The Frankenstein Build! LT/Expo/Trail rig..and BS

Do you have fuses on the positive wires running from your batteries to your solenoid? Or is the 400 amp one you're talking about located somewhere else in the wiring setup?

Some people argue that you don't need to run a fuse because the OEM setup isn't fused. But OEM doesn't have a solenoid, so I'm trying to figure out what the best idea is.

 

I've never actually watched you do it. That is why I asked the question.

So the longer run is from the starting battery to the solenoid? 5' at least? And its a fuse not a circuit breaker eh? Interesting.

Is it 4 ga or 1/0? I was re-reading the dual batt thread and saw where you told someone it was 4 ga but I could have sworn you told me recently that it was 1/0 that you had left over from your stereo build.

 

Oh, yea no i don't have a fuse on the wire between batteries, whoops.

as i just said, no fuse between the batteries.

Its 1/0. Like huge wire. I would use at least 2ga minimum for something like this. 4ga isn't enough for the distance you're doing.

I did it at least 4 times when we where in Co. Because i wasn't regulating the solenoid myself enough and the starter battery wasn't getting charged enough throughout the day.

 

Got it. Guess the solenoid melting or something shouldn't be an issue that would require you to have fuses in those areas?

Where is the ~400 amp fuse you're talking about located? Just in line between your auxiliary battery and accessories?

 

I'm quite surprised by this. I have heard you say countless times that you always want to protect any wire run with a fuse.

We are are asking this because there appears to be 2 schools of thought on this subject. Some do and some do not. If your aux battery were further away, say in the bed of the truck, would that change things for you?

 

Agree with this post.

I feel like I should fuse it, but I don't want to waste my time and money, and cause unneeded resistance in the wires.

 

I had never considered voltage drop/resistance to be an issue in these applications until arronarf started making it a priority over fusing.

 

Same. I was just thinking I'd throw a 250 amp fuse on each battery and call it good. Now I have to do more research about resistance if we do in fact need to put fuses in...

 

Yea with how my wire is run, I am not worried.

However, yes if i where to go to the bed, i would fuse it/relay it.

My 400amp fuse is on the power wire after my aux battery. This goes to the power block that most of my accessories are hooked too. So if the batteries are hooked and that wire gets a hole in it from the firewall or something on the floor of the truck. Im not gonna explode.

Granted 400amps is...way too high. Stupid really.

 

Are you not concerned because it is "protected" by being in the engine compartment where damage caused by something external is unlikely?

I'm thinking a will use a high quality thermal circuit breaker near the auxiliary battery. The Blue Sea 7149 is rated at 200 amps but is a "slow burn" type and can handle 300 amps for 10 seconds before tripping. I am thinking about those self jump situations here where the starter may demand 200+ amps from the system.

And yeah, a 400 amp fuse will keep your truck from burning to the ground in the case of a dead short but it probably will not protect the fuseblock itself in an overload situation.

 

Yea basically.

Anything coming off the aux battery should be fused.

For the breaker to the aux battery, really Id do two. One by the starter battery and one by the aux. because if the short is by the starter battery itll blow the breaker by the aux battery but if you flip the solenoid then the starter battery will send juice to the short.

That's how Id do it anyways if I had a battery in the bed.

 

If you really feel this way, why aren't you doing a CB/fuse on your truck? Please tell me why this part is different because you have your aux batt under the hood.

This is incorrect on a couple of levels.

#1, the ML-ACR will not link the two batteries if there is a dead short on one side. It is not a manual system by default like you you have. It senses the voltage and acts on what it senses.

2# The ML-ACR is going to be under the hood on my truck and the distance between it and the starting battery will be a whole lot less that what you are doing now. The run between the ML-ACR and the starting battery is only going to be 18" or so, not the 5+ feet you have.

 

Well if it shuts off then it's a breaker in it self so should do what I, thinking anyways.

Id do that for the rear because the wire gets run in ways that offer many ways to hurt it.

Mine doesn't go through any holes, bend anyway drastically or under or over stuff. The cable has about 1/8" shielding so I'm not worried. Running to the back. I would be more worried.

 

Ok, sounds good. Thanks for the feedback.

 

Not going to bother quoting all of the posts since there's been so many since my last.

Thanks for all the info! I'm going back and forth between putting one in the bed or both in the engine bay. But if I do put one in the bed I'll for sure install a fuse in-line.

 

Brent, do you have any close pictures of how your front bumper mounts? I'm trying to figure out the history of mine and it looks like Eric has changed mounting designs more than a few times.

 

just unbolt your stock one and you'll see how it works. Super simple.

Did you get hardware with the bumper? Should have a stud and nut. The stock bolts are used for the other 8 holes.

 

No hardware included, the stud and nut I should be able to come up with from Fastenal though right?

 

Yea should be easy.

Hold on a sec, i have thread that may be useful.

 

Here ya go, pdf. this is old and an elite, but same idea. @Speedytech7

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dbvni7cxn21vken/95.5-04 Front Bumper Install.pdf?dl=0