That red/black stripe wire that runs in the dash connecting all the gauges (at least on the 912E/911) is unfused straight to the ignition switch and battery? Ask me how I know................... Yeah, in a 3 second blaze of glory.............. guess what I did all day yesterday??

On the 914 the red with black stripe is a power wire also in several places.

I've added fuses for the 4 red power leads off the battery in hopes of not experiencing such a blaze of glory. Hard to believe how they wired back then...

So I take it you've never accidentally bumped the main power feed lug when you've
removed the underdash fuse tray. . probably one of the dumbest things on a 914. .
Huge leads directly from the battery to an unprotected lug . . just waiting for an
unsuspecting home mechanic to start a blaze. .

The large red wires supplying power to the ignition switch and fuse panel are both unfused. It is actually very easy to burn a 914 to the ground.

I think Tom was selling a fuse panel to mount next to the battery.

This particular wire looks to be the one that runs across all the gauges and powers all the warning lights. Looks to me that the sensor (like oil pressure, low fuel) make a connection to ground and thus activates the light. If this were fused, the fuse could blow, and you would nave no warning light.

It was the red wire in the tach which is the feed from the switch. I had taken the plastic cover for the steering column off to change out the headlight/turn signal switch and because the gauges have been out and the power on and off many times over the last 6 months that I was complacent. I had the key on to check a new switched power lead I installed to an accessory power relay and bumped into a wire and poof..... fsssssss.

It cooked the wire all the way to the ignition switch plug. I stripped the harness and examined each wire, non others were damaged. I then replaced it and repowered/connected everything and all is well, but man...... I've been digging through the wiring the last 6 months adding circuits, cleaning connections, testing, this was my first snafu, lets hope it is the last lol.

Neophyte here....

I was going to replace the headlight relay for the brights. I know the new units may have different contact patterns as I found that thread (and bookmarked it).

So.....
First thing I do is disconnect the battery.
Get behind the fuse box.
Connect the new relay.
Check connections.
Reassemble.
Connect battery.....

What did I miss, other than having a fire extinguisher handy....?

Thanks in advance....