Wiring an accessory fuse panel

[Turbogus]

Howdy Gang,
In the process of doing the blower motor upgrade I'm making a major safety change with my under hood electrics (fog and driving lights primarily) and I've been using a power distribution block

that feeds from a 4 gauge battery cable to smaller gauges that I'm using individually fused and relayed to various circuits.

My question, (sorry for my ignorance) can't I feed the 4 gauge into a covered automotive type fuse panel and eliminate all the individual inline fuses? If so, how would I attach the hurkin 4 gauge to the 'hot' side of the fuse panel. Is there such a thing as a reducer for wire?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated and a hearty lift of the ol' lynch lid.

Gus

 

[Turbogus]

Update: I think I've found what I'm looking for, just have to adapt my primary wiring. Unit measures 4 3/4" x 3"

 

[TLCJ5]

Yea that looks like the deal...I did something similar with mine by putting the aux fuse bock in a box with my aux switches...the box mounts on a stalk in front of my center console...If the box is relatively water-tight you can mount it under the hood.

 

[Turbogus]

Okay gang, got 'er wired in and it seems to be working fine so far. Ran a 20 amp primary fuse to the 4 gauge, (although I've seen other pages that explain running up to an 80 amp primary) and the accy. lights, electric cooling fan and electric choke are wired in using 15 amp as that's all I had (I'm used to using cylindrical fuses)

I used Plasti coat to seal the primary wire in from moisture, now I'm just hoping the whole thing doesn't warp on account of underhood temperatures.

 

[TLCJ5]

Looks good! The Tupperware fuse box case is a great idea(if it doesn't warp).They stand up to the microwave fairly well so it might be ok.Let us know how it hoolds up.

 

[Cheveep]

Great Idea, you solved my problem thank you so much

 

[tjlboise]

Im no electrical genius, in fact, I hate it, but isn't putting just one fuse on the 4 gauge side going to cause all of your accessories to go out at once if the fuse blows, rather than having individual fuses for each one? It seems to me that it might be a tedious, and long process, but well worth the work. I don't know. Just wondering because I want to do something similar for all of my extra things that have been going in. I really like the Tupperware idea by the way. Its a nice waterproof touch. I really wish I had someone near me to help with this kind of thing. I really suck at it. And I hate feeling like an idiot.

 

[Turbogus]

Prior to cleaning up the wiring in this way I was using in-line fuses which, served the purpose without failure, I just liked the handiness and clean looks of this setup.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Looking good Gus. Genius!!

 

[Turbogus]

Thanks Mikey, how've you been?

 

[SteelHeadz]

Doing good Man. Been very busy at my regular job and at the ranch. No time for play lately. 3 hunters coming in this friday till sunday. That means up by 4:30 in the morning and home by 11:00nish and the same routine all over again the next day. Went cut some trees, branches and pulled some out of the ground last saturday morning, hunted in the afternoon and sunday. I need a day off.

 

[Turbogus]

I hear ya brother, was on 7 day weeks since 2003 until last year I decided to take Thanksgiving and Christmas day off. However lately what with the spread of schedules I close for a two hour lunch, so when the feeling prevails upon me, I roll out the sleeping bag in the back of 'The Oven'

and take a snooze. Sure makes this customer service job a lot easier.