Quick electrical question

Hi

overtime I’ve collected a number of items that require direct connection to the battery eg Boomslang loom, Red Bison light bar loom and CTek charger socket.

These all have inline fuses as standard. All are current connected to the battery clamps.

I am thinking I should improve this by putting a new fuse box in running a single appropriately sized cable from battery to it. Then run each of these accessories off the fuse box.

does that sound right? Thanks.

Landy_Ben said:

Hi

overtime I’ve collected a number of items that require direct connection to the battery eg Boomslang loom, Red Bison light bar loom and CTek charger socket.

These all have inline fuses as standard. All are current connected to the battery clamps.

I am thinking I should improve this by putting a new fuse box in running a single appropriately sized cable from battery to it. Then run each of these accessories off the fuse box.

does that sound right? Thanks.

Click to expand...

That wouldn't hurt but you should probably also look at fitting a few relays there as well. Having the fuse in line isn't a problem though but a separate fuse box would be neater

Thanks. Yeah the boomskang and red bison have relays powered by the live feed and triggered by the headlight switches.

the_wolf said:

That wouldn't hurt but you should probably also look at fitting a few relays there as well. Having the fuse in line isn't a problem though but a separate fuse box would be neater

Click to expand...

to spec the cable from the battery to the new fuse box what is the correct way to work out the amp cable required. Is it to add up the amps of all the inline fuses and add a safety margin? Working on the basis is could need to feed all of them at once?

Sounds like a good idea. The rating for the existing in line fuses should already include a safety margin, but I would always buy cable of more than the capacity required - this gives a safety margin, allows you to add more accessories in future and also reduces voltage drop between the battery and fuse box. So if your headlamps could draw 11 amps (65w high beam each side is 130w/12v = 11) and the lighting bar was something similar, I'd be fitting a 40amp cable. The voltage drop becomes more of an issue the longer the cable run.

Don't forget to buy a fuse box that can take the current draw required. IMO you should fit a feed cable rated the same as the fuse box.
Some of the cheap fuse boxes on Amazon are 30A but have 12 circuits

backinblack said:

Don't forget to buy a fuse box that can take the current draw required. IMO you should fit a feed cable rated the same as the fuse box.
Some of the cheap fuse boxes on Amazon are 30A but have 12 circuits

Click to expand...

Yeah the boomslabg alone has a 40a fuse.

Hi the three items I want to run off this fusebox have a 40A fuse, 40A fuse and a 10A fuse. So want a 100A fusebox with 40A per channel. Most max out at 30A per channel any ideas? Spent an afternoon with google and no joy

Have you looked at carbuilder solutions site they have everything you need...

Shippers said:

Have you looked at carbuilder solutions site they have everything you need...

Click to expand...

Second this.
We kit car builders use them a lot as we have to start from almost nothing!!

Shippers said:

Have you looked at carbuilder solutions site they have everything you need...

Click to expand...

Hi matey! Long time no speak! hows your 101 coming on?

Stanleysteamer said:

Hi matey! Long time no speak! hows your 101 coming on?

Click to expand...

Doing fine apart from fuel guage problem which on a 101 is a huge problem due to it's size of tank 100l and it's thirst...but may have a solution hopefully next week which involves electrical parts Brexit and Portugese red paper bollocks which you know about French side will post a thread...working on an S2 for a client but it's outside and 39c here!!...will defo do a 101 update with pics...take care dude...Rob...

Shippers said:

Doing fine apart from fuel guage problem which on a 101 is a huge problem due to it's size of tank 100l and it's thirst...but may have a solution hopefully next week which involves electrical parts Brexit and Portugese red paper bollocks which you know about French side will post a thread...working on an S2 for a client but it's outside and 39c here!!...will defo do a 101 update with pics...take care dude...Rob...

Click to expand...

Fuel gauges on kit cars are often a problem. First car i bought read empty when it was full and half empty when it was empty!
I soon found out you can tune a fuel sender unit and did so so it read full range etc.
39C, feck that for a game of soldiers!
So is the paperwork all sorted now? Nightmare I seem to remember.
Don't work too hard in that heat!
Stan

I would personally use the correct rated RCD and make a small box out of it, that way if something does go wrong its a quick flip.
You can then use a bus bar to distribute the power between them.
It is a more expensive route to go down but is imo a cleaner look

Stanleysteamer said:

39C, feck that for a game of soldiers!
So is the paperwork all sorted now? Nightmare I seem to remember.
Don't work too hard in that heat!
Stan

Click to expand...

Hi Stan...no the paperwork is not sorted the ****ers in charge of customs and matriculation are using covid as an excuse to holiday...we cant get an apointment to sort it as they only work online now...great but their website is not working so yet again at a brick wall...hey ho good news though were okay regarding residencia although we dont have full but local mayor has given us docs that SEF will accept as yet again there office is closed and website doesn't work...cheers Stan...Rob...

Landy_Ben said:

Yeah the boomslabg alone has a 40a fuse.

Click to expand...

And If I remember correctly the cable is nowhere near 40 amp, so the cable will melt before the fuse pops, I wouldnt fit something like that to any vehicle never mind my own.

Stanleysteamer said:

Second this.
We kit car builders use them a lot as we have to start from almost nothing!!

Click to expand...

thanks both - had a look they don't quote the A per channel. Its these looms that are the challenge with 40A fuse feeding relays and has one is headlights and the other main beam lighter could be on at same time drawing a max of 80.

wharris said:

I would personally use the correct rated RCD and make a small box out of it, that way if something does go wrong its a quick flip.
You can then use a bus bar to distribute the power between them.
It is a more expensive route to go down but is imo a cleaner look

Click to expand...

yeah that makes sense - was looking at busbars - good point about adding a breaker. I had hoped to get rid of the in line fuses (via a new fusebox) so I could make it all neater, but seems that the 40 fusebox per channel is like unicorn tears

nobber said:

And If I remember correctly the cable is nowhere near 40 amp, so the cable will melt before the fuse pops, I wouldnt fit something like that to any vehicle never mind my own.

Click to expand...

fair enough - I know the boomslangs get mixed reviews, but it does what I needed at a time I was looking for a solution. When I swap to LED headlights I am expecting I can remove it.

Shippers said:

Hi Stan...no the paperwork is not sorted the ****ers in charge of customs and matriculation are using covid as an excuse to holiday...we cant get an apointment to sort it as they only work online now...great but their website is not working so yet again at a brick wall...hey ho good news though were okay regarding residencia although we dont have full but local mayor has given us docs that SEF will accept as yet again there office is closed and website doesn't work...cheers Stan...Rob...

Click to expand...

Good news about the residencia, that's a tad more important!
We are so fecked off with the whole thing that we are thinking about getting a Carte de séjour. The long stay visa we have yet to get due to Covid, but we need one before we can then apply for the Carte.
Tis all a monumental pain. So if you have been going through it I think we know how you feel on getting at least partway there, if not most of the way there.
Good luck with the 101!
Stan