handled the load with no need for the panel.

 

[wlowe]

Very true on the added load issue especially if I start filling things up. Guess I will know if I blow that 40a fuse.

The two ckts I added are for sat radio and gauges (not gauge ilumination) so there pretty low draw.



Actually once I did this I realised my un-used cig. lighter ckt that I had unplugged would have handled the load with no need for the panel.

Yea, the stuff you have now isn't drawing much current. I have a fuse panel similar to yours that powers all the accessories in the cab plus the backup lights so a relay was pretty much a necessity. I like your install, nice and clean, looks better than mine.

 

[Motorhead]

Matt, personally I would have gone with a relay. The wire you spliced into may be heavy guage but the problem is you don't know what the existing load is on the wire. When you add the load of the fuse panel to the wire it may be too much. I would use the ignition wire as the power source to switch the relay. Just my opinion.

I second that.
RARELY will a car builder EVER build in any extra capacity on wiring.
Just think... . Save $1. 00 on a million cars that you built and what do you have... . $1,000,000!