Show off your aux fuse panels.

Finally got mine installed.

 

That's a good idea! Maybe i will 3D print some...
If I will be working anywhere near the posts, I can always hit the breaker.

 

For reasons I won’t get into I added a couple waterproof skirted relays to my mounting panel that are fused by the Bussman and grounded to the Blue Seas ground buss. I bought these particular ones because they came with loose terminals rather than too short lengths of pre crimped wire.

$12 DC 12V 40A Universal Car Vehicle Waterproof Sealed Integrated Relay Kit & Base (5-Pin Relay)

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Vehicle-Waterproof-Sealed-Integrated/dp/B071F5T1VY/ref=mp_s_a_1_14?keywords=waterproof+relay&qid=1584256356&sprefix=waterproof+rel&sr=8-14&th=1&psc=1
If for some reason you want extra terminals or different sizes(they only supply terminals for #10 wire though these can still be used with awg18 by doubling the wire before crimping) the terminals themselves are Metri-Pack 630 crimp terminals. Search “pull to seat 630”

 

The distinction between push to seat and pull to seat is which side of the connector the terminals install from. Push to seat installs from the wire side of each connector and pull to seat you feed the wire through the seal and connector before crimping then pull the wire and terminal back into the connector to seat it. The 630 terminals are rated to 46A ad opposed to the 30A of the Metri-Pack 280 terminals because of the larger contact surface of the 630 terminals. What I’ve seen so far is that the relays are pull to seat and the wire connectors are push to seat. Edit, just saw a pull to seat female plug.

 

Auxbeam setup here.

 

I went with a pre-made RTMR unit. Used Tacozord's instructions to finish it.



Used double switches to maximize switch space. I see a Meso switch panel in my future.

 

Here is my custom designed and fabricated setup I just finished installing! Have a few design tweaks to make but overall happy with the outcome. Glad I was able to make what little space I had with my coolant reservoir and wireless control box taking up so much space, to use!

Fresh off the waterjet!


Bent and painted!



Before!


After!

 

Looking at this thread has given me some inspiration, and I think this would make a fun quarantine project. I see a lot of people using individual relays for each branched accessory, but would it be possible to go from a circuit breaker to a 100A continuous duty solenoid, then to the fuse block? This would save space, and I'd want everything on a relay anyways. Is there a reason this wouldn't work? And here's a few pics of my attempt at drawing a moc circuit. I'd like to keep it contained in a waterproof box using glands. I'm looking at using blue sea parts 7188-120A circuit breaker and 5034 fuse block (no ground busses). Seeing as I'm no electrician, any input is appreciated.

 

That works if you want all the accessories on at the same time. Individual relays offer individual control of each separate circuit that needs switching and requires more than a few amps current. It also allows your switch wires that go through the firewall be much thinner than any high current devices would need. You can get switches in the larger size that can switch 20A but the idea is to keep that 20A away from you. The smaller push switches are only rated for 3A and having seen them disassembled I would make that a hard ceiling, they are very light duty switches.

 

That makes sense, I hadn't considered how much power would be going through the switches. I'll have to find out how big of a box I can fit. I'm looking to use a 12 circuit fuse block, so that'll be a lot of relays.

 

The advantage of the Bussman is the relays are flux tight in a sealed, integrated box so it’s a smaller package with 5 fused relays and 5 fuse only circuits for the rtmr and 10 each for the rfmr. The disadvantage is that there is a 30A limit on each circuit. I ended up using the rtmr along with 2 additional 40A skirted relays with associated 40A fuses/holders. Still much less space than 7 separate relays would have taken. There are fuse/relay boxes that are sealed and use the larger 40A bosche unsealed relay but these don’t have any internal buss bar(s). I’m in Cali and just sitting around my standard relays we’re getting corroded inside the engine bay so I figure for that location they need to be either sealed/skirted or flux tight. If you do require 40A or higher relays be sure to use both wire and connectors rated for it. Weather Pack goes to 25A, Metri Pack 280 30A, Metri Pack 630 46A and there are higher rated ones. I used Metri Pack 280 on the engine bay Bussman along with Metri Pack 630 for the extra relay connectors but there are other brands too. There are several different pin styles and sizes for relays with different current ratings and special holders sealed/unsealed for each. Do some reading and looking over both before you commit. There’s quite a variety to choose from.

 

Is this just to keep things off of your postive battery terminal? Mines packed. Looking for a way to clean it up.

 

Yes and no. I had a ton of accessories at the time and this allowed me to have a central point to power and ground everything but I also added in an additional breaker. I also have one of these mounted inside my rear cubby in the bed for future use. Fridge, lights, extended power ports, compressor etc. But the one in my rear is also going to have an external battery with solar on it.

 

What are you planning on hooking up to the fuse panel? No way its 12 sets of lights....

$54 Blue Sea Systems 5032 ST Blade Fuse Block Dual 12 with Ground and Cover

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WM2MWQ4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used this Fuse panel. 1/2 the panel is always hot, and 1/2 is only hot when the truck is running. The switched circuits are run off a single relay. So as long as not huge power draw things its ok. I have my seat heaters, gps, and a auxiliary cig lighter currently on this. For the always hot side you could hook up your bigger current draw things like lights and have a relay for each circuit if you wanted. This will save you room. I just have my bed lights and spot beams on the always hot section.

 

I was just starting to think about it. I want to add flush mounted rigid ignite back up lights but I dont have much room left to mount it to the battery

 

I just like having the option of adding more stuff. As of now, I'm probably looking at 2 seat heaters, bumper light bar, maybe rock lights, cargo lights, heated mirrors, and sometime down the road front and rear lockers. As you said, I plan on putting anything big like an amp, winch, or air compressor on it's own circuit. I just want to leaving room for further items that might pop up. Im currently looking into the Bussmann RFRM as bagleboy suggested. I've been reading over this for a while: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-build-and-install-a-bussmann-rtmr-fuse-relay-block.399454/
Edit: After a few days of research and planning, what I thought would be a fun $100-$150 project turned into a $400 project
This will have to wait.

 

Redid some of my fuse blocks. Here’s my current setup

 

Questions for all:

What gauge wires did you use for your rocker switches for daisy chaining and to run the switches power to the relay? I'm setting up an OTTRAW rocker switch panel with lower independent lights (2 LEDs per switch)


What gauge wire did you use to run your power and ground from relays to blue sea fuse panel and from the the power from the relay to the accessory (plus ground from accessory)? I understand different accessories will draw different voltages, but my higher voltage stuff like winch and compressor are completely separate. Eventually I'll be adding light bar, rear pods, etc ...


Lastly, in addition to blacks and reds for grounds and positives, my goal is to have a unique color for each switch-relay-accessory power wires. I'm having trouble locating local stores with what I need. Does anyone know of a website where you can order different gauges and different color wires by the foot?

 

Sorry I know it’s hard to read but I used this wire chart here and it was very helpful in making my decision. I still sized up one. Knu concepts sales different colored wire and I’ve thought of going this route as well. I personally used 12-16 gauge AWG but I like to be safer and up a size or 2 when doing mine. I used 12 for my 300w led bar and 16 gauge to my ditch lights and fused on the lower end of chart table. I used 40-60amp relays

 

Basic items is usually 16, sometimes 18 gauge, for inside the cab or to the relay. Wires from the aux fuse box to the led or whatever I’m powering is at least 18, but often bigger, sized for the load I’m powering.