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Mikef5000
Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 03:36 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'd like to tap into one of the empty fuse spaces in my cyclone's fuse box.

I don't want it switched, I'd prefer always on.

Is this a simple task? Am I going to have to run a new power line into the fuse, or is the box powered.

Does it take simple spade connectors into the bottom, or is it more difficult than that?

I've got a wiring project for tomorrow, and I don't have much time, so I'd like to have an idea what I'm getting myself into before I begin.

I've already added 2 seperate in-line fuses for different things, 3 seems like a bit much.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 05:31 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I'm thinking about consolodating my 2 old and 1 new (and 1 more in the future) inline fuses into the 2 empty spaces.

Something like this:



(This picture does not show the ground circuit)

The front power outlet is only used for very small things in my tank bag, like a phone or I-pod charger.

Back power outlet is for the heated vest and battery tender (big things).

Heated grips will be a near future addition once I run some tests and make sure the charging system will be able to handle them.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 10:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Nobody's messed with the stock fuse box eh?

Well I took a quick look last night, and it doesn't look as easy as I'd hoped.

I don't think I'm going to mess with it.
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Kdkerr2
Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 01:15 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Shouldn't the battery tender circuit be spliced thru the main 30 circuit breaker? There was a reason that the Harleys and Buells run the lines from the alternator thru the 30 amp breakers.

KK

(Message edited by kdkerr2 on November 07, 2007)
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Mikef5000
Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 05:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Shouldn't the battery tender circuit be spliced thru the main 30 circuit breaker? There was a reason that the Harleys and Buells run the lines from the alternator thru the 30 amp breakers.


Why would the tender need 30 amps? The fuses that came with my battery tender were a meer 3 amp!

I wouldn't want to run anything more than absolutely necessary through the main circut breaker. If I wear through and ground out a battery tender cable, I don't want it to strand me by shutting down the main circuit! I want it just to pop a fuse.
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Wile_ecoyote
Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 08:22 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

good plan but I dont know how much current that heated vest draws. battery tenders that I know of have a very low amperage of 2 amps. when up to voltage it shuts down and monitors itself. when dropped down to a certain voltage it then powers up again. stick with wiring through a fuse as they are cheaper than a breaker, unlikely it would harm it anyway.
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Easy_rider
Posted on Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 10:20 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Heated vest from Widder is about 33 amps... It would be nice to have on a morning like tomorrow! Somewhere around here is a discussion about the current capability of the tubers. A vest and grips might be a bit much, but then again, if you get a higher end controller instead of simple switches you can limit both.
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Oldog
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 12:05 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Widder is about 33 amps...


the system produces about 35 and 10 is reqd for an EFI bike like an X1..

I presume that you meant 3.3 amps.. }
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Jackbequick
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 08:29 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

When I looked at the spare fuses on my 2000 M2 I found they had a short loop of wire (white?) that was connected to the two fuse mounting clips. The loop doubled back from one side to the other and was tucked down into the harness sheath if I recall right.

So, in use, I assumed the concept was that you would clip the white wire in the center and attach a wire to one end that went to a +12VDC source (the battery, a relay, etc.) and attach a wire to the other white wire that went to the intended load.

I added a DC outlet to the M2's accessory circuit to handle the small load (2 Amp max, 300-500 mA realistic load) of using the outlet for a GPS receiver in the tank bag. The DC outlet was strapped to a downtube with cable ties behind the right side cover by your right knee.

Then the M2 went away and I got the Dyna and wanted to do similar things. I did not like the concept of adding any loads of any size to the existing wiring. So on the Dyna I tapped the orange with a white trace accessory wire (it comes on in the first switch position, goes off in the Off position) and used that to switch +12VDC (direct from the battery) through a 30 Amp high inrush relay (from American Sport Bike).

Then I up a multiple point load center that lives in my Cortech Mini-Mag tank bag and that is where I get power for any and all gadgets.

The 30 Amp load center in my tank bag is separately fused and does not place any load on existing wiring. And the things I attach to the load are also individually fused. The wiring is all appropriately sized to the loads involved.

The contents of my tank bag are not a pretty thing but it works for me. It all keeps me not lost, entertained, and warm when I using my electric liner. :>)

There are some details on all this in the KV, this has be discussed quite bit in the past.

Jack
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Easy_rider
Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2007 - 10:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Widder is about 33 amps...

Doh!! Make that 33 watts!!!
~3 amps is on track. Thanks for the check, Oldog!}}
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Mikef5000
Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 12:27 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Ehh, I didn't worry about the fusebox. I just added another battery tender lead with it's own 7.5 amp fuse. (Now I'm up to 3 external fuses!)

A spring project might be to incorporate them into the 2 open fuses in the box.

