evolved underhood relay/fuse box

[85crownHPP]

While me and Ryan were fooling around with Tom's fusebox (in the Talon) I got a good look at it and it started my brain gears turning.
Seeing how those stye boxes just use a one-wire tap from the battery and all the wires are just various outputs, the urge to find one to install in the Vic started to come over me!

At the junkyard today I poked around, looking for some that were relatively simple, idealy with 4 or 5 SPDT relay spots and a handfull of fuses. The smallest and least-complex ones I could find, just happened to come from panthers! One from a 91 TC and one from a 93 GM...
Im going to use the smaller one from the 93, but unfortunatly it only has one of its 4four relay spots wired up with connectors in it (no ABS no air ride). BUT the other one has 3... so it looks like I get to practice re-arranging the wires in factory wires harness connectors again. w00!!!

I test fit the smaller one, and it looks like it will sit real nice behind the battery, where I have the 4 relays now.

This project will be on the back burner for now... I have other fish to fry.... I cant fry them all at once! Also I need to do some research to find out what amp fuses will be good to replace the different fuse links with.
This upgrade should make that passenger fender well even cleaner... The two smaller distribution blocks can go, and not havings the fuse links there will let the wires all be bundled together nice-like. :slug:

[grandpaslincoln]

:slug:

Evolution rocks!!!!! :rock:

[gadget73]

Let me know what you find out about those fuse links. I want to replace mine with a fusebox type setup, and I'm also thinking I'm going to be needing some relay sockets soonish. I was thinking on installing an electric push fan (yeah Scott, I kinda stole your idea again) and wiring it so it comes on when the engine gets over say 180F OR the AC is running. I also think I want to install some underhood lights like you have. I also need to install a fuse for my new alternator, but that might need to remain a seperate item as it'll use a 150 amp.

[85crownHPP]

150 amp!!!! Yeah I dont think any of these maxi fuses go that high, lol.
Do you know how much current your amps draw? You can get away with using a fuse for just that current, since the alternator will only put out what the car's system needs (i think).

Im hoping this thing will be easy to switch wires around in once I open it up - I wont even need to use half the fuse slots, unless I go crazy with more electronics. I almost grabbed this airhorn off a car at the junkyard today... hehehe

[gadget73]

The alternator needs a 150amp fuse. Tho I'm not sure how much good it will do if it shorts out because it has two other wires that somehow eventually tie over to the relay. No idea if those are fused or what.

I think the amp does a max surge of like 50 amp, but I don't have it set all the way up. Its a 600 watt Kenwood. I imagine charging the cap takes more power, but I was planning on rigging up some sort of light bulb to use as a charging resistor so I don't have the surge problems.

[85crownHPP]

Ok I couldnt help but to have a look inside. I must say I like what I see...

The main power thingy runs up the middle of the box, feeding one side of each row of mini and maxi fuses. They and the 4 relay spots all use the clip in connectors, so wiring this thing exacly how i want it will be... a snap!
Not every spot for a fuse is juiced up, but between the minis and maxis I should have plenty of slots for my electro-mojo :banana:
I pulled all the wires and connectors out of the other fuse box I got. I definitly suggest getting two, one for spare wires and fuses. I need a total of 13 more wires to wire in all the relays, and the spare box gave me plenty, along with a couple wired to jump terminals.
I'm short a couple of these jumper type ones, which means Ill have to use some butt connectors when I wire it up :cuss: I can suck it up or go spend 5 bux on another box just for a couple special wires.... nah. I'll get over it.


The hard part is definitly figuring out fuse link replacements... I hate homework!!

[85crownHPP]

some more progress...

after some more digging around, I found out you can remove the main power strip thing from these, and add in more connectos, so you can use every slot in the thing.




I also went ahead and got another donor fuse box (this one was banged up and only cost 2 bux) so now I have all the relays wired up, using no butt connectors!
Now I just need to designate fuses for all the fuse links Im replacing.

[grandpaslincoln]

:slug:

[gadget73]

I should have grabbed one while I was at the junkyard today, but didn't feel like messing with the friggin bees. Getting stung once was enough.

[85crownHPP]

I think I found my resource!!!

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/electrical-links.html

Some of his values are inconsistent... so Im just going to plot it all use the overall trend to pick my fuse sizes.
I found a couple other sites and forum threads about this, and it seem relativley common to do :banana:

[gadget73]

I wonder if the solution might simply be to stick an ammeter in the circuit, fire up whatever the link feeds and see how much power is used, then figure a reasonable size fuse from that information.


How are you mounting the fusebox, to a bracket attached to the inner fender or something?

[85crownHPP]

I thought about trying to measure the current on each one, but one thing i read while looking into this was that those circuits have some pretty big variations in current during different driving conditions.
PLus a couple of them go to the EEC and I aint about to go foolin around with that wire...!

And yeah Im going to try and use its original mount bracket to get it on my fenderwell. I hope I can get it to sit level, it has a special flat spot in its donor car.

[85crownHPP]

ok - this is the data I think Im going to go with.
That link I posted before was actually VERY inconsistent with its data, so I wound up not even using it. After I estimated the fuse sizes, I was still unsure if the fuses would be big enough... but then i remembered something.

If the alternator has a 14ga link on a 10 gauge wire, then it must be rated to deliver 65-70amps without getting hot. So a good guess at a fuse for that would be 80amps. Taking that into consideration makes me more confident in my other selections.

Hopefully this will get installed over the weekend.

[85crownHPP]

ok this is getting serious now.... now I have to actually install this thing

[85crownHPP]

all done!

results.....








so far so good... no meltdowns....