I wanted to neaten up some of the extra wiring that I had on the bike. I'm the fourth owner this year so others had added bits throughout its life.
I looked at different options for adding and joining wiring and I think the best auxiliary box out there is a gadget called FUZEBOX, which with postage is about £50 notes.
I couldn't justify paying for one of those fuzeblocks so made one myself.
I bought a fuse holder from halfords and a 30amp fused relay, they were about £5 each. I bought some decent wire, spade connectors and fuses from ebay. I recon the fit cost about £20, but I got great pleasure from knowing I tidied up the wiring and done everything so its safe.
I took a decent feed from the battery + and ran it to the relay and through the relay to the fusebox.
I then controlled the relay using the auxiliary wires of the front. This is the now the only power drain from the auxiliary wires.
On one side of the fuse box I created a buzbar using piggyback spade connectors so it has a live feed to each fuse.
On the other side of the fuse box I was then able to wire all my bits in neatly.
1) Garmin, this comes with loads of cable I had to loose.
2) My new oxford heated grips.
3) A power feed for my HID lamps. (Which have their own relay)
4) And power feed for the stebel horn. ( I fitted a relay for this switched by the bike horn wiring) (The second relay top right in my pictures)
All very easy to do and all prompted by finding that the insulation for the bullet connections for the front auxiliary wires had melted. The old heated grips, garmin and switch wire for the HIDs were all wired directly in to the auxiliary wires, I was lucky I didn't have a fire.
So now the only current coming from the aux wires are going to my new extra fusebox relay to turn the feed on from the battery.
I debated for a while where to put the new fusebox as I was considering access but it takes me 5 minutes to get the side off as I have done it so often now. And to be honest I have never had a fuse blow on me, (touch wood).
I'll try and attach some pictures now.
1) Loads of Garmin wire.
2) New Oxford grips.
3) Stebel horn.
4) Halfords fusebox and 30am fused relay.
5) Fixed in position 30amp fused relay.
6) The fusebox with the buzbar feeding power to each fuse I put in.
7) My first feed going out which was the HID power feed.
8) More or less completed with the horn relay fitted top right.
9) Another overview.
Very creative, not sure I would have the patience to do that.
It did take best part of the day to do
Great job, and very neat, did you use heat shrink over the connections or are they taped ?
I have a Fuzeblock which I had fitted to a Bavarian ditch pump that I once had, but now its still awaiting installation onto the GTR. mmmmmm must get round to doing that....sometime :embarrassed:
No just tapped them, the fuzeblock is the best thing, it was just the price.
:agree: they are a bit pricey, can't remember what I paid Nippy Normans for mine, it was a while ago
There's also the satisfaction of making up your own...yours looks great :clap:
Looks good. Did virtualy the same on mine a few weeks back as I was a bit worried about having a number of accesories all attached to one auxilary wire. Took me a few days though working between the showers as have no garage to work in. As my wife says, it keeps me out of trouble "going outside messing"
Im thinking of doing the same as Rob but on a different scale..
Was thinking of mounting a fuse box in the tool box and running the wires to and from it.. Already decided to run different coloured wires from it so I know which is which http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150969986755?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
But what I need to know is.... What Amperage do I need to run from the battery to the fuse box? Was thinking of maybe 30 amp.. Any idea or suggestions accepted. :yes:
This is what I want to mount.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180817893827?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648
I will measure the tool box when back at home to see if it will fit :yes:
Mine had a 30amp inline fuse.
Quote from: Kwikasfuki on December 31, 2012, 12:57:57 AM
Mine had a 30amp inline fuse.
I mean what gauge wire should I run from the battery to the fuse box? Was thinking maybe 8 Gauge?
Debs, I'm no sparky, but I reckon the gauge of feed cable will depend upon what accessories, and resulting amperage draw you plan to run from the newly installed fuse box.
Others on here who are more experienced with electrics will advise you better
p.s there's a lot of cable on those drums, are you planning to wire anything else up ....maybe some extra Christmas lights :mfr_lol:
Quote from: Debs on December 31, 2012, 01:27:00 AM
I mean what gauge wire should I run from the battery to the fuse box? Was thinking maybe 8 Gauge?
This might help: http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
I just got one that looked fairly substantial and used that
I intend to run my Oxford Hot Hand Grips, Spot Lights, Sat Nav, DAB Radio, Air Horn, Phone Charger all through it instead of the set up I have (A big bundle of wires held together with a zip clip)
My aim is to run a wire, maybe this....