I'll take it to (automotive) school sometime soon to test and make sure the charging system can handle everything.
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Loki
Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 06:35 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

My BT has an inline fuse and is hooked directly to the battery as per its instructions
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Johnnylunchbox
Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 10:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Mike, I run a fused battery tender connector directly hooked to the battery for my heated vest. Haven't had a problem.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Monday, November 12, 2007 - 10:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I run a fused BT line up to the dash for powering the tank bag (cell or ipod chargers).
I also run a fused line to relays to power my 55 watt Walmart fog lights.
And now there's the BT line to the side of the seat to power the heated vest.

I'd love to get heated grips too... but that may not be a good idea.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 12:58 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I looked into it a little bit more, and figured I'd post up since this thread hasn't gone into the archives yet.

There is a loop of wire under each open fuse slot like Jackbequick said. It will be very tricky crimping onto them, as they are very short.

That's deffinately a spring project though. I will do a small writeup once I get it done.

I haven't had a chance to take it in and get some amperage readings with the fog lights and heated vest yet. All I know is that idling, I can have the high beam and fog lights on, and plugging the vest in does not cause any noticable dimming whatsoever.
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Mbsween
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 06:26 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

Mike,
I've always wanted to do this also, but laziness and fear of screwing up the bike keep me with multiple cords connected directly to the battery.

I'm interested to know what wiring is already in the fuse box for the spare slots (assuming anything is there). You can get an auxiliary panel from Aerostitch, might be over kill tho.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 06:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The empty fuse slots just have a tiny loop of wire beneth connecting the 2 terminals. I assume you just cut that wire loop, solder/crimp one side to the positive battery terminal, and the other side to your accessory(s). Toss in a fuse, and you're good to go.

That's the theoretical version at least. I have a feeling in reality, it'll be a bit more of a pain.

I think to get near enough clearance in there, I'll have to remove the entire tail section.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 06:57 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I've looked at this type of acce. fuse block:

At $8 for the 4 fuse block, it's a lot more resonable than the Aerostitch version. Problem is, all of them I can find are standard blade type fuses, not mini-blade like the OEM fuse block.

I'd perfer not to have to carry spares for 2 different types of fuses, but I might end up going this route anyway.
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Jackbequick
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 10:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

The loop of wire that is on the spare fuses is 18 gauge wire if I remember right. In theory, that should be okay for about a 20 Amp load with shorter (3-4 feet?) wiring runs. But I didn't like the working conditions as far as using the spares. Any new wire would have had to be run external to the existing harness.

To add a new fuse box, here is one I was looking at but did not use. Nice item, not real cheap:

http://www.centechwire.com/catalog/cycles/ap1.shtm l

As far as wire sizes, I used 16 gauge wire for the stuff (heated jacket liner, GPS, radio, etc,) I'm running off of a 30 Amp relay and direct from the battery. With the short run involved I can, in theory, draw the full 30 Amps through the 16 gauge wire.

I have the input from the battery to the relay fused at 20 Amps now and am not ever using anywhere near that much.

You can look at the loads and wire sizes needed here:

http://www.rbeelectronics.com/wtable.htm

Electricity, it's okay for electrocuting elephants and stuff but I don't know if it is going to really catch on or not...

Jack
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Ratbuell
Posted on Friday, November 23, 2007 - 11:02 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I didn't mess with the fuse block on my S2 (battery tender, heated suit plug, PIAA 35w powersport lights). Instead I took a couple pieces of metal - about 1.5" long x .5" wide x 3/16" thick - drilled 2 holes in 'em, and use them for my battery "terminals". They bolt to the battery (and its soft, easy-to-strip lead terminals); at the other end I have a 1/4-20 nut and bolt that holds all the leads. Add something / take something away? Loosen the nut, pull the lead, no damage to the battery.

And for the record:
Heated suit plug (HD/Gerbings) - 15A fuse
Battery tender - 7.5A fuse
PIAA lights - 20A fuse

I have a Kuryakyn LED battery gauge that will get installed when I get home tomorrow night, just to keep an eye on things with the new lights on. So far though, idling with lights and jacket/gloves turned on I get 13.2v; 2000 rpm nets me 14.6v. I figure I'm OK.
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Mikef5000
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 10:34 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

I rode the bike to school today, to do some testing. what I found is this:

At idle, 55w fog lights+heated vest+high beam+brake lights = overpowering the alternator.

Same thing as 1500+ RPM is just fine though.

fog lights+heated vest+low beam+tail light = acceptable at idle.

Heated grips are out of the question.
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Fasted
Posted on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 10:46 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Custodian/Admin only)

a gerbing temp controller works by maintaining voltage but modulating amperage. kind of a jack-off fix.....

how often is it necessary to be at idle with heated gear and the fog lites on? howzabout turnin' off the fog lamps?
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