An Electrical 'distribution block' for extra Switched items ? Options

[Literati914]

I'm adding several aux items to the electrical system of my '72.. most of which will be powered thru relays (constant + and switched power). The constant power will be via an extra fuse block that I'm adding over towards the right hand side of the steering column w/ a red power wire directly from the battery.

My question is - can I simply add a single wire from a switched location on the OE fuse block (#9) and run it over to an aftermarket 'distribution block' at the right of the column?

This way I could potentially add several 'switched' relays off of it, as well as just switched/non-relay items.. while not cramming so many extra wires into the stock fuse box. This seems preferable but I can not find an instances of anyone going this route. So in theory it seems logical to me - will this not work ?

https://www.amazon.com/Terminal-Distributio...r=1-15&th=1

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[windforfun]

Yes, it will work.

Is the hardware SS? I would prefer SS.

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[technicalninja]

Why are you running the wire from fuse 9?

Are you trying to replace the main feed line that you stated was coming direct from battery? If so, it probably will not work due to wire size regarding circuit 9 in the stock wiring.

If you're running it to provide a switched relay feed (IE using circuit 9 as your "wake up" circuit) it will work fine as relays use little power to function.

[Literati914]

Why are you running the wire from fuse 9?
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If you're running it to provide a switched relay feed (IE using circuit 9 as your "wake up" circuit) it will work fine as relays use little power to function.

Yea, just to wake the relays (but potentially also for other items that need just a switched source - elect. antennae for example), still gonna have a +cable to an aux fuse panel. I guess I'd want to calculate the electrical draw of the extras to be switched, but I was thinking I'd probably run a 12 ga wire from the #9 to the electrical distribution block.

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[Literati914]

Yes, it will work.

Is the hardware SS? I would prefer SS.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

This particular one ^^ is only described as being made of "premium copper". I'll see if there's anything similar in SS tho, thanks.


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[technicalninja]

SS is not a common material to make automotive electrical stuff out of.

I'm fine with copper. I'm not sure what denotes "premium" copper.

I like "thicker" copper.

When it really matters it gets gold plated...

[technicalninja]

Most relays fire with less than 1/10 of an amp.
You can trip a shitload of them on a 10-amp circuit.

Adding anything with either a motor or an incandescent light increases the load on a circuit.

I wouldn't want all of my relays firing at the same time an electric motor is running.
Sometimes you need to add a diode to electric motors because they can become "generators" for a short period of time after the circuit is turned off and the motor is slowing down.

Fiat Spiders are known to have the radiator coolant fan do this shit.
You turn the entire car off with the ignition switch and the critter runs an extra 3-5 seconds and the coolant fan spools down.

I try to keep shit like that out of my trigger feeds for my relays.

[Literati914]

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Adding anything with either a motor or an incandescent light increases the load on a circuit.

I wouldn't want all of my relays firing at the same time an electric motor is running.

Well while not right away, an A/C condenser and Evaporator fans are planned to be run thru here in the nearer future (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) . And ..eventually probably radiator fans (and/or fans controller) if I decide to convert to a suby H6 (but I suppose that’ll be a whole separate electrical can of worms). (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

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[technicalninja]

what I meant was not putting varying loads on the feed side of the relay trigger circuits.

Running the other stuff you mentioned is what the relays are for, just through their load paths.

Keep weird shit out of the relays trigger sides, both power and ground, and you will be happier in the long run.

I had a 2012 4Runner in last month...
The AC control head/amplifier would not cycle the compressor off and this car would freeze up. This had been going on since the customer bought the truck 2 years prior and had been to 5 shops which consumed nearly 2K of the customer's money in improper diagnosis.
The last place had wanted to remove the dash and replace the thermistor which is intrusive in the evap core. The estimate was 3600.

It had a "foreign" ground on the negative side of the trigger circuit and because the relay always saw ground it never turned off the compressor.

The hunt was on!

I found a GPS tracking device that some monkey had powered with a nearby RED wire...
Red MUST be power. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Removal of said device fixed the car that nobody could fix.

That last shop that gave the customer the 3.6K estimate also evacuated the system which was under vacuum when it came to me.

Makes it harder for the next shop to diagnose and steals the customers refrigerant!!!

This vehicle has my all-time record for COLDEST. I saw 18.1 F out of this puppy before I fixed it. 35.8 after repair (this is not a record, this is normal for most Toyotas)

[Steve]

I added a 6 fuse, fuse panel for additional stuff by the center console. 3 are battery and the other 3 are tied to the cigarette lighter (ignition), through a SPDT switch that acts as an accessory switch, so I can play the stereo, etc. without the ignition on.

[Literati914]

I added a 6 fuse, fuse panel for additional stuff by the center console. 3 are battery and the other 3 are tied to the cigarette lighter (ignition), through a SPDT switch that acts as an accessory switch, so I can play the stereo, etc. without the ignition on.

Hey Steve, if you don’t mind - tell me, does your fuse block have two input connections? I’d like to understand how you got constant +12v AND switched power on the same block. Also, for the battery power did you run a wire all the way back to the battery or pull off of a fuse in the OE fuse block? (I considered that instead of the long run back to battery which is now in the rear trunk).

I like the idea of getting (some) switched power from the cig. lighter because mine will be relocated anyway (maybe I’ll integrate it into the ashtray for a phone mount or something).. it’s something I thought I’d address down the road and leave the stock wires loose behind the dash face for now - but now that you’ve mentioned using it for switched power, I may do that (seems convenient). What exactly did you do? Just extend it to an input point on the new fuse block OR create a “Y” from it and run those over to the new fuse block? Did you add a larger fuse at the cig’s original fuse slot?

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[Steve]

I added a 6 fuse, fuse panel for additional stuff by the center console. 3 are battery and the other 3 are tied to the cigarette lighter (ignition), through a SPDT switch that acts as an accessory switch, so I can play the stereo, etc. without the ignition on.

Hey Steve, if you don’t mind - tell me, does your fuse block have two input connections? I’d like to understand how you got constant +12v AND switched power on the same block. Also, for the battery power did you run a wire all the way back to the battery or pull off of a fuse in the OE fuse block? (I considered that instead of the long run back to battery which is now in the rear trunk).

I like the idea of getting (some) switched power from the cig. lighter because mine will be relocated anyway (maybe I’ll integrate it into the ashtray for a phone mount or something).. it’s something I thought I’d address down the road and leave the stock wires loose behind the dash face for now - but now that you’ve mentioned using it for switched power, I may do that (seems convenient). What exactly did you do? Just extend it to an input point on the new fuse block OR create a “Y” from it and run those over to the new fuse block? Did you add a larger fuse at the cig’s original fuse slot?

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I bought this one from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/RED-WOLF-Negative-Di...Lw_wcB&th=1
It does have a connector on each side of the fuse. On the left side, I tied 3 fuses together and they connect to a thick wire back to the battery. Also on the left side I tied the remaining 3 fuses together with jumpers. These go to the middle terminal on the SPDT (single pole double throw switch). The top terminal of the switch goes to the cigarette lighter, the bottom terminal of the switch goes to the battery lead. Switch up is ignition (cigarette lighter), switch down is direct to the battery (accessory).
Hope this helps!

[Literati914]

..Hope this helps!

Yes, I appreciate all the help - thanks guys!
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