I’m wondering if any of you tinkerers have a preferred fuse box you use for your electrical requirements?
My plan for Truck Norris is to run everything off of the deep cycle battery I installed in place of the starting battery. This configuration worked out surprisingly well for my last two vehicles, the Toaster and 4-Slice. It saves space and keeps the battery far away from any bleach. It’s an oversized battery, and could run my wfp pump for days without draining down.
The quality of my electrical work left something to be desired, though.
My plan for Truck Norris is to run a fat 0-1 gauge positive lead from the battery to a distribution panel/fuse box on the bed (this lead will also be fused at the battery, don’t worry ) . Then a hefty distribution block grounded to the frame. I’d like something weatherproof and robust, but also not break the bank in the process. Recommendations?
In addition to the wfp pump, I will also be wiring power to two electric reels, some led lighting, and eventually to the starter on my machine
Don’t mind me. I like to do things the hardest way possible. I didn’t know those little fuse boxes existed. Thought they only came specific to certain vehicles. Lol
I won’t have the charging coil hooked up on my machine, so I won’t be back feeding a charge into my vehicle’s electrical system, if that’s what you are referring to.
I’ll have some type of master switch on my fuse box so I can kill power to all the auxiliary equipment.
Master switch covers it if you don’t use up all your marine battery over a day or two. Battery isolator just allows those components to only draw off the marine battery and never get to your truck battery, but your truck can charge both. really helpful if there’s anything that causes a parasitic draw.
Now I’m tracking. I saw the high gauge cord run for the battery and for some reason I thought you meant from under the hood. Are you charging the marine battery with a battery tender?
Not that I’m trying to sell you on it, but that’s the purpose of a battery isolator. To charge two batteries, but separate them for different uses. Hope that explains what I was thinking. Lol
Yes, from under the hood. I took out the factory starting battery under the hood, and replaced it with an oversized marine deep cycle battery. That will be the only battery on the truck.
So far I’ve never used a tender. I’ve been told that I could get some more life out of my batteries if I used one, though. I usually buy a new one every 2-3 seasons.
And that’s why I don’t mention it often or advocate it to other contractors. But my experience over the last 6 or 7 years of doing this has shown that it works just fine. The batteries don’t last forever, but the space savings and convenience are worth it.
If you use a deep cycle, be sure to carry jumper cables and keep an extra alternator on hand. Most cars draw about 200 amps when starting. Deep cycle maxes out around 90 to 100. It will not likely fully charge either, so count on low amps.
) . Then a hefty distribution block grounded to the frame. I’d like something weatherproof and robust, but also not break the bank in the process. Recommendations?
