Orange Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Right, I'm trying to make a tidy job of installing the wiring for things like stereo, CB, compressor etc in the new 90. I have seen (on here I think) a smart solution to power distribution. What I'm after is a distribution box (fused if possible) that I can take one large cable into and several fused spurs out of. The best I can come up with at the moment is THIS ONE from VWP, but I'd like to mount one up on the bulkhead behind the passenger seat... I could go down the route of running 5 wires from the battery to a fuse box behind the seat, but there must be a tidier way of doing it........mustn't there?? Does anyone know of such a thing and if so, where one might purchase said item?? TIA Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I know that Devon4x4 do 1 but there was a link back along to another supplier which might of been a little bit cheaper . Can't remember who put the link up though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 what about a length of battery cable from the main battery to the junction box? the earth could be bolted directly to the bulkhead via the box mounts. some sort of piggy back off the +ve post of the battery is what's needed, use battery cable and should get a decent level of current to the distribution box, run power take offs via a bus bar maybe? that would be my way of doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Al, I think it's more of an issue of finding a neat fuse holder that also acts as a bus bar - most automotive fuse holders I have seen are simply a bank of fuse holders with a terminal on each one. I think Mr Orange might be after something like this: Which has a single feed in, and 6 out (although a 12 way one is also available) Problem is theya re £25 tho... Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Blue Sea is the make that D4x4 sell, Here is a bit cheaper, they may be even cheaper out there if you search. In past installations I have used fat cable to a mega fuse holder (with appripriate sized fuse) and then many small cables from the opposite stud each going to a fuse in a fuse box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco_al Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 autopilot and depth sounder sound like interesting accessories for a land rover not sure about the fish finder, unless it was designed for use when in Essex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Walfy - the D4x4 stall had them at Donnington which is what made me think about it, but the price, I thought, was a little high!! Disco_al - Mark's response is correct. I have a selection of cable, but want to tidy the whole install up by running one fused link (big cable) to a dist. box and 4/6/8 smaller feeds from it each with their own fuse contained within the box (if that makes sense??) Mark - that's what I was looking at on the D4x4 stand. It's exactly what I need, but I'm tight, so I don't want to spend that much on it. BUT, if it's the only way, I'll have to bite the bullet. Trouble is, it'll be the only thing I want and the postage will make it even more expensive!! If I can get one from a supplier that I can get some other bits and pieces from, then I'll get one... Mark90 - ta muchly. I'll have a search and see what comes up... Anyone know whether it's the sort of thing that one might find in boats and/or caravans?? Just to find some other avenues to explore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Anyone know whether it's the sort of thing that one might find in boats and/or caravans?? Yes. The link I posted is marine oriented, and I have seen it on other marine suply webistes. Thing is anything for boats usually has a big mark up as they reckon those boaty types can afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 The picture I posted came from Merlin Equipment who essentially supply stuff for boats - hence the fish finder supply... If you PM Matthew on here, he might be able to help Shame it's not a 'fish and chips finder' ... Orange, ask Mike too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Walfy - the D4x4 stall had them at Donnington which is what made me think about it, but the price, I thought, was a little high!!Disco_al - Mark's response is correct. I have a selection of cable, but want to tidy the whole install up by running one fused link (big cable) to a dist. box and 4/6/8 smaller feeds from it each with their own fuse contained within the box (if that makes sense??) Mark - that's what I was looking at on the D4x4 stand. It's exactly what I need, but I'm tight, so I don't want to spend that much on it. BUT, if it's the only way, I'll have to bite the bullet. Trouble is, it'll be the only thing I want and the postage will make it even more expensive!! If I can get one from a supplier that I can get some other bits and pieces from, then I'll get one... Mark90 - ta muchly. I'll have a search and see what comes up... Anyone know whether it's the sort of thing that one might find in boats and/or caravans?? Just to find some other avenues to explore... 30 quid for the 12 way box isn't that bad. Is this all going to be done prior to Easter? If it is I'll take a look see, as I need to sort all my wiring out. Looks like a birds nest everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Can you not use a normal box and just bus one side of it together with some wire or a copper strip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 John, Thats probably the cheapest route, but building the bus for one side isn't the easiest or neatest solution, unless you happen to know of any ready build bussing products? When I have built big Mains distro's (single and 3 phase) using standard breakers, you can get bus bars that screw into the terminals, but I don't know of anything similar for smaller use, say with a 6.4mm spade connector on... any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 There would definately be a market for insulated 6.4mm spade bus bars in say 4, 6, and 8 contacts with a stud to take a bigger cable. X-BusBar?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 As fitted to the rear of my Disco... About £10 from Maplins.. look in the Chavvy car hifi isle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Mark 90 - the link you posted to JGTech is most useful. Their 6 way one is £22 including the dreaded and next day delivery. Looks promising... Mark - Mike is a source, but I'd quite like to start doing it this weekend... ;-) Jon - I've looked at bussing one side, but all of the 'joiners' I can find look a bit sissy if you know what I mean. There isn't going to be big amounts of power running through it, but just in case... Freeagent - That looks like a good option. Off to look at the Maplin site.... Is that a beetle you've got trapped in there????? Walfy - hopefully!! I'm trying to get loads of stuff done by Easter, though... I need this to run the CB and stuff, so you can hear me laugh at you when you drive into/at things!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 I made a distribution board using a collection of bits from scrappers I had lying around. First off I made a tin-plate "mounting board" on the drivers inner wing. On one side I have a bolt which acts as the earth and on the other side is a positive insulated pole taken from a discovery where the main positive feed passes through the bulkhead. I haven't fused the link to this pole but could do so easily. Next to the mounting board is a waterproof fuse rack and welded onto the board between the + and - terminals is a series of relay mounts cut from the footwell of a discovery. Thus I can take +tive from one side, via a fuse and then a relay to an application and the switch wires can be similarly run and taken to the dash via a length of convoluted tubing.. My front winch albrite is mounted to the other side of the mounting board thus all my extra electrics are easily accessible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeagent Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Freeagent - That looks like a good option. Off to look at the Maplin site.... Is that a beetle you've got trapped in there????? no its their tacky shark logo... but it does look like a beetle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 Right then! Got to the point where the only thing that looks like it will do the job is this: I ended up getting one for £22 including VAT and delivery at JGTech so bit the bullet and it's arriving tomorrow (hopefully) so we'll see what it's actually like... The box that Matt (Freeagent) suggested is apparently no longer available from Maplin. They now do a different version, but it looked a bit pants. I also tried a load of car audio supply places, but they all seem to be going for looks rather than function.... All I need now is some trunking and cable tie mounting clips and I can get started! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Adrian When it comes can you post a pic of it against something so I can gauge it's size. Cheers mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Walfy, those blue and yellow things you can see under the cover at the top are blade fuses so that should give you some idea of the size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted February 28, 2008 Author Share Posted February 28, 2008 I can indeed. You might need to jog my memory, though!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Mark Thanks for that . Against something external to the box would make the comparisson better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark90 Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 From link above.... 85 x 64 x 125 mm So it's about 5" tall. Surely you have somthing about 5" you can compare it to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WALFY Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 Cheeky git. Smaller than I thought it was. It would make my car look a lot neater. But then it wouldn't be keeping my tatty look I've worked so hard to achieve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MogLite Posted February 28, 2008 Share Posted February 28, 2008 For my next build I want to add a secondary fuse box, but I also need at least one maxi-fuse, and some relays would be nice. So something like this That one is from a Toyota Surf, but I'm sure there are loads around. Our p38A has similar, but its got way too many fuses and relay sockets. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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