Fusebox Upgrade?

[AlfredHitchcock]

Ive searched the forum to see if anyones mentioned this before but cant seem to find any reference to it.

 

I'm hoping someone on here must have upgraded and improved their wiring/fuse circuits before and have a wiring diagram I can use.

 

I've got all the dash out and was looking to incorporate a fusebox along the line of this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6-Way-Blade-Fuse-Box-1-Positive-Bus-in-12v-LED-WARNING-Kit-Car-Boat-Marine-Trike-/180817887652?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CommercialVehicleParts_SM&hash=item2a199601a4 under the dash - or even in the glove box.

 

I am going to be adding relays to headlights and an alternator, electric rad fan etc etc and could use the extra circuits but wanted to keep the spagetti under the bonnet to a minimum.

 

The wiring diagram lays everything out simply electrically but I anticipate an issue with the path the wires take not being convenient for an under dash install.

 

Has anybody already done this or give it some thought please? I

 

Nick

Edited March 17, 2013 by AlfredHitchcock

[AlanT]

I added a second fuse-box of the original type. I don't like to use modern parts on these cars.

 

I do wiring by Excel if thats any use. There is a photo on here somewhere or I can send it if you want.

 

I have fuses on headlights and horns. Done this way. Dont like inline holders.

 

Al.

[AndrewMAshton]

Hello Nick,

 

just finished what you are proposing, I have a 4A and had tinkered with my wiring on and off for about 5 years before I bit the bullet, like you, dash out and built my own loom, rather than start from a fixed plan (good idea) I improved it as I went along (bad idea!), I have incorporated allsorts, in total 12 fuses and 8 relays plus a Revington logic controller, a couple of anti-theft devices and a inertia switch for the electric pump, I have no wiring diagram but I followed the lucas wiring colour protocols and have a list of all the additional colours and where they lead. On reflection, bit of overkill and could have done it a little simpler (and cheaper), it is all fixed to a 5mm aluminium sheet and hidden in the drivers footwell, fitted other bits as well, lights on alarm, moved the flasher relay and voltage stabiliser to where you can reach them, alarm with flashing light in cabin, electric fan with on/off/auto switch, I even moved the Lumenition Electronic Ignition box into the footwell and included the wires in the loom and have put future proofed it with extra wires for the futur (electric water pump!), oh, and it all works!!. PM me as I made plenty of mistakes and happy to share my experiences, Cheers, Andrew

[AlfredHitchcock]

Andrew that sounds something like what I want to do. Just not as involved!!!!!

 

I'm thinking a fuse for the mainbeam, dipped lights, mainbeam relay, heater fan, alternator relay, cooling fan, horns, and there must be more so probably 12 way?

 

Have you got any pictures? It would be great to see them.

 

And Al any pictures you have might inspire me also. I'll pm you my email address if you dont mind.

 

Cheers

[AndrewMAshton]

Hello Nick, I did a lot of reading and research beforehand and all advice I found was NOT to fuse the headlights, all to do with a blackout as you are wizzing around country lanes at midnight, send me your email address and I will forward some pics at the end of the week, Andrew

[AlanT]

If you are really worried about this use a different fuse for each headlight.

 

Personally I'd rather be in the dark than on fire.

 

I have already had the fuse blow when the foot-switch from Moss came to bits. No drama, no burnt loom.

 

Al.

[ianc]

Lee Hutton, a member of the North London Group, produced a neat upgrade solution which can be mounted on a hinge-down flap behind the glove box (or elsewhere) and linked into the existing wiring loom. He described this in an article in TR Action a while ago, and he has fitted the system into a number of other TRs in the NLG.

If I didn't already have 16 fuses in 4VC (installed in 1962 by a specialist from Joseph Lucas), it's the route down which I would go as 2 fuses are just pathetic!

