new fuse block

Ive been working on my bike (82 xj650rj) for a while now with much help from the guys on this site. I always see people posting pictures of the work they have accomplished on their bikes so I thought I would post some pics of my make-shift fuse box and see what you think. All the boxes I found online or at the part store were either open on the bottom or they sat too high or there had far too many terminals... I could not find one that I liked very much so I made my own.

I soldered the wire connections together then used shrinktube for protection. I then ran all the wires together and used electrical tape to make the job loop professional. The fuses are basically just inline fuses with the extra protective rubber covers. Because they are inline fuses, they are still flexible enough to tip back and look at the fusable link rather then having to take them out or use a test light each time you want to check them. However, with the wires ran together, the fuse block remains rigid enough so they are not bouncing around under the seat.

I was having a problem with my 'main' fuse getting VERY hot. Reading some of the older postings I found out it was because of the resistance in the broken terminal connections. This mod it seemed to clear that right up and it now starts better then ever.

Thanks for all the help with this and other issues.
Cheers
Jeff

 

Very nice....thank goodness that hideous original fusebox monstrosity is gone!

 

Nice work... I like it

 

That's exactly like I did mine.
Works great so far.
I used the mini fuse set up.
If I remember right, it was less than $3 per unit.

 

yep, the whole thing cost about 8 bucks.

 

Nice job, really cleaned er up.

 

I am looking to do the EXACT same thing... where did you buy the inline fuse sockets? I found them online but Im too impatient to wait for shipping so I want to just go buy some...

 

Excellent job! Kudos on finding a good solution to the problem that I hated which was the length of those wires. I will second the question about where you got those particular inline fuse holders.

On top of that you insulated much better than me:

http://shorterlink.org/2869

We happen to have very large shrink tubing where I work (anything from 1/2" to 8" in diameter) so what I might do is completely enclose the entire assembly in shrink tubing then cut a hole in the top for the cover.

 

What's up Nimitz, I just went to Pep Boys on my lunch break and found everything I needed. They carry the EXACT same inline fuses that our friend here used. They are $2.19 each. I bought four and after work I am going to replace that piece of junk fusebox under my seat. It's been giving me grief for weeks now.

 

I bought exactly this set of gear to do exactly the same replacement. Haven't had a chance to actually sit down and do it yet, but I hope to this weekend.

Now that I've seen it, maybe I'll get ambitious and do it this evening

 

Well, I got motivated and did mine pretty much exactly like irish's. I used butt connectors instead of trying to splice-and-solder, took me all of half an hour. I'm very pleased with myself now!

I'm not sure if it was my imagination, but on the test ride around the block, I swear the bike was a lot more responsive at low RPMs too... the old connectors were pretty gross, even on the ones that weren't downright snapped off. I wonder if I'm just getting more juice to the plugs and therefore better combustion...

Got my inline fuse holders at Canadian Tire for about $3 each, a bulk pack of blade fuses, and two packs of 6 butt connectors. All told it was about $16.

 

OK guys, I have a question for you: how can you best make this setup work if you want to ADD a circuit for driving lights or a CB or other accessory?

 

That is part of the reason I went with a fuse block. You notice that in the picture I posted before I have an extra fuse that runs some blue LEDs underneath the tank shining down on the engine.

If you're using the other type of standalone fuse holders the only thing I can think would be to splice into the existing lighting circuit for driving lights. If it's something manual like an amplifier or power outlet I'd take the time to run a separate circuit directly from the battery and through a standalone weatherproof switch and fuse.

 

Like your solution Nimitz - similar to the other Littlefuse set ups - just having trouble sourcing the part locally.

 

I had to order it from an online source because all that the local sources had was that stupid quick-fuse assembly that breaks easily and has no cover.

Don't ask me to remember the source but I think you can search the forums and find the link.

 

The pics say it all nice job Will be doing that with mine

 

I must be blind. I have not even noticed that this post got so much feedback. Good idea with using the connectors lefty. In retrospect, I probably did overkill the project but I had an afternoon to kill. If any of you guys have pics to share, I would love to see them. I have been very pleased with how sturdy my block turned out.
Cheers
JBL

 

If you stick a 6-Fuse Panel in there as a replacement ... you get two extra places for spares or two additional fused circuits for whatever.

Plus ...

 

Hey Rick. Where did you get the fuss block?

 

Yup, found the link Nimitz but the site is down for maintenance and has been for a while. I found a manufacturer here in Canuckville called Blue Sea Systems and they have a nice set of blocks ( http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/products/5028 ). The trick will be to find a distributor. These guys build all sorts of stuff for boats and they look perfect for XJs. Rick - any thoughts on these items?

 

I think the Blue Sea System offerings are a bit of Overkill. But, a quality fuse panel to replace the one Yamaha put in there 25 Years ago is a good move.

 

Updated the link to reflect the one that looks like a better fit for the XJ's. Any thoughts on this one Rick? http://bluesea.com/category/5/21/products/5028

 

Now that one is nice enough looking to be installed externally somewhere on the bike.

Wow! I guess if you have the money and the time to install that in your bike ... ~~> "All the more Power to you" <~~

 

Ditto Rick, very nice arrangement! Any idea what the cost is?

 

Found it on Google Checkout.. $23.23+shipping. http://www.limitedgoods.com/itemView.php?ProdID=91821

That one is real nice, even has spare holders in the cover. Just remember that it is a single bus block like the one I used. Go back and look at that other thread if you haven't already, because I posted a wiring diagram of the stock fusebox so you can see how it works. You will have to set that block up like I did in order to add any accessories, otherwise you will overload the stock wiring.

 

Amazing what one can track down on the 'net. The 5028 does not have a negative bus, so it should be similar to the Littlefuse set up elsewhere. Other Blue Sea versions do have a negative bus and those would have to follow your system. With my original setup, my bike has trouble starting on damp days or cool mornings where there is not enough juice to fire the ignition. Should a new system like yours help cure this problem?

 

No, this block is not like the Littelfuse (4-in-4-out) blocks. This is a 1-in-6-out block just like I used in my setup with the relay. The negative bus is just a place where you can have all of your grounds come together (it is meant to be used on fiberglass boats that do not have a chassis ground).

The way I set mine up does have much less of a voltage drop, since the power isn't going through 10 extra feet of undersized wire, a 26 year old switch, and a few connectors. So that should help your situation if there really isnt enough juice for the ignition (you might have a deeper problem that is causing your starter to draw more than it should, like worn brushes or a damaged stator, or your battery may be bad)