Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I'm researching the best way to distribute power from the aux battery for the new Prado when it arrives. Unlike the GQ I want things to look factory and be as neat as possible.

I've found these fuse blocks from Blue Sea, I want to run GPS, UHF, Fridge etc power from this. Question: is there a benefit to running earth back to the distribution board or should I just run +12 and earth to the chassis?

http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/products/5025

in my MK patrol i ran one main wire to under my passemger seat and then split up intoa fuse pamel and ran it from there,

Lift the bonnet and youll see one 100 odd amp wire fused at the battery and wouldmt thing twice, open the passenger door and cant see a thing either till you put your hand under to check the fuses.

A nice simple way for doing the wiring, even though i couldnt care what the old POS looks like

blkmav wrote:is there a benefit to running earth back to the distribution board or should I just run +12 and earth to the chassis?

NO, providing the earth connections to your chassis and body are 100% good from the battery terminals.

This is one of the cheapest places I have found for them. $39.00 buy it now price.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/100amp-6-Blade-F ... dZViewItem

GUJohnno wrote:This is one of the cheapest places I have found for them. $39.00 buy it now price.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/100amp-6-Blade-F ... dZViewItem

Nice find, thanks!

Yeah have seen them in shops for $80.00+

v6hilux wrote:

blkmav wrote:is there a benefit to running earth back to the distribution board or should I just run +12 and earth to the chassis?

NO, providing the earth connections to your chassis and body are 100% good from the battery terminals.

I have gone away from a tek screw into the body, as they tend to shake loose and cause intermittent probs in the middle of nowhere. From now on i run the earth back to a bolt somewhere asp int he engine bay .

Supacheap has a blade fuse holder for about $15
Don't look as fancy but hold more fuses

Here is a distribution panel I made
http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/ ... C00406.jpg
The reason I show it is the circuit breakers
After using these I will never go back. No more searching for replacement fuses
Got them from Jaycar but they are exy
Ended up costing a small fortune but it works well

ps it was meant to be mounted on a battery box as a portable power supply but now looks like residing in the work van

fool_injected wrote:Supacheap has a blade fuse holder for about $15
Don't look as fancy but hold more fuses

Here is a distribution panel I made
http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/ ... C00406.jpg
The reason I show it is the circuit breakers
After using these I will never go back. No more searching for replacement fuses
Got them from Jaycar but they are exy
Ended up costing a small fortune but it works well

ps it was meant to be mounted on a battery box as a portable power supply but now looks like residing in the work van

I was warned away from circuit breakers due to the fact that they quite often take quite alot more draw to trip than the equivelant size fuse.


lots of stuff at this site...
http://www.fdrive.com.au/products/09/cooper15301.php

relatively cheap and friendly
http://www.traxide.com.au/relays_7.html

blkmav wrote:I'm researching the best way to distribute power from the aux battery for the new Prado when it arrives. Unlike the GQ I want things to look factory and be as neat as possible.

I've found these fuse blocks from Blue Sea, I want to run GPS, UHF, Fridge etc power from this. Question: is there a benefit to running earth back to the distribution board or should I just run +12 and earth to the chassis?

http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/products/5025

The chassis is a nice low resistance return path, probably lower than any wiring you will use. The only gotcha will be good firm connections to it.
I use the chassis. It's also less cost, less wires, less complex and less weight.

Paul

me3@neuralfibre.com wrote:The chassis is a nice low resistance return path, probably lower than any wiring you will use. The only gotcha will be good firm connections to it.
I use the chassis. It's also less cost, less wires, less complex and less weight.

Paul

At last, someone who knows what they are talking about!

Thanks all, I'll use existing chassis bolts for earth points

v6hilux wrote:

me3@neuralfibre.com wrote:The chassis is a nice low resistance return path, probably lower than any wiring you will use. The only gotcha will be good firm connections to it.
I use the chassis. It's also less cost, less wires, less complex and less weight.

Paul

At last, someone who knows what they are talking about!

Yes, the chassis is the best return path you can get - no doubt. But it's not always guaranteed to provide the best result.

The problems start when there are dodgy "connections" between chassis and body, or chassis and bullbar. Then the "chassis" can become a dodgy return path, and it can be simpler to run the extra wire.

Then there's the issue of tek screws coming loose, or piercing something important behind the panel which has just been drilled, or the long term corrosion problems associated with putting a hole in the paintwork.

Yes, the chassis is the best return path for somebody who's aware of the potential problems. But for some people (not having a dig at anybody here!), another wire is a better long term solution.

Just rambling...

-Scott- wrote:

v6hilux wrote:

me3@neuralfibre.com wrote:The chassis is a nice low resistance return path, probably lower than any wiring you will use. The only gotcha will be good firm connections to it.
I use the chassis. It's also less cost, less wires, less complex and less weight.

Paul

At last, someone who knows what they are talking about!

Yes, the chassis is the best return path you can get - no doubt. But it's not always guaranteed to provide the best result.

The problems start when there are dodgy "connections" between chassis and body, or chassis and bullbar. Then the "chassis" can become a dodgy return path, and it can be simpler to run the extra wire.

Then there's the issue of tek screws coming loose, or piercing something important behind the panel which has just been drilled, or the long term corrosion problems associated with putting a hole in the paintwork.

Yes, the chassis is the best return path for somebody who's aware of the potential problems. But for some people (not having a dig at anybody here!), another wire is a better long term solution.

Just rambling...

Earth from Chassis to battery, motor( near alt) to battery and body to battery. Never had a problem with it, only one was using screws and not bolts for earths

Most important is the motor to battery neg lead. It can earth through your acell cable, etc and be a nightmare.

Bullbar earth is fine as it should only be spotties as a winch should be earth back to battery as well

shakes wrote:I was warned away from circuit breakers due to the fact that they quite often take quite alot more draw to trip than the equivelant size fuse.

I running circut breakers for a couple of onboard compressors with no issues however i'm running fuses for anything under 20amps. I had a stainless steel bracket made up to bolt to the factory secondary battery tray to hold one of the compressors underneath with the circut breakers and a fuse block on top. You can see the red reset buttons on the plate:

Just remebered the Merc truck at work runs circuit breakers for somethiings, May have alook, But we arent even allowed to check the oil or fill her with diesel.

Just a note for you guys. Here are the facts on CB compared with fuses.

A fuse is deemed to be satisfactory if is blows within 20% of its target current. This means that a 20 amp may allow anything up to 24 amps.

A CB is guaranteed to break at the target amps end of story.

Seriously though don't get caught up on the break tollerance - fuses or CB in automotive electrics are really only for protection from short circuit current which are huge - in the hundred of amp level and not concerned with a few amps here or there.

if it was me i would move with the times and install CBs