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Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:20 am
by uteqdoc
I am interested in upgrading the interior DC power fuse block from the glass fuse type to the blade type fuse. Below is a picture of the fuse block. Has anyone done this for this particular fuse block? It is in a 1975 LaGrande. What fuse block did you use? Do you have photos of the finished product? Thanks!!
Steve
PXL_20221204_204331047.jpg

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 10:17 am
by bmcgair
I used a Blue Sea ST Blade ATO/ATC. About $50 on amazon.

I was planning on re-wiring both the hot and ground sides, but when I got into it I realized the grounds were all wired to a busbar on the wall of the trailer, and there was really no reason to mess with this and rewire them to the blue-sea.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P ... =UTF8&th=1

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 11:08 am
by uteqdoc
Thanks for the info. However, I am confused about where to attach the positive from battery and the 2 wires (blue and red wires) coming from the converter. There appears to be 2 maybe 3 split blocks (actually 3 but one has a jumper wire going to another one. Just not sure where to put the battery and 2 converter wires when you only have 1 positive post. Blue Sea has one that has a split block but just not sure where the incoming wires go.
https://www.bluesea.com/products/5032/S ... Fuse_Block

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 4:48 pm
by KYAvion
Take a pic of the blue and red wires at the converter and
12v fuse side. It’s been awhile since I upgraded my converter and 12v side, but are the red and blue wires attached to the same lug? Does the blue wire go from the lug to the metal bar atop the 12v fuses?

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:05 pm
by uteqdoc
Here is the inside of the converter. The red and blue coming out of converter are the 8 guage wires shown in the fuse block in the above photo.
PXL_20230102_214703759.jpg

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:13 pm
by uteqdoc
Here is a diagram of the fuse block I am thinking of using. it is a 12 circuit split block from BlueSeas.
78163_a.jpeg

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:30 pm
by KYAvion
Ok. So it appears the blue wire supplies one bar of fuses, the red another bar, and a black wire jumps from the red bar to another separate bar? It’s hard to tell in the pic, but is it 3 separate bars?

I don’t understand the reason for three separate bars on that block, but that’s what it appears to be.

If it were mine, I would determine and make note about what each wire does for future reference, and then organize them whatever way you prefer on a block like the one you posted.

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:35 pm
by KYAvion
Just looked at the one you posted, and that has a negative bus bar and two 6 space positive bars. You will have to jump from one positive bar to the other to supply juice. Not a big deal, but something to keep in mind vs a single bar.

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 5:43 pm
by KYAvion
Check out this thread here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=802

Earlier you asked about the positive wire attached to the batteries. Ultimately, the converter charges the batteries via that wire, and that wire also supplies juice to the 12v positive block for all your fuses.

Re: Fuse Block Upgrade

Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2023 6:12 pm
by KYAvion
You might consider upgrading your converter while you’re at it. I switched to a 45 amp Boondocker converter and have been happy with it.


As mentioned above, a single bus like this one would work for the 12v side:
97263B12-89A2-4BDE-B8F7-004970EEF8D2.png
It’d be nice if there was an extra lug or 2 so you wouldn’t have to stack the terminals for the battery and converter wires, but that ok.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M ... th=1&psc=1