Show off your aux fuse panels.

Vehicle DC electrical systems run on a closed-circuit, so surges aren't really a concern for us (unless you get hit by lightning…). The main reason we run circuit breakers/ fuses is because if a positive battery cable is accidentally grounded, the rapid discharge of energy may/will cause a fire. Also it prevents the load from either drawing more current than it, or the cable, can handle. But most of us are aware of our energy consumption and properly fuse our accessories so the protection is more for the cable that gives power to the Bussmann, than the Bussmann itself.

The most common cause of grounding a positive wire is usually user error... However, more serious cases happen all the time. We definitely put our trucks through their paces, and as a result the high vibration/abrasion battery cables are subject to can easily wear through the protective coatings on the cable over time. Worse yet, in the event of an accident a cable can get pinched and start a fire that way too.

Circuit breakers are great for the user error scenario, because it only happens for a second and we can just reset it. But it's important that your circuit breaker be placed as close to the source (battery) as possible, otherwise you're leaving a stretch of the cable unprotected.

I always recommend fusing your power cable directly at the source with a Marine Rated Battery Fuse. It's the best way to guarantee your safety because 100% of the cable will be protected if anything were to happen. Also it mounts directly on the battery terminal, so there's no need to have a separate mounting space allocated for it.

 

Very informative, thanks you!

 

That's why I don't have one. If you have a surge of power big enough to trip one of them you got something going on that a Circuit Breaker isn't going to fix.

 

Anyone have a video on how to make one of these? Thanks

 

Does anyone have any experience having the breaker tripping and not frying anything? In car audio breakers aren’t allowed as they’re slow to trip. Just wondering what thoughts are here for the bussman and if there was any damage.

 

I doubt it's an issue since the breaker is really just protecting the main internal buss from seeing more than 80A total. That buss isn't a sensitive audio component.

 

I already had wired up some lights and it was kinda sloppy so wanted to make it better with some new circuits added for heated seats. Made mine from a small piece of aluminum plate then sprayed it with bedliner. Mocked it up using a 30 pack beer box. Any brand works.

Refined the design as I was cutting it out, bending and punching out the holes. Then primed it before spraying with bedliner.

Test fitting the parts before final assembly.

Mounted and wired up. Works good and looks better now.

Was fun to build.

 

Looks great. Might be time for a brake fluid flush.

 

I thought the same thing. It looks worse in the picture than it actually is. I had the frame replaced a year ago and that reservoir was emptied when they separated the body from the frame. The fluid inside looks clear but the reservoir has some discoloration. I’m going to replace the rear brakes and fix the ebrake cable when the snow and cold go away. If I can remove the reservoir without causing any collateral damage I’ll get it cleaned up. Thanks for noticing.
...a look from the other side. Not that bad really.

 

Nice build! With that wireless relay setup, can you configure each relay to be momentary or switched, or do they have to be all the same? I was looking at a few 4 channel ones for a wireless winch remote, but they all have to be one or the other, I would like to have 2 momentary for in/out and use the others as stitched for other accessories.

 

You can both. You can also control multiple relays with one button. Downside is no indicator the lights are on. I've accidentally left my little 10w spots on.

 

Just designed my paranoid56 plate with Shane and its on my way. Thanks mesojdm for advice. Currently handwiring my bussmann relay/fuse flush mount following these directions. Gonna be a super clean install. Pics to come...


http://www.bodenzord.com/archives/583

 

Awesome, thanks! May have some more questions for you once I plan this out a bit further, the 4 channels were coming up short with what I had in mind and stumbled upon your post that seemed like a good fit for what I wanted to accomplish.

 

This is what I used. I think I paid $27. Gone up a few bucks since then.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32358730425.html

They have some 30A ones too finally.

 

Side notches don't look wide enough for the bussman latches.

 

They fit I like a tighter fit then how they are normally cut

you can kinda see here.

 

No prob. I designed that to sit as low as possible, so keep in mind you might have to relocate the OEM fog light relay box depending on how low that bussman sits in there.

 

Here's mine. Nothing fancy but compact and I can still access all the stock fuse boxes and the big grommet in the firewall. Thanks for all the advice I got on this thread!


There's mounting holes for 5 relays under the bracket too. All I've done for now is wire up a 12 volt socket and USB charger in the bed:

 

Nice cut on that plate. What did you use to cut it ?

 

I used a band saw to cut it out of a 9” x 9” aluminum plate. I made the holes first to get a nice radius where the cuts meet then used the band saw. Finished with round and flat files.