I want to install an auxiliary fuse block and some toggle switches to control lights and other appearance items. Can someone help on the wiring? I was told to go battery to toggle to fuse block. Wouldn't it be easier to go to the block from the battery? Should I get one with a common ground. What's my best options?
Thanks to any that may help.

 

The External fuse block, there are a few options.

1. Hot all the time
2. Hot with the key in run / accessory position.

If you are looking at items such as lamps, these I would think you would want the relay for the lamps to control when they could be on or off ( i.e. on with high beams only, parking lamps, etc ), so the fuse panel for these needs to be hot at all times.

The other appearance items you need to decide the same thing, when they can have power to them ( key position, and if any external input such as headlamps, parking lamps, reverse, etc ) to know if you need a hot in run only or if the key position comes into play.

Next, is to figure the load you are going to have total for the items.

Once you know this, you can decide what the fuse panel needs to be.

In the case of all the fuses are hot at any time, you can use a panel like the Centech AP-1
http://www.centechwire.com/catalog/panels/ap1.shtml



This is a fuse panel where all the fuses are hot at all times ( or you could make it all with the key in nn position ) and under 60A total load.

In the case of part hot at all times, part with the key in nn position, there are :
Centech AP-2
http://www.centechwire.com/catalog/panels/ap2.shtml



This is split in 2 sections, 1 is for 20 A of load, the other is for 40 A of load.
The wiring harness AP-130R from Centech allows for the circuit to make the hot in nn key position ( run or run / accy, etc ) to be done for you, so there is a single fuse circuit to the battery.

Fuzeblock
http://www.fuzeblocks.com/



This is hot at all times or hot in nn key position selectable per fuse.
The max per side and total for the unit as a whole is 30A.

There are others manufactures such as Blue Sea.

The switch should not be inline with fused wire to the battery, else it could be a huge switch ( and not needed ).
Keep in mind, the fuse panel to the battery needs to be rated at the total load for the fuse panel. So a 60A total load to the battery would require a 60A rated switch.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260946745364...496wt_754(fuse block)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120870437526...t_698(switches)

why does the block have 12 negative connections and 6 positive?

 

Got me don't know the manufacture of that block. Looks like the one you can get at Napa, I'm not one for spade terminals to a fuse block, I prefer a set screw or screw / terminal eye combo.

The switch, what was the reason for that URL ?

 

That's the switches I ordered.
Ill look for a set screw style. When I get what I choose can u help with all the set up of install?

 

Hope you are not putting much load on those switches.

It will work for a trigger circuit to a relay coil.

 

There wont be much on them maybe 5amps

 

Those will work fine for 5 A.

Post up what all the items are that you are going to be installing to it are.

This way you get together a shopping list of the parts you need, so you are ready come install day.
Plus it will help if you need some diagrams made up, so you have them in advance of the install.

You have Aux lamps as one item, any specs on them ?
- Wattage of the bulbs and if it is a kit with a relay or just individual lamps.

Also, don't know if you want indicator lamps ( led or incandescent ) for the items.

 

I'm gonna put some leds behind the grill. And maybe some along the running boards of the truck. And maybe back up lights.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/24cm-24-LED-...item2ebc0ae950
Behind the grill.
I have a white glow gauge cluster I'm gonna add to the block also.

 

Not too sure what the draw is with the LEDs, they do not list the specs on them. I can pontificate that it is 5A.

The white glow gauge cluster, does this require external power ?

The back up lamps are the only real load, and that is just a guess until you know which actual lamps you are going to put in.
The back up lamps, do you have a 7 pin trailer tow adapter ?
- if so, you might be able to power them off this, so it is the trailer tow reverse circuit and relay, nothing external required. If you go this route, you are talking about 1 fuse so far ( pending the gauge does not require external power ).

 

The cluster does need external power. I have it tapped to my radio power right now.

 

What is the load ?

 

No idea. I'm gonna use a 10 amp fuse on it. I have 30a if that's too small

 

Quick fuse lesson

1. The load of the device should be 80% of the fuse rating and the wire AWG needs to match the fuse rating.

So if you have an 8A load, use a 10A fuse, not a 30A

If you have a 7 A load, that would make it 30% room to a 10A fuse, not much choice there.

If you have a 4A load, you should use a 5A fuse.

If you stick a 30A fuse in there, you need to have the wire size to match it ( which is going to be 10 AWG ).

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The next thing, find out the actual load of the items, don't guess.

The manufacture ( if they are not some fly by night shop ) knows what the load is on the items they sell.

You want to know if there is a problem with the load by having the correct fuse size installed.