Am I overthinking my electrical? (1 Viewer)

[scratchhax]

I totally relate to this thread, I am finishing the wiring on my 71' 40 and I scrapped the whole harness and all the direct current wiring. I shaved the dash so there are no wires back there other than for gauges. A solid state switch panel and a GM column handle all direct current. No need for any other gauges because they are all Bluetooth from the Edelbrock Pro Flo 4 runing the ls6.0. Also so I dont get flamed, this dash was totally cut out and diamond plated when I got it so doing something like this was possible.

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How many relays did you end up with and what fuse box did you use?
EDIT: sorry I just caught that you did direct to the column switch and have a solid state for anything that would have been relayed.

 

[youpers]

How many relays did you end up with and what fuse box did you use?
EDIT: sorry I just caught that you did direct to the column switch and have a solid state for anything that would have been relayed.

I have a total of 11 relays if you count the horn relay. The fan has 2 relays on its own harness. I like to use easily accessible relays for the fan for trail fixes. All lighting other than turn signals and brake lights runs through the switch panel and those are solid state. The panel itself is an Auxbeam AR800. It's an affordable alternative to the SwitchPro. I'd recommend it.

edit: The fuse panel is a generic 10 circuit panel and I think Im only using 7 circuits on it

 

[peesalot]

I had to rewire my 40, I do not like more than 1 item on a circuit so I had 22 after I was done I put relays on the high load circuits. Between the engine (6.0) and the other stuff I have 7 relays.

 

[scratchhax]

I had to rewire my 40, I do not like more than 1 item on a circuit so I had 22 after I was done I put relays on the high load circuits. Between the engine (6.0) and the other stuff I have 7 relays.

nice, thanks!

 

[Grayscale]

yeah it's just a sbc with a 1 wire alternator so no excitor needed. I'll probably monitor current but I'll use a shunt to the battery instead of an inline meter. I know the old system was basically just switches and thick wires, but every single wire in this thing was torched and clearly overheated. I know that was due to whatever the PO did, but now I'm paranoid I'm sure I'm overthinking this, but it can't hurt getting the group opinion.

I wonder how much damage one does to a harness when it is shorted out between alternator B+ ring terminal and the engine hook or whatever, using a wrench for something. The short at that place in the harness is a long stretch of wire from the battery +. As a side note, I managed to get that exposed terminal insulated without removing the original ring terminal from the original white/blue charge wire. Anyways, It happens fast, and it takes time for a fusible link to blow. I wonder if a high amperage slot-blade-type fuse would offer additional protection for the kind of really quick arcing that you get from those shorts that last milliseconds? The fusible link's duty is to have a melt-down at a designated spot which has insulation that is fire retardant, not flamable, and it will remain in duty. Place the regular fuse behind the fusible link, and away from the (much more sealed and modern / safe / less hydrogen gassing) battery.

With the factory ammeter, it seems like we are really kinda vulnerable here? I understand why you want to just shunt to the battery instead of the inline/factory ammeter.

 

[South Texas 97]

Some folks have switched out the ammeter for a voltmeter. There is someone selling the replacement gauge.

 

[1911]

Some folks have switched out the ammeter for a voltmeter. There is someone selling the replacement gauge.

What I did.

 

[youpers]

What I did.


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this is what I did too.