Power Feed Query

[McMuttley]

This is my Revington supplied modern fuse box that came with the alternator.

 

I am installing a lighter/usb power socket.

 

Rather than splice (again) into the ignition wire, can i simply take power off one of these, i recall their literature implied i could, or do i need to take power from the solenoid through the fuse box

[RogerH]

Hi Austin,

how is the fuse box connected.

Has each fuse got a power in and then out to the service - (not good).

Or has the fuse box got a common power feed in and then 8 services connected.

 

If the latter then you could use any available fuse and bingo.

If the former then you will need to power the fuse - no different to having an in-line fuse in the first place.

 

I use three of those fuse boxes -

1 - powered from the ignition switch

2 - powered from the light circuit

3 - powered continuously

 

All fuses in each box has a common power line.

 

Roger

Edited July 24, 2016 by RogerH

[McMuttley]

Hi Roger, its a revington rtr8270k, which is described as providing 4 fuses ignition side and 4 non.

 

However, with the ign on and my block voltmeter probe on the battery, if i touch the battery +ve i get 12-13v, but none of the fuse box spades generate any reading ?

 

So i guess it was just wired in as a fuse box?

[Steves_TR6]

Looking at the pic most of the fuses don't have any wires connected either side, so they aren't connected to power or load??

 

Looks like only three of the fuses are doing anything?

 

If so you could wire an ignition feed to one or more of the 'spare' fuses to give you more fused feeds.

 

I would be concerned though at overloading the ignition switch, I'd install a relay.

 

Hth

 

Steve

[McMuttley]

Can i take the power to the fuse box from the battery rather than the solenoid to save the switch

[RobH]

If you want the lighter socket to be live with the ignition off then yes you can connect your new fuse direct to the live side of the battery. The easiest point to pick up a feed is from where the thick battery wire connects to the the starter solenoid, where the brown wire goes to the original fusebox. That isn't switched so will not load the ignition.

 

I can't remember whether you have bought a dual socket with the USB one having a separate connection? If so you might not want the USB bit to be on all the time as well because there could be a small permament drain on the battery.

[McMuttley]

Thanks rob, i assume the connecting point is the top of the two screws facing fwd? You are right, the usb socket appears to have a light, so I am wiring in a female cig lighter socket into which the usb can be plugged / unplugged, a tad convoluted, but just to get me through the summer !

 

Cheers all

[RobH]

Yes Austin - the stud which connects directly to the battery. There should be a double 'spade' connector under the nut as well as the battery cable, which takes the feed to the original fuse box and another to the ammeter - both farly thick brown wires. You can fit a large diameter ring crimp connector under the nut for your new feed (but make sure you do the nut up good and tight as the connection takes the full starter current).

Edited July 24, 2016 by RobH

[iain]

Austin. This fuse box had 8 inputs .Rtr8270k.4 ignition controller 4 permanent live. All. Of these are fed via a 30 amp relay and one large diameter brown wire from the permanent live of the solenoid switch on the bulk head. Looking at your set up you need to find the wires that have been left floating about. 4 will be B/w 4 will be brown.

So the first question is where are the feeds for the fuse box??? Has the loom even been fitted?

Locate the loom and it's all very easy.

I have a copy of the destructions if you need them!

Iain

[Jersey Royal]

Hi Roger, its a revington rtr8270k, which is described as providing 4 fuses ignition side and 4 non.

However, with the ign on and my block voltmeter probe on the battery, if i touch the battery +ve i get 12-13v, but none of the fuse box spades generate any reading ?

So i guess it was just wired in as a fuse box?

 

 

I have the Revington auxiliary loom rtr8270k, part number you mention, and it supply's ignition and direct feeds as their description.

 

What you have is simply the fuse box

 

Would be worth you finding out how it's been wired .

 

What's your Lucas original fuse box like?

 

Cheers

Guy

[john.r.davies]

Suggest you need a "hedgehog" aka an 8-pole terminal block.
Each sector has six male spade connectors, all connected, and there are up to eight sectors, so any feed can supply five other units, and a jumper can supply the next sector for more.
See Vehicle Wiring Products' website.
John

 

Edited July 25, 2016 by john.r.davies

[McMuttley]

I think whomever fitted my alternator just used the fuse box and not the loom (which is probably the main cost in the kit !)

 

I will have a look in the box of bits left over

[iain]

Looks that way!

[Lebro]

In my opinion The only things directly connected to the battery should be the starter motor (via the solenoid and the -ve side of the ammeter.

If you start connecting other things direct to the battery, even if fused, the ammeter will not give you a true reading of what is going in, or out of the battery.

 

Bob.

[peejay4A]

+1. Or you could replace the ammeter with a voltmeter and forget about the problem of where to connect.