1360 and fuses ...

[00/63484]

So, now is the winter of my disconnect...

My pefectly good and running softop 1360 with a blueprinted 1500 engine, improved suspension and brakes, electronic ignition, alternator and decent overdrive is lovely, thanks.

However, I have a nice warm garage and feel it is high time I fitted a bluetooth enabled radio, brighter indicator dash bulbs, a USB power socket, perhaps an indicator 'BUZZER' unit, an electric window washer pump and I have seen a nifty beep beep warning unit for reversing into small spaces. (Living in West London means 20mph everywhere and few parking spaces NOT dominated by 4x4 bully cars. I find reverse parking my little Herald is tricky because of being dominated by their huge bulk). I also worry (not constantly, but I do worry) that I only have one decent fuse in the system. OK - so I want to add a fuse box. There, I've said it..... I know, I know.... - this is not original - but neither's my motor. So, advice please on what I should separate and fuse....?

Cheers David F

[Colin Lindsay]

Very simple; the one I use is the single input / six blade fuse version £8 from eBay.

Power goes into the car through the ignition switch so disconnect the two pairs of white wires from the terminal on the rear of the ignition switch and to the same double terminal add a length of suitable-strength cable from a spade connector; I dismantled an old loom and use lengths of the same blue / brown wire from the input terminal. This goes to the input screw on the fuse box, spade on one end and ring on the other. After that, the world is your oyster. You can simply plug the white cables back on to two terminals, which will split the system in two, or sub-divide the two pairs by splitting and adding new spade terminals, which will give you four sub-systems. Mine uses two terminals / fuses for the main white circuits, then three smaller, one for heater and one for added electric screenwash pump with the radio using the last as I don't need a permanent supply. Very simple, works very well, and if one fails you have an LED to tell you which.

 

 

[00/63484]

Colin, Sir - I am extremely grateful for the legup! I shall do exactly as prescribed. I have already printed out your reply and ordered the bits.

best

David F

 

[00/63484]

PS I CAN just about follow the wiring diagram available in various locations, but a simple human scale reply was all I needed!

 

[Peter Truman]

I've used similar modern fuse box's on my Mk2 Vitesse which originally had a Lucas two 35Amp fuse box one ignition and one battery, now has 6 fuses each.

[Paul H]

26 minutes ago, Peter Truman said:

I've used similar modern fuse box's on my Mk2 Vitesse which originally had a Lucas two 35Amp fuse box one ignition and one battery, now has 6 fuses each.

I did the same setup though 10 fuses each 

Paul 

[dougbgt6]

I did a 10 way fuse box, here is a link to a famous old thread about fuse boxes.  I found the coloured wiring diagram extremely useful, you can get one for a 13/60 on FleaBay and if you look around you may find a free one.

Doug

Edited Saturday at 11:23 by dougbgt6

[Colin Lindsay]

17 hours ago, 00/63484 said:

PS I CAN just about follow the wiring diagram available in various locations, but a simple human scale reply was all I needed!

 

I find basic electrics quite simple - power comes in, goes through, goes out again - but the biggest problem I found with other posts on fuseboxes was that they were often unnecessarily complicated, being posted by enthusiasts or experts who knew what they were doing and assumed everyone else did too. A lot of the very basic steps were often skipped.

[dