Where is the best place to put the fuse block?

[gr8cobbler]

I've got my "Bag-O-Wires" with the 6 fuse block as well as a 'well preserved' loom with 12 fuse block-dimmer-relay-flasher mounts from the 72 donor. I'm using the 72 column too with ignition, turn signals, dimmer and wiper controls. My buggy is a Sears Rascal near as I can tell and I stretched if to full length. Wiring it is my winter project.

I've done some searching and have seen some good ideas for wiring and swing down panels and firewall mounting. I have the common problem of having the headlights interfer with hood removal and know you don't really want to deal with hood removal any more than absolutly neccesary. I expect I will be assembling and dissassembling the buggy several more times before I'm done but hope to drive it while in the final stages.

My question is where is the best place to locate the fuse block? What would you do differently if you were to start wiring from scratch? Thanks in advance for your wisdom.

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Gary

Being a cheap old fart is just a front for my actual lack of money.

[Dale M.]

I put mine on fire wall above center of tunnel....

Best IDEA I have seen in to put it on a hinge from dash so it swings down and you can access it without crawling under dash to get to it...

I will say in 10 years I have only had to replace 1 fuse when I blew it replacing turn signal switch.... IF rest of your electrical system is good, its not like you access it every day....

Greatest thing going is new blade fuses with LEDs in them that light if they blow..... IF you use these, where fuse panel is is not really a issue because if you look at it and no LEDs are illuminated everything is good....

Wiring should be last item in final assembly.... IF you planing to put buggy together and take it apart, wiring getting in the way and having to be disconnected and reconnected is your worst nightmare....

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=344781

Dale
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All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[Hank22]

My T buggy didn't allow much of anything behind the dash let alone a hinged fuse block so I just mounted to the firewall.

[pallen]

I like where I put mine, easy to get to IMO...

If I would have done anything different is to find or modify a fuse block so a few fuses are hot when key on, They are all hot all the time and that dosent work for a few circuits so I had to add inline fuses after the key on terminal off the ignition switch.
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[jspbtown]

I agree with Dale.Keep it up high and out of sight. If you do it right then the need to replace a fuse will be few and far between.

That being said I would never use that pile of wire you have. First...you are planning on using a 40 year old harness? In my opinion thats asking for trouble. There aren't many 40 year old things that don't have issues.

Second..that fuse block is terrible. How the wires attach to the box is really poor. With that design you will likely have alot of connection issues so you should consider a flip down panel. The screws pinch the wires, they get corroded, they loosen...just lots and lots of issues.

[clonebug]

I built mine from scratch and modified it at least three times ever the years due to learning something new or finding a better relay.

Start with one circuit at a time.


I kept the engine circuit separate from the lighting.
I have eight wires that go from a terminal strip to the engine along the tunnel.
All I have to do is pull those eight screws, pull the horn wire, the brake switch wires and the license plate light in the back and my body can be removed. All the body wiring stays on the body and never gets disconnected.
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[BL3Manx]

Put it where you can see/reach it easily. I can reach in and change a fuse with both my feet still on the ground. I put it on the front bulkhead to the left of the steering column. Its just got 6 fuses so there's plenty of room.

Simplicity is a prerequisite of reliability. The speedo with its idiot lights and fuel quantity gauge is my one instrument. I just have the minimum number of VW switches; light, wiper, turn, horn, brake and floor mounted dimmer. I don't have a single relay.

I've used the bag of wires harness but I replaced the ceramic fuse type block with an ATC blade type fuse block.

[Dale M.]

In progress of my electricals during original rebuild of my red buggy..

Speedo and gauges are on aluminum panel and umbilical that passes through hole in dash than is covered by "dash" plate... This allows me to remove body without removing any wiring and to access rear of gauges and speedo to do any work that may be necessary (change light bulbs)...

