Auxiliary Fuse Panel

Hey all, I just installed an auxiliary fuse panel under the hood and I want to make it switched. I have a solenoid that will work, but I need to connect an existing 12-volt connection to it. I am looking for recommendations as to what to use. I am by no means an electrician.

 

INJ fuse under the hood.

 

Are you wanting to only be able to use what’s run off of your aux fuse block when the ignition is on ?

 

Right now that is what I am putting in there.

 

Just make sure your relay is enough to run whatever you run off of the fuse block
There are a few good write ups on here about a secondary fuse block. I ran mine with a 100 amp break switch

 

Yeah, I have a 100-amp breaker and a starter relay from a 67 Mustang, new of course.

 

So the relay I am using which was suggested to me, is a starter solenoid relay from a 67 ford mustang. Its 300 amps. I am guessing I am doing something wrong, because it keeps failing. Thoughts?

 

What brand and is your ground clean

 

You want to check and see if that starter relay is rated for continuous duty. Many starter relays aren't, there's others that look almost identical to a starter solenoid that are continuous duty rated.

 

Looks like continuous is not really continuous. Most appear to be 30-minutes or less.

 

I tried a couple. I ran the ground to the vehicle ground.

 

Not to throw a wrench into your gears…. But have you thought about just having marine breaker switch so you can kill everything when working on it . Like, in an emergency if you want red to use your lights or whatever you have on it, you won’t be able to if it’s relay switched

 

Yeah, but my issue is not everything attached to it has a switch like a set of lights. Some things, like my dashcam are just powered.

 

Do you need 100A? They call those contactors, another name for HD relay. If you drop into the 50A range it gets allot cheaper.

 

Oh ok
I wired up my dashcam through add a fuse so it’s powered on upon start up, and stays on for 4 hours once engine shut off . And has a motion thing. Works pretty good

 

I was trying to get rid of the fuse taps. Thats what started this whole project.

 

Oh ok. That makes sense . I’d rather have all hard wired too.