Complete Rewire Project

[roadmonster]

Let your car dictate how your wiring system develops.

I rewired my buggy last year and more or less accidentally did it right. I started with the ideas of accessibility, excess capacity, versatility, and short wire runs. I used several fuse blocks, terminal strips, distribution blocks, and relays and laid things out where they worked best. I ended up with 2 6-fuse blocks (one hot, one switched) side by side left of the column. 2 marine terminal strips for power and ground next to that. 12x4 push-on terminal strip behind the gauges. This is REALLY useful (no, I don't know where to get another one). 4-relay panel next to that. Now you have everything you need under the dash and the wires push on so you can rearrange things however you want.

In the grille shell is another 6-fuse block for hi beams, lo beams, fan, and horns. Very short wire run directly from alternator.

Behind the seat is a spare block which powers an 800w sub and (2) 700x2 amps. It's mostly empty but available for future expansion if needed.

When you distribute the components, you utilize otherwise wasted space and have full 12v right at the load. Taillights and audio amps are right off the battery, lights, fan, and horns are right off the alternator, and dash accessories are off marine terminals with 12ga wire direct to battery.

If a fuse ever blew, you can keep extra ones in the spare slots and either replace the fuse or move the wire over to the spare circuit. If you decide to relay a circuit, it's just plug and play. Troubleshooting and reconfiguring things is very easy.

Just my thoughts. Good luck!

 

[PotvinGuy]

Indy, your schematics are better than any I've seen from the companies that make wiring kits!

One tiny point: you're feeding the ignition switch BAT terminal from a fuse in the always-on block. If that one fuse should blow, it will start a chain reaction killing power to everything; no ignition, no starter, no switched power. Dead car. I'd feed the BAT terminal from one of the 40 amp fuses. And of course add up all the loads and make sure the total is well under 40 amps.

 

[Indycars]

Thanks for the nice comment, I just hope the physical side of this project turn out as nice.

If I move the supply line to the Bat terminal like you suggest, how is that going to change everything going dead if the 40 amp fuse blows? Just wanting to understand!

 

[PotvinGuy]

I'm sorry, Indy, it's like I tell wifey: it's technical. Well, I'm hoping the 40A fuse won't blow as quickly as whatever fuse you were planning for the line to the BAT terminal. Did you have a rating in mind for that one? Since the ignition switch is only feeding 3 relays now, you don't need much. 5A would be plenty. Either way will work fine, and we'll get hit by a big space rock first anyway.

Hey, I use these fuses that glow when they blow: http://www.delcity.net/store/ATO-Smart-Glow-Fuses/p_800317 Very nice when troubleshooting on a dark country road. Why don't bad things happen in a nice well-lit parking lot?

 

[fluidfloyd]

his Might Be A Personal Statement About Me...Or Not!

 

[Indycars]

I'm sorry, Indy, it's like I tell wifey: it's technical. Well, I'm hoping the 40A fuse won't blow as quickly as whatever fuse you were planning for the line to the BAT terminal. Did you have a rating in mind for that one? Since the ignition switch is only feeding 3 relays now, you don't need much. 5A would be plenty. Either way will work fine, and we'll get hit by a big space rock first anyway.

Hey, I use these fuses that glow when they blow: http://www.delcity.net/store/ATO-Smart-Glow-Fuses/p_800317 Very nice when troubleshooting on a dark country road. Why don't bad things happen in a nice well-lit parking lot?

You are probably right, I couldn't understand the explanation!!!

The 16 AWG wires should handle 15 amps, so probably use 10 amp, like you say, don't want the fuse to blow for no reason.

My cars never breakdown except in the driveway, no need for fancy fuses!

 

[T-Test]

You are probably right, I couldn't understand the explanation!!!

The 16 AWG wires should handle 15 amps, so probably use 10 amp, like you say, don't want the fuse to blow for no reason.

My cars never breakdown except in the driveway, no need for fancy fuses!

ALWAYS carry a fire extinguisher!!! Even in your drive way, for that's likely where it burn to the ground without proper electrical protection!!!

 

[Indycars]

I keep two in the garage, one CO2 by the overhead door and a Halon by the door into the house. But no I don't have one in the car at all times.

 

[ellis8500]

I'm curious why T-Test recommends a fire extinguisher at all times in our cars. Do we pose a fire hazard not found in our production cars?