Aluminum plate the relays and fuse panels are mounted on is also ground bonded to chassis (#8 wire) and is used to supply grounds to any relays or lamps or whatever circuits the require grounds at dash.... Two fuse panels are used... one on right is full time HOT (12 volts all the time) and once in center of panel is "pass through" for circuits requiring "inline" fuses after switches....

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[EVfun]

I just have a 2 fuse wiring system, so my fuse is just before the main wiring. Constant hot goes in to both fuses, then one fuse to the ignition switch and from either the ACC or IGN terminal of that switch to everything that only works when the key is on. The other fuse goes to the headlight switch. It is modeled off of the '64 system, where the turn signals, brake lights, wipers, and horn where all on one fuse. There was another fuse for the dome light and radio (constant hot, not applicable to my buggy) and 6 fuses for the various running lights (replaced by a single fuse before the headlight switch. I used to have the fuse block under the dash on the front firewall, but I'm moving it back to near the 12 volt battery.
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[GPM]

Mine got mounted on the bulkhead above the passengers footwell. I scrapped the old VW fuse box and installed 2 modern blade fuse boxes. One takes care of all the power and ignition stuff, the other does all the lights. All connections soldered and heatshrink insulated. Used the bit from the fuse box to mount the relays

[lostinbaja]

Here is a rough version of my swing down fuse/relay panel. after 10 years of trouble free use, I finally got around to cleaning it up this winter. I haven't taken any pics of the finalized/cleaned up version.
I was in a buggy that had electrical problems at 11:00 pm in the middle of nowhere and you had to climb under the dash to get to the fuse panel and the flashlight we had was absolute junk. It took us 2 hours to fix the problem. I vowed to never have to crawl under the dash to change a fuse in my buggy.

FUSE PANEL FOLDED DOWN:

FUSE PANEL FOLDED UP:

I rough picture of the panel up and locked, under the dash:

I plan on making another panel over the top of the original panel, to mount my EFI ECU on. The 2nd panel will be hinged and unlatch so it can swing out of the way to allow access to the fuse panel.
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[gr8cobbler]

Thanks guys, I got some very good ideas and advice. I will post up my results later in the spring. Weather took a real cold turn about the same time family issues started heating up so I'm going to be doing some armchair buggy building for a while. That usually improves the results in my case... It's a budget build so I probably can't follow all of the good ideas offered but will try find ways of incorporating those I can afford or engineer myself. Some things cost you a lot more if you don't do them right the first time, I'm thinking the electrical system is definitely one of them. Anyone know how to turn a Bag-O-Wires into a Rebel Harness?
_________________
Gary

Being a cheap old fart is just a front for my actual lack of money.

[Roys_Big_Toys]

I stole the drop down fuse box idea. I also have (Molex) connectors to everything on the dash, digital dash, radio, turn signals, etc. I can unplug everything and lift the hood off without disrupting the wiring. I also mounted an auxiliary 12vdc outlet onto the bottom of the drop down door for misc. equipment, like a 12vdc air compressor. I also used the 9 / 3 Rebel wiring harness, recommended by Vince and it worked perfectly.
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[gr8cobbler]

I always try to get back and close a thread I start with my results. As you can tell from the dates I never quite make it on time but I am making progress. My buggy is now wired.

I didn't care for the fuse box in the Bag-O-Wires and went searching. FLAPS just weren't offering much and it finally dawned on me to see what I might pull from an existing machine in a bone yard. Found a really trick drop down fuse panel in a 90 Ford Bronco that I pulled for $16 with 2 flasher units (emergency and turn), 17 circuits, and a pocket full of blade fuses (backups) . I mounted the unit to my steering support cross member and she works like a charm.

Overall I am pretty happy with the result. I would have prefered to have fewer splices and more colors of wires to work with. I bought a good crimper, good connectors and used lots of heat shrink tubing. Still under $100 including some turn signals and tail lights.

Thanks for all the great suggestions, photos, and advice.

_________________
Gary

Being a cheap old fart is just a front for my actual lack of money.