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160918864804?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
to a connecting plug
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321035773702?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
then to the fuse box mounted in the tool box
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180817893827?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
then run 8 different coloured wires from the fuse box to this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140769605228?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648
then on to the front of the bike where they will be in a rubber boot to be connected to these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Bullet-Connector-3-9mm-Male-Female-Japanese-Socket-Classic-Terminal-/170711501780?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item27bf32cbd4
and then to these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140895601562?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
The reason for the plugs at the tool box end is so that it can be un-pluged and removed if need be.
Is this over kill or over engineering a situation? I dont think so.. Its just making the electrical system safer rather than overloading existing circuits.. :mfr_lol:
A big reason why I want it n the tool box, is if a fuse blows its easier to lift the seat than to take panels off. :yes:
Sound a bit OTT dont it.. :mfr_lol: :mfr_lol: :mfr_lol:
I reckon you've just about got it all covered there Debs, I'm sure you have a soldering iron as I would recommend soldered connections as they are better and more permanent, and you'll nee some of this to finish the job off
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-Heat-Shrink-Tube-Sleeve-Various-Sizes-Lengths-/160809668245?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Components_Supplies_ET&var=&hash=item257100ce95
Good luck and don't forget to post pics as you progress :yes:
Oh yes OC... I meant to say that the 8 wires will be in the heat shrink sleeve all the way from the fuse box to the front.. :yes:
Sounds like a decent setup Debs but don't see why you would need to cover the wiring in heat shrink all the way as that negates the fact that your using different colours wires for purposes of differentiating the separate wiring looms. I only ever use the heat shrink for the connection ends to prevent shorting and create a waterproof join if need be.
Hope the alternator stand up to all the abuse it's going to get.... :rolleyes:
I always used to install a voltmeter on my previous bikes and it was surprising the difference in dropped voltage when headlights, heated grips, and a few other accessories were on.
Quote from: Debs on December 31, 2012, 03:43:27 PM
Oh yes OC... I meant to say that the 8 wires will be in the heat shrink sleeve all the way from the fuse box to the front.. :yes:
Debs
to form a new loom, don't use heat shrink. Use PVC non adhesive tape, or spiral binding or twistwrap sleeving. You can then feed out individual wires to where they are needed and it makes it easier to trace faults in the future.
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/sleeving/tape.php
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/sleeving/sleeving.php#slitharness
Alibx has a point about the battery. I am not sure how much spare wattage the alternator gives on our bikes. It may pay to total up the extra power all your additions will be using. With them all working it may be possible to drain the battery even with the engine running.
Wouldn't the on board volt meter show less then 12 volts if there was a problem with everything on ?
When I have everything on when riding it shows 14.2 v and at a tick over just 14v.
Technically yes mate, if the onboard Voltmeter is accurate, problem is these things are made as a guide only not an accurate measuring meter, it's good enough to show a significant drop to indicate a fault but not necessarily an accurate reading, as the owners manual states.
Good batteries usually read around 12.2v - 12.6v with the ignition on, when running it should read min 14v as you say to keep charged, anything above 16v and your battery is getting cooked ( check the rectifier ) , below 12v and your using more power than the bike is reproducing.
Don't know what farkles you have on yours but Debs seems to be well laden.. the Sat nav, phone charger, Dab radio shouldn't be a heavy load but the Hot grips, extra spotlights, and air-horn will be a heavy load if all on at once, added to the existing running load of lights, indicator lights, injectors, general mechanical load, it can all add up very quickly.
The standard Pan Euro alternator was a weak point on the early bikes, it burned out rather quickly, it came with a 55amp alternator and had to be upgraded by Honda to a 75amp one to run the police kit and farkles people added to make the bikes a decent tourer.
Like I say it depends what you have installed as extra load on your bike.
Im not intending to have it all running at once.. Maybe at a push I will have the spot lights on, heated grips & Sat nav.. but certainly wont be for a long period of time... So far Ive not had a problem with it. All Im going to do is tidy it all up on to its own loom...
I understand and now agree about not using heat shrink..
It wouldn't have been covered up 2" at the start and end of the wires so I would not have had a problem to see which wire went to which fuse.
When I do eventually start on this I will post pics as I go along.. Looks like it will be quite a few hours work as im a bit of a perfectionist. :yes: :mfr_lol:
correct Debs...my suggestion with the heat shrink was that it should add further protection to the soldered joints...its a belt and bracers approach