My FitchBox (tm)

[dellstopjeep]

i love project like this seeing as i work at an electrical distributor, i just write it all off for sample use!

 

[xjwisconsin]

I used this http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=11684&familyName=Blue+Sea+Systems+ST+Blade+6+Circuit+Fuse+Blocks
fuse block, for my set up, I liked that it had both power and ground and was pretty straight forward, yes a bit pricey, but it seems to work quite nicely so far

 

[FitchVA]

1. Dunno, Fitch probably could answer this better than I, since this is my first box and I haven't ran power through it other than for testing

i've been on a few runs that lasted past dark and had all of my lights on (4 on roof and 2 on front bumper) and arb's running (but pump really doesn't stay on constantly) and never had an issue with heat.

 

[joshv98xj]

I used this http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=11684&familyName=Blue+Sea+Systems+ST+Blade+6+Circuit+Fuse+Blocks
fuse block, for my set up, I liked that it had both power and ground and was pretty straight forward, yes a bit pricey, but it seems to work quite nicely so far

So is this Jamestown block essentially the same thing as what you guys have built?
What would the major differences be?

 

[splitz]

no, I think the jamestown block is just a fuse block. You'll still have an issue with running high current through your switches.

 

[DanMan2k06]

12 awg! try 10 biznatch lol

Hehe that's what I'm in the process of using. However I decided no-BS from the start, and coughed up for some 10 gauge Rockford Fosgate 1,862 strand power wire. Flexes like a champ, and is MEGA beefy

 

[FitchVA]

1862 strands in a 10 gauge!?!? crap, that sounds like some fine stuff! i bet they just give that stuff away

 

[DanMan2k06]

Oops oops my bad, talk about buying into a sales pitch... It's 1862 for FOUR gauge. Not ten. So in the ten gauge I could see there easily being 5-600 maybe. It bends in half no sweat

 

[xjwisconsin]

The block I used is made by Blue Sea Systems, it is just a block so you will need to run relays for appropriate items. Personaly i used it because of its ease. one hot in one ground in, 6 blade style fuseable slots and the hot/ground output are all held in one unit.

 

[DanMan2k06]

^ Yea I've seen a lot of these as well, just never realized the potential for use they had lol. I also like fabbing my own custom stuff too, which is always nifty. If you guys like electrical junk, LED retrofits have to be one of the coolest things to do haha.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Here's a couple pics of the one I'm currently building. 10awg high strand wire. Makes bends and kinks extremely easy. However it is still huge, and takes up a ton of room, so we'll see how cramped things end up being. Only have the powers hooked up at the moment, I ran out of disconnects.

And the wire I'm using. Here is 8 vs 10 vs 12 awg. The 8 and 10 are what I'm using, and the 12 is just for comparison. All are rockford fosgate high strand power cables. Should do the job well

 

[splitz]

Nice touch with the heat shrink. I was too lazy.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Haha yea well I wouldn't have if it wasn't necessary. My crimps were all out in the cold, and I guess got brittle. So half of the plastic shrouds broke off and exposed a lot of metal that could short out. After about 3 in a row I just ripped all the plastic off and busted out the soldering iron.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Alright fitch and splitz, help time. Everything is getting really cramped with 10 gauge in the 6x4x2. So I need a little clarification. The ground wire(s) is only grounding the coil correct? So it could easily be 16-18 gauge because it doesnt have any high current to handle. And that means the ground coming off of the accessory(lights etc.) would be the important one to have some hefty cable. Just doing little brainstorming.

 

[splitz]

I think you are correct. The ground is only for the coil, since the high current return would be done via the ground on the light (or what ever).

What I did was line up my grounds so I could use the right angle terminals to daisy chain them. Look at the second pic on the first page. You can see the black wire on the outside track going from one terminal to the next.

 

[FitchVA]

yeah, the grounds are just for the switched signal and can be small.

 

[jwtrapper]

How is everyone keeping everything secure and not moving around.

 

[DanMan2k06]

Yea I see the right angle disconnects you speak of. Too bad no one around here sells those. I looked at radio shack, advance, pepboys etc. I'll probably end up daisychaning them like fitch did in his first box. Two wires in one crimp. Is there a way to calculate the load/resistance that the ground and signal will be handling? Because if I can get away with 22awg like on the cat5, I'll sure as heck use that on the ground for the coil too Otherwise 18 should be enough...

And I dunno about these clowns, but theres so much shit in mine nothing is gonna move around! However, I will put a few drops of CA glue on everything before I actually mount it and screw on the lid indefinately.

 

[whatevah]

I'm still slowly working on the switch panel right now, but I'll be using velcro to hold everything in place for the relay box.

DanMan, try a hardware store. a local shop like TrueValue might have it, but I picked up some at Home Depot last year. They also sell 25' rolls of 12 gauge wire cheaper than anybody else local. (I don't feel like buying spools from the local electrical shop)

 

[DanMan2k06]

Anyone have an idea on the load calculations?