Getting ready to jump into accessory wiring...

I've ordered a blue sea fuse box and circuit breaker, a mount for them, a small project box I can put my relays in (only have a couple lights to wire up at this point) as well as the sort of plug adapters for the relays. And a ton of wire, terminals, crimpers of different sorts, and the like. I'm hoping at the end it looks semi- clean and professional looking rather than a chaotic rats nest but we'll see.

I also ordered this pair of terminal distribution blocks for the battery, but I'm not sure how necessary they are/ a bit overkill, especially with using the fuse block. They are definitely good quality, but it seems if I wanted to use them I would be best served to just cut the stock battery cables and attach a ring terminal (assuming I didn't want to run a totally new cable to the starter, which I don't). Has anyone done something like this? Would I be better served not even using these in the first place, and just run like a 6g cable from the stock terminal to the circuit breaker, and then to the fuse block? Appreciate any advice.

 

If you do cut the stock terminals just cut off one side with the nut and the hoop leaving the crimp and a stub with the original bolt hole on the other side. That way you already have your ring terminal ready to go. I went with an Xscorpion terminal only on the neg side since I didn’t need so many connection points, just buss bars elsewhere with one #4 cable. The stock pos terminal already has the extra lug I needed there. #4 is common and some even go with 0 gage cable. Not necessary unless you’re running winch, dual compressor, or other seriously high current accessories. If you are then look up the big 3 upgrade for the other main battery cables plus an alternator upgrade. If you ground your accessories to the chassis then upgrade the battery neg chassis cable, if you use ground returns to the battery that’s not necessary. There’s some seriously great threads on all this stuff.

 

Yeah I've been digging into some of them and they're super informative and have given me lots of confidence I'll be able to do this well, that's why I ordered most of the components I did (didn't want to do the whole relay box wiring deal, but figured I could make my own with some blank project boxes). Another thread is where I saw these terminals too, but thinking about it I don't really need as many spots on the positive, especially with the fuse block (which has neg bus as well). I might just return these and save $50... Considering everything else I've been buying might be better to put it towards something else anyway.

And I eventually will be adding a winch, but probably not for a couple more months. Although I got the notification that my bumper is in powder coating so who knows if I get "inspired" when it arrives in a couple weeks or so and just buy one right away. But even then once I pick one up, think I can manage hooking it up without all these terminals.

 

I think you’ll be wanting some kind of replacement terminals but I’d return those and wait until you have a better idea of what you’ll actually need. That many terminals just puts a rat’s nest on top of your battery and is more useful for many small wires than it is for the few large cables you’ll need instead. All of your accessory power wires will come either direct from the aux fuse panel or through relays and your ground wires will go to the fuse panel as well so atm you should only need two extra positive cables(one with a fuse or breaker to feed the panel and another for the winch) and two neg cables(also for the ground buss and the winch) plus the original cables so your terminals may need as few as 3-4 terminals each. Mil-spec isn’t sexy looking but certainly fits that bill as do a few others better than the ones you showed which are too close together for large cable lugs. If you get the winch then think seriously about upgrading the alternator output/ground wires as well as the alternator itself in order to fully realize your winches specs. Voltage drop in wires means less current through the winch and better wiring and a higher output alternator to match fix that issue.

 

I have a larger AGM battery already installed, as well as the specific KDMax tune which is supposed to increase alternator output from the ECU; not sure if this would accomodate necessary increase in output for something like a winch? I've changed alternators in previous vehicles many time though, so I'm.sure I could manage that if I had to.

 

AGM 24f with dual post or bus bar adapter will save you a lot of wiring redos

 

Yeah the Batteries Plus by me didn't have one when I bought my AGM battery (I went up to group 27 and got a larger OEM tray for it), but I would have liked the dual post variety for exactly the reason you say, would just have more connection options built in.

 

A little hard to see in the image but I did exactly as you were wondering.


I left the stock positive cable end and used a Dremel to chop off the part that hangs down that wouldn't let it sit flat on the new terminals. I didn't want to mess with replacing that cable.

 

Won’t the tune just increase the regulated max voltage but not do much for maximum current output of the alternator? Good for that battery anyway and would do the same thing for a bigger alternator.

 

Looks like we have the same battery as well, how do you like these terminals? I'm just not convinced I'll need all these connections on them, but I like the idea of just repurposing the stock end of the cable so I don't have to put a totally new terminal on and lose a bit of length in the process. I suppose having extra attachment points wouldn't ever hurt, although they are quite bulky. And the "military style” variety are basically 1/5th the price of these ones.

 

That is what I'm wondering I guess, not entirely sure what the tune is influencing in respect to properly charging AGM batteries, but I thought I read somewhere that the stock alternator on this model/ generation was capable of more output and it was somehow limited by the ECU in stock configuration. Although, I might be totally pulling that out of my ass

 

Definitely more connectors than I need. I had this before I had my fusebox installed so at one point there were more wires attached. Room for future things I guess. I would only connect large amp draw things to those connectors now (currently I have my switch/relay panel, compressor, and winch). All my future accessories will be going to the fuse box for ease and wire cleanliness.

One con is that you can't find a rubber cover for these. I know that bothers some people but I'm not concerned. Another is that it takes an Allen key to loosen and tighten the connectors to the batteries. Wrenches always seem to be easier to find the right size quickly than an Allen key.

 

output voltage of alternator, agm need like a half volt bump to optimally charge fully to capacity.

tune people are hyping this as an advert no doubt. You can roll as-is and be perfectly fine for hundreds of discharges.

 

I put a 40A fuse after my 80A Bussman breaker to the compressor relay so that fuse is also on my Bussman tray along with another 40A fuse to my interior panel. Everything in-cab comes from that and all the exterior stuff from the Bussman except the compressor. Along with the #10 interior feed I ran a second #10 wire to an internal ground buss. Eliminated a bunch of wires through the firewall in favor of just those two. The panel fits under the cup holder so the fuses are readily accessible and the buss is under there as well but just behind the stick. Don’t need a bunch of fuse taps on the internal panel save one that feeds the ignition hot half of the panel(I split the panel buss and added a second lug).