Fuse Block - One more thread

[Guest]

I've searched the forums but am still wanting to see what anyone has done with replacing their fuse block. I'm going to ditch the glass fuses and was looking at the Blue Sea series of fuse blocks. They seem a little large though. Anyone have any pictures of your replacements?

[cowboyup3371]

I bought one from www.wiringproducts.com. You can see it installed in my 81 GS550T in Co Sprgs rebuild thread

[salty_monk]

Couple of nice ones... not cheap though!

http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Products/products.html

http://www.fuzeblocks.com/

[Steve]

I have bought THREE of the Eastern Beaver fuse panels, have only installed one, so far. I like it.

I got just the fuse panel and installed my own relay and wiring.

BEFORE was a wretched, convoluted MESS.


AFTER was much better.


If you want more details of the install, click HERE to read my thread from a couple months ago.

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[Good Times]

That's great Steve. I was looking at those today. Quick question though. What is the purpose of installing a relay?

I do want to use a fuse block that will give me more room for future accesories. Lights, GPS, Gatlin Gun. You know, the usual stuff.

[koolaid_kid]

I used the Blue Sea 5028 on my GPz. I put it under the tailpiece and did all my own wiring and relays. I have another one I am going to install in my GS.
I have seen the EasternBeaver unit and it is very nice. They will sell you everything you need to do the install, wires, relay, etc.
There is only 2 things I don't care for; the cover is not transparent so you have to remove it to check the fuses, and it uses the mini-ATC fuses. All my vehicles use standard ATC fuses and I did not want to have one unique model.
I'm not Steve, but the relay is used to provide maximum power to the fuse block.





The dual relays are forward next to the battery.
The Blue Sea also requires no tools to remove the cover, a plus.
However, the cover is not waterproof, a minus.

[Steve]

That's great Steve. I was looking at those today. Quick question though. What is the purpose of installing a relay?

In the stock wiring, a wire runs from the battery, through the MAIN fuse, to the ignition switch, which then powers the other three fuses in the fuse box. This puts a LOT of current through the contacts in the ignition switch. Over the years, these contacts degrade, leading some owners to apply Band-Aids, like the coil relay mod, headlight relay mod, and others.

The Eastern Beaver fuse box uses a relay (theirs or one that you supply) to divert the heavy current around the ignition switch. There are two fused terminals that have power all the time, much like the stock main fuse. I ran the stock wire from one of them to the ignition switch. The switched wire that usually comes back to power the other three fuses was used to trigger the relay. The relay supplies power directly from the battery to the other SIX fused terminals in the fuse box. Only three of them are necessary to run the bike, as in the stock wiring. I used the fourth position as my reference for the R/R, leaving two terminals for other accessories, like a cell phone charger port, or whatever. The second unswitched terminal can be used to connect your battery tender port or any other thing that you would like to have live when the key is off.

Personally, I think it was worth it, and am getting ready to install at least one of the other two units that I have.

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[Good Times]

In the stock wiring, a wire runs from the battery, through the MAIN fuse, to the ignition switch, which then powers the other three fuses in the fuse box. This puts a LOT of current through the contacts in the ignition switch. Over the years, these contacts degrade, leading some owners to apply Band-Aids, like the coil relay mod, headlight relay mod, and others.

The Eastern Beaver fuse box uses a relay (theirs or one that you supply) to divert the heavy current around the ignition switch. There are two fused terminals that have power all the time, much like the stock main fuse. I ran the stock wire from one of them to the ignition switch. The switched wire that usually comes back to power the other three fuses was used to trigger the relay. The relay supplies power directly from the battery to the other SIX fused terminals in the fuse box. Only three of them are necessary to run the bike, as in the stock wiring. I used the fourth position as my reference for the R/R, leaving two terminals for other accessories, like a cell phone charger port, or whatever. The second unswitched terminal can be used to connect your battery tender port or any other thing that you would like to have live when the key is off.

Personally, I think it was worth it, and am getting ready to install at least one of the other two units that I have.

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Thanks Steve. This makes sense. I'm still wrapping my head around it a bit. Repetition is the best teacher though. I'll re-read when I'm ready to install the new fuse block. You're right. That is a lot of current going through the ignition switch. I like this option.

Now I just need to learn about the common ground. I'll search the forum for that info. I noticed that of the Blue Seas block has a common ground block in it. Although the unit is too large to fit on the panel.

Oh, and by the way, you cracked me up with polishing the angle aluminum. It was just a few days ago that I was looking at the same exact aluminum asking, "I wonder if that would polish up nicely."

[Steve]

Oh, and by the way, you cracked me up with polishing the angle aluminum. It was just a few days ago that I was looking at the same exact aluminum asking, "I wonder if that would polish up nicely."

At least that was something that might be seen. Of course, you would have to remove a side cover to see it, but it would be right there.

Other items that have been polished on a whim (or a dare):












My buffing wheel seems to be dangerously close to anywhere I walk in the garage, so you never know what's going to meet it next.

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[Flyboy]

Had to show off mine....

[Good Times]

Steve - I was polishing some bolts tonight and thought about you. I didn't think about polishing the tensioner! I did polish the breather cover though. I thought about polishing the oil pan, but didn't. Still wish I had!

Flyboy - that looks good.

[7981GS]

Seriously, Steve, you POLISHED Cam Covers?



And I thought that I was nuts!

Eric

[Steve]

Seriously, Steve, you POLISHED Cam Covers?

And I thought that I was nuts!

That was in reponse to another polishing thread. Someone joked on there that I probably had my cam covers polished, so I posted a picture of the round covers that you can see on the outside of the cams. They answered back, saying "no, the covers on the inside, the ones that hold the cams in place". I took that as a challenge, went to my parts bin, grabbed a couple and polished them.


Oh, from what I hear, you are nuts.

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