Lee's e-mail is leeghutton@blueyonder.co.uk

Ian Cornish

[MikeF]

My 2 pennyworth I looked at this and briefly dreamed about having drop down fuse panels and so on. Then I thought :TRiumph must have upgraded electricals in the decade or so after the '4 and will have done enough but with minimal effort. So I bought a TR6 fusebox, some relays, flex, and loom tape, and a black box from Maplins. I wired the relays so the headlights go on and off through ignition, retained the original 2 fuses box as a sort of master fuses and this all went in the black box. I used the extra positions in the 6 fusebox pretty much as you described, that goes where the original fusebox went. The black box sits in the obvious place in front of where the voltage regulator used to be. I made a new subloom for the headlights and wrapped in some spare wires in case I ever get round to fitting extra driving lamps. Being a cheapskate I just gought plain blue cable for the headlights and used a permanent marker to make a red stripe down half of it, thus replicating the colour coding [so I won't be too puzzled if I have to revisit this for some reason years from now.] So I have a neat setup, relayed and fused so that the different circuits are isolated and easily reversible for when I become the next P.O.

Mike

Edited March 19, 2013 by MikeF

[RogerH]

I used three of these http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/fuses/holders1.php a bit of overkill I hear you say.

 

They take 8 individual fuses.To make them workable you need to make one side of the fuse bank common. I soldered a thick copper wire through all the tags and that becomes the input. The output to the load is through the fuse.

 

My three fuse blocks are -

1, from the ignition

2, powered direct form the battery

3, From the lighting circuit.

 

Roger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TR Mitch]

TT built the box that I installed in mine. The relays will make a lot of difference to the lights. It was like fitting xenons when I first used the car at night after relaying the headlights compared to the original circuit via the column switch. It was a good opportunity to fit a GPS/GSM security device too. Agreed, won't stop the determined thief but most of the time it's an opportunist and my system will stop them.

 

Here is the circuit of mine. I've blurred out my security measures but otherwise should give you a good idea:

 

 

The unit was very neat and fits nicely in the passenger footwell under the bulkhead. Once completed, the glovebox in, panelling refitted and gizmo box covers back on, it is very discrete but gives the car switchgear less work to do and everything is properly fused.

 

 

Always remember, the fuse is there to protect the cable, not the device at the end of it.

 

 

[AlfredHitchcock]

My work in progress.............

 

 

It may not be obvious but the frame will be screwed to the sides in the space above the passengers knees and flap down for access.

 

Got to test it before going too far.

[RogerH]

Before you install it make sure that it can't come adrift, in a prang, and injure the passengers knees etc.

 

Roger

[Badfrog]

Any modern car will show you the rule of too much, aka the dinosaur curse: the more wiring, the more breakdowns.

8 fuses instead of 2, one inertia cut on the electric pump and relays on the headbeams. Then lay the spool and pliers down and go for a drive.

Other option: do nothing but solder the bullet connectors and carry spare fuses.

 

Badfrog

Edited April 1, 2013 by Badfrog

[AlfredHitchcock]

Roger, not sure I can guaranty that it wont come adrift, the same as I cant with any of the other Triumph installed sharp sticky out bits that litter the behind dash area. In fact it is probably desirable that it does break away.

 

Badfrog, I'm using 12 fuses because thats how many there was in the unit. Very simple wiring really and allows for extras in the future (spots etc). All this is designed to reduce the current through ancient switches and connections and the dash is out anyway.

 

Smoke anyone?

[Menno van Rij]

I opted for this in my 3A: Advance Auto Wire's solution:

 

 

Menno

[MichaelH]

Write out the electric flow diagram of your requirements: this will give a logic of what you want. But add a spare wire from the fuses to the front and to the back in different colours (you might change your mind later)

It will define colours and wiring size

Then decide where everthing - fuses/relays etc are going to be sited. then measure the distances from your fuses to their point of action

Start with a new wiring loom and tear it apart and adjust it to your needs (cos your old one has 40 yr old wire)

I had a big piece of wood with nails to hold the loom while I worked on it

I left the end wires slightly over long

Bind it up and install it

Hey presto it all done (it took me months of spare time)

Good luck

Michael