Reddit reviews 6 Way Blade Fuse Box for Automotive [ATC/ATO Blade Fuses] [100 Amp][LED Indicator] [Protection Cover] [10-30V DC; 12V] Auto Marine Fuse Block

clinometer

Removed the radio and capped it with abs plastic, fit it with a usb charger and [four of these switches in different colors] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GH1PU0/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) using these housings

the switches got to [relays] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017VDI0GY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that are powered [by this fuse box] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that is mounted to the top of the OEM fuse box under the hood.

Those power my OBHS and OBA. Other two switches not in use yet, hoping for rock lights/light bar some day maybe?

Removed the old fog light switch panel, replaced with abs plastic and volume control that goes to an amp that goes to a stereo jack that i just plug into my phone for music.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484512150&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=12v+fuse+block

Here's a solid one.

The vehicle has a wire from the alternator to the battery. It is usually too small. If you connect your house battery charging wire at the alternator rather than at the vehicle battery you will improve the charging of the house battery without adding additional current and voltage drop to the charging path for the vehicle battery.

The wire from the vehicle alternator to the house battery gets the switch somewhere between the two. It doesn't matter where. If it is near either end or in the middle it doesn't matter. The switch instructions say to put it near the vehicle battery. It doesn't matter. The ohms are the same no matter where you put it. Make the wire as short as possible. Locate the switch out of the weather and wherever it is best to have a short total wire length.

Fuses protect wires to avoid fires. The size of the wire sets the upper limit of fuse size. The wire needs to be protected at every source of power. Your house battery charging wire has a connection to two sources of power. The house battery and the vehicle battery / alternator both feed the wire and both need a fuse. Mount the fuses as close as possible to their power sources.

The inverter takes a large DC current. A 440 watt blender using a 90% efficient inverter will need 40 Amps running, maybe twice that starting. Mount the inverter as close as possible to the house battery. If the inverter has its own fuse and the cable from the battery to the inverter is so short that it can't touch any ground even if cut or disconnected then maybe you don't need a fuse between the battery and the inverter.

The fuse box I used is:
https://www.amazon.com/OLS-PSZACCEPS051H-6-Way-Illuminated-Blade/dp/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1478725271&sr=1-1&keywords=automotive+fuse+block
You connect a wire from the house battery to it, put in the fuses then connect the fuse box outlet connectors to your loads. Again, put a fuse at the battery to protect the fat wire to your fuse box. If the wire to the fuse box is short enough so that even if the nut holding the wire on the fuse box falls off the wire can't reach anything grounded then maybe skip the fuse.

Specific answers

1 and 2) Wire from alternator - fuse - fat wire - separator - fat wire - fuse - house battery. Then from house battery to inverter, house battery to fuse box, both with fuses if necessary.

3) fuse size depends on wire. For small loads just use #12 wire and a 20 amp fuse. For your fat wire for charging the wire size depends on the length. If you mount the house batteries behind the driver's seat and the alternator is on that side of the engine you can probably get by with 10 to 15 feet. At that length #6 would be the smallest I would recommend. For #6 I would suggest 80 amp fuses.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W5SG2C0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4) Standard blade fuses fit in the fuse box linked above, not mini.
https://www.amazon.com/120-Pieces-EPAuto-Assorted-Standard/dp/B01DYQ5T3O/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1478727709&sr=8-5&keywords=automotive+fuses

5) Grounds are equal in importance to the +12 wiring. Any resistance will drop voltage and cause problems. When 2 items share a ground connection and that connection gets high resistance the symptoms get strange and diagnosis gets difficult. For a battery ground you need a hole drilled and a bolt run through. Star washers on both sides of the steel are helpful. You must grind away any paint. Find some ground connections that already exist to see how Sprinter did it. The battery black wire is like what you need for your house battery. Small wires around tail lights are like what you need for your small loads. The inverter should be connected with a short fat wire directly to the battery. The separator switch needs a small ground like other loads. There may be small grounds around the van that you can add to.

6) The fuse box doesn't get a ground connection.

7) The biggest risk (but least likely) is burning down the van with an electrical fire. The most likely risk is making some small arcs and blowing some fuses. A likely risk is connecting something backwards. LEDS just don't work backwards. If you connect your inverter backwards it will likely blow internal fuses, maybe fry the thing. The fan may go backwards, maybe fry. If there is arcing that involves alternator current it could kill the alternator.

Now the fierce criticism. Those coolers will kill batteries and not keep your food cold. If your van is 90F inside and the cooler drops it 30 then inside the cooler it is 60F. Not cold enough. 55 Watts is 110 Amp hours per day. You need to have a volt meter to keep from killing your battery. Do not wire an inverter like you wire a phone charger. The inverter needs short fat wiring. Search the internet and you tube about crimp connectors for fat wire and for #12. Don't strip a wire and twist it around a bolt and then tighten a nut. Look at the way wires are done from the factory in your van. No sharp edges, no loose unsupported wires. Before working on vehicle wiring disconnect the battery minus wire.

For the sake of argument, I actually have the products I have linked. I have only one battery and no disconnect switch. I upgraded the vehicle battery size. I have a vent fan, LED lights, chargers, no blender, 100 Watt solar. That makes me informed and experienced, not expert.

Do you have a multi meter? Is the battery dead? Seems like a silly question, sorry. If that's all your going to run off your fuse block, you might not need that heavy duty thing. The only thing drawing the most amps is your bilge pump. I'm guessing around 15 amps. You won't need the ground bus bar if everything is on the battery. The negative side will essentially keep everything grounded.

I would think you only need something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1457629487&sr=8-3&pi=SL75_QL70&keywords=auto+fuse+block

You just need to hook up the positive side of the battery to the post. Then properly fuse each output. Then run a return line to the negative terminal of the battery.

Most of my experience is navy radios and wiring police cars with all their sirens,lights, radios and what not.

Our grounds were essentially the body of the car which is connected to the negative end of the battery.
Just pay attention to your wire Guage too.

Is there any reason why you wouldn't just buy a normal 12v relay and run it to the ignition switch from the fuse panel instead of spending $60 on one with a relay built in? For example use these:

https://www.amazon.com/OLS-6-Way-Blade-Indicator-Protection/dp/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1497658098&sr=8-3&keywords=fuse+panel

https://www.amazon.com/OLS-Split-Charge-Relay-Switch/dp/B01MYPTVJD/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497658136&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=12v+relay&psc=1

Yes, also, you might want to consider adding a relay and fuse block for accessories:
[Relay]( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078T8CMF6/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_bqmiDbBMSEFWX via @amazon)
[Fuse Block](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QMTAZ1W/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_yrmiDbE7ZJ4HY via @amazon)
Wiring Guide
The fuse block should be under the seat/tail in a protected area.

I actually just bought this for a project on my jeep. Works really well and is pretty small.

Here is what I crudely drew

This is the Radio

This is the Fuse Box

Basically where the fuse is going for the Radio I was wondering if I could cut them off and have it go from the fuse box to the radio and put a 15 amp fuse in and get the same results.

The fuse box on the radio is supposed to be plugged directly to the battery for max power but the auxiliary fuse box will be plugged the same way.

If not that's fine I just wanted to make sure before I went and cut it out and I will just run a wire from the battery to the radio.

Hi, thanks for the reply! Dealing with AC power seems a bit scary for a completely unexperienced person like me. I was trying to stay away from inverters, but I may not have a choice with my laptop. How much efficiency is lost from going from 12v to 110 to 19? On a separate note, have you had any experience with wiring 5v usb charger ports to the battery? Could I just use dc to dc converters with heatsinks?

 

Also, I'm a bit confused about the fuses. Right now I'm planning on hooking up the battery to 3 switches (master, 12v cig outlets, and usb), two 12v cig outlets, and two usb ports (usb on one connection). Between those things, I was thinking of setting up a fuse box with one of these with a 3a fuse for the usb ports and possibly 5a for the car chargers? I don't know if it would be better to use 3a since I'm just going to have a dew heater and maybe (if I can find an adapter) a charger for my laptop.

If I were to use the kind of fuse setup you mentioned, how would that work? It says it includes 40a fuses, would I just replace those with 10/15a? Also, if I were to use those wire fuses for each connection rather than a box like that, is there any downside to using different gauge wires? The website mostly says those wire fuses are 10 or 12 gauge while I was planning on using 16. I'm honestly not sure if I even need 16 for the setup or if I should just go with a thicker wire like 12 gauge for the entire setup.

 

I'm very interested in those powerpole connections.Do you have an example on your setup on how they are connected to the different components both inside the battery container and outside? Did you use the powerpoles on the inside or just normal wiring with insulated terminal connections?
>Edit: For external use of those powerpoles, would you remove the 12v adapter male end from the wires on the device, connect the wires to their associated powerpole connection, and then plug that into the powerpole box?

 

Thanks!