 

[Indycars]

I'm not sure but T-Test must think that we are ALL responsible adults ...... little does he know about some of us! hehehe

Good thing I'm not superstitious with the final schematic being version 13.

For the fuse I figured a 30 amp would work but might be too close to the amp actually passing thru, so I might have to go to a 35 amp fuse.

Starter Solenoid 15 amp
Ignition Coil ..... 10 amp
Volt Meter .......... 1 amp
Alternator Light.. 1 amp
---------------------------------
........................... 27 amps

Is this what you had in mind Potvinguy ???

 

[PotvinGuy]

Definitely looking good. If the 30A fuse isn't big enough...well, you'll soon find out. I keep a small box of spare fuses in the car. Not because they blow a lot, but because strange things happen. Coming home at night on an empty country road (of course), big sparks, like welding size, would float about the cockpit! It was poltergeists for sure! I had left a small metal panel on a long wire behind the seats and it was bouncing around, hitting exposed battery terminals and making the sparks. Love this sport.

 

[T-Test]

I'm curious why T-Test recommends a fire extinguisher at all times in our cars. Do we pose a fire hazard not found in our production cars?

NSRA will only let you in their shows IF you have an on board fire extinguisher. But if you remember in the early days, people were using fuseable links at the starter and some times the rubber fuel line that was close by would erupt in flame when that link would burn up. I think there are still wiring harnesses for sale out there don't have a fuse panel or much electrical protection at all. ALWAYS remember---- SAFETY FIRST!!! It may be YOUR life in peril!!!

 

[PotvinGuy]

NSRA will only let you in their shows IF you have an on board fire extinguisher.

Is that a new rule? I went to the SW Nats for many years and I don't have a fire thingy.

 

[EX JUNK]

Is that a new rule? I went to the SW Nats for many years and I don't have a fire thingy.

I was a member of NSRA for many, many years and attended a lot of their events along with their safety inspections. Even on their inspections a fire extinguisher was not mandatory but was suggested. I do, however, carry one in ALL my vehicles, even my daily driver.

Jim

 

[Indycars]

Coming home at night on an empty country road (of course), big sparks, like welding size, would float about the cockpit! It was poltergeists for sure! I had left a small metal panel on a long wire behind the seats and it was bouncing around, hitting exposed battery terminals and making the sparks. Love this sport.

Shit happens, things that you could never anticipate happen. Was it the fourth of July by any chance???

 

[T-Test]

My bad on the rule for NSRA. But somewhere I went to a National event, and they said I had to have one. It's still a good thing[fire extinguisher] to have on board.

 

[Indycars]

Since I'm rewiring the car completely from scratch and installing all new gauges from SpeedHut and the AEM digital gauges. I'm also building a new dash to house the gauges. For the final dash I will use African Padauk.




For the layout I used the same software as the wiring schematics, it's called Visio by MS.



To help with the layout I printed vertical lines 5 inches apart so I could tape one page to the next.



With the template in place, I could center punch my centerlines with a scribe. I'm doing all this on a cheap piece of wood.



Got pretty close. The next pic is taken thru an eye loupe at 8x magnification to check my accuracy.



Below I'm testing the new 3-7/8" hole saw and building the first trial dash nearly complete.



The Padauk is 15/16 inch thick, so knowing the gauge's threads will not reach all the way thru, I have to use a router and cut a 45° angle to reduce the thickness.

 

[Indycars]

Looking for some ideas for relay panel or circuit boards. Trying to minimize space taken up by them. Need to have about 6 relays. I've seen some that slide together, but can't find them now. Do most of you use sockets or connect direct to the pins?

Maybe something like the one below, but with higher current capacity, these are 16 amp.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PXH7RR4...UTF8&colid=2YFIUJ8JWFA6F&coliid=I8MPGRC09BWG5

 

[PotvinGuy]

Hmm...well, I've never seen big relays in a package. I mount mine individually on the panel, with sockets with flying leads:

I use these for other projects, but they're only good for 10 amps.

But I bet we can find what you want. I'll go poke around.

 

[PotvinGuy]

Found this on eBay, but can't copy and paste address for some reason. Search for "12v relay board"


8 big relays in a nice compact board with all the extras. Damn, wish I'd seen this before I built my panel!