- Jun 30, 2004
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Here is an example of a fuse-box extension, which I'm giving consideration. The difference between these different makes and models isn't sufficient to warrant a choice based on anything but price and reliability -- at least for my purposes.
I've probably posted a thread about my Trooper's Anti-Theft System and my history with it since a friend's 32" tube-type TV set pitched backwards in the cargo hold and shattered the rear window of the main rear door -- an accident that cost me $300 to repair such that I'm more than satisfied. My carelessness, and not the vehicle or manufacturer's fault. I just recently posted my MP3 Player integration project.
I discovered that the main fuse for the Anti-Theft system had been pulled out, and the fittings for that fuse are missing from the fuse box. The ATS runs off the ACC/accessory power-line that turns on or off with the ignition key. By design, that one 80A lead from the battery and fusible Link #1 has three parallel connections at the load side of the three fuses: The cigar-lighter, the Audio and exterior robotic mirrors, and the ATS fuse. Or picture in mind that there is a single metal plate that traverses all three load-side fuse pins. Adding a fuse tap to the load side of most any of these should be perfectly fine. One could use a brass fuse-tap on the load side to add another device with its own inline fuse, or you could use one of those dual-slot piggyback fuse-taps, which I'm already doing for my stock cigar-lighter fuse with my MP3 player added using a 7.5A fuse. But this latter type tap overhangs any fuse-slot to its left.
To fix the ATS, I should only need to find an orange wire with green stripe, which connects to the Anti-Theft Module that works together with the ECM. [I still can't believe my Trooper is a 1995 model, with all this marvelous shit built into it . . ] The hot lead can come from a tap to that single ACC large white wire that eventually connects to a fusible link in the engine-compartment's relay and fuse box. The fuse box of interest to all this is the interior fuse-box behind the front wheel well and near the driver's feet half-way from the dashboard to the floorboard.
Now, after success with the MP3 Player, I have two devices in mind to install. I'll save the $190 Auto-Vox backup and dashboard camera with GPS for later. I need to reduce my spending like Governor Cuomo wants to reduce the Corona infection rate. But it's not a lot of money, although why buy the part until one is totally ready to install it?
The other device came with a tip-off from an old friend in Albuquerque who might share my Trooper experience with his own 2000 Nissan Xterra. Because I'm intensely focused on the updates to my audio system (see my Trooper thread and "Final Word on MP3"), I joked to my friend that I needed a rotating disco-ball with mirror facets to install on the interior of the Trooper's roof, perhaps just in the front of the rear seat passenger area. I was only half-serious, even as I was going to do a search for such a contraption. (Just to investigate, ya see . . . )
So my friend found this "deal" at COSTCO for an interior LED lighting system: Type S Plug and Glow App Controlled Smart 48" LED Deluxe Kit Today-only-$29.99
. . . And if I need to update my cell-phone to get the compatible OS version, that was in the works anyway. I can use my brother's cell-phone to set the lights up in the meantime.
With neat, properly executed wiring and connections, the LED light-system only draws about 3 Amps. The MP3 Player also draws little -- perhaps overmatched with the current 7.5 A fuse. The amperage and power-draw on the backup camera system should also be well within any maximum spec with everything else for the hot wire and fusible link. But my concerns here -- the point of my inquiry -- helps me resolve the basic fuse and wiring issues of the as-yet merely contemplated backup camera device.
Here is the Fuse-Box Extension which appears to fit my needs -- now and later: Auxiliary Automotive Fuse Box Holder - Add 6 Fused Circuits for Stereo, Amp, GPS - Taiwan
All of the similar devices for consideration wire up in the same way. But, in my case, I need to tap the load side of just one of the existing fuses, with a nice 12-to-14 gauge wire that connects in little half-loops across all the hot leads that must be powered.
That seems like the simplest and best way to do it. All the extra accessory devices split off as parallel circuits drawing power from the ACC accessory lead through the ignition switch and then to the battery. I don't see any problem with this. In fact, it looks like the simplest solution that will eliminate a lot of piggy-back or inline fuse-holders wadded up over the fuse-box, even as they're hidden by a the vinyl kick-panel left of the driver's feet.
Any observations? Comments? Experiences? Advice? Does all this, together with the "Auxiliary Fuse Box Holder", sound like common sense? Most likely to work reliably? Know of any drawbacks, cautions, or tips?
I've probably posted a thread about my Trooper's Anti-Theft System and my history with it since a friend's 32" tube-type TV set pitched backwards in the cargo hold and shattered the rear window of the main rear door -- an accident that cost me $300 to repair such that I'm more than satisfied. My carelessness, and not the vehicle or manufacturer's fault. I just recently posted my MP3 Player integration project.
I discovered that the main fuse for the Anti-Theft system had been pulled out, and the fittings for that fuse are missing from the fuse box. The ATS runs off the ACC/accessory power-line that turns on or off with the ignition key. By design, that one 80A lead from the battery and fusible Link #1 has three parallel connections at the load side of the three fuses: The cigar-lighter, the Audio and exterior robotic mirrors, and the ATS fuse. Or picture in mind that there is a single metal plate that traverses all three load-side fuse pins. Adding a fuse tap to the load side of most any of these should be perfectly fine. One could use a brass fuse-tap on the load side to add another device with its own inline fuse, or you could use one of those dual-slot piggyback fuse-taps, which I'm already doing for my stock cigar-lighter fuse with my MP3 player added using a 7.5A fuse. But this latter type tap overhangs any fuse-slot to its left.
To fix the ATS, I should only need to find an orange wire with green stripe, which connects to the Anti-Theft Module that works together with the ECM. [I still can't believe my Trooper is a 1995 model, with all this marvelous shit built into it . . ] The hot lead can come from a tap to that single ACC large white wire that eventually connects to a fusible link in the engine-compartment's relay and fuse box. The fuse box of interest to all this is the interior fuse-box behind the front wheel well and near the driver's feet half-way from the dashboard to the floorboard.
Now, after success with the MP3 Player, I have two devices in mind to install. I'll save the $190 Auto-Vox backup and dashboard camera with GPS for later. I need to reduce my spending like Governor Cuomo wants to reduce the Corona infection rate. But it's not a lot of money, although why buy the part until one is totally ready to install it?
The other device came with a tip-off from an old friend in Albuquerque who might share my Trooper experience with his own 2000 Nissan Xterra. Because I'm intensely focused on the updates to my audio system (see my Trooper thread and "Final Word on MP3"), I joked to my friend that I needed a rotating disco-ball with mirror facets to install on the interior of the Trooper's roof, perhaps just in the front of the rear seat passenger area. I was only half-serious, even as I was going to do a search for such a contraption. (Just to investigate, ya see . . . )
So my friend found this "deal" at COSTCO for an interior LED lighting system: Type S Plug and Glow App Controlled Smart 48" LED Deluxe Kit Today-only-$29.99
. . . And if I need to update my cell-phone to get the compatible OS version, that was in the works anyway. I can use my brother's cell-phone to set the lights up in the meantime.
With neat, properly executed wiring and connections, the LED light-system only draws about 3 Amps. The MP3 Player also draws little -- perhaps overmatched with the current 7.5 A fuse. The amperage and power-draw on the backup camera system should also be well within any maximum spec with everything else for the hot wire and fusible link. But my concerns here -- the point of my inquiry -- helps me resolve the basic fuse and wiring issues of the as-yet merely contemplated backup camera device.
Here is the Fuse-Box Extension which appears to fit my needs -- now and later: Auxiliary Automotive Fuse Box Holder - Add 6 Fused Circuits for Stereo, Amp, GPS - Taiwan
All of the similar devices for consideration wire up in the same way. But, in my case, I need to tap the load side of just one of the existing fuses, with a nice 12-to-14 gauge wire that connects in little half-loops across all the hot leads that must be powered.
That seems like the simplest and best way to do it. All the extra accessory devices split off as parallel circuits drawing power from the ACC accessory lead through the ignition switch and then to the battery. I don't see any problem with this. In fact, it looks like the simplest solution that will eliminate a lot of piggy-back or inline fuse-holders wadded up over the fuse-box, even as they're hidden by a the vinyl kick-panel left of the driver's feet.
Any observations? Comments? Experiences? Advice? Does all this, together with the "Auxiliary Fuse Box Holder", sound like common sense? Most likely to work reliably? Know of any drawbacks, cautions, or tips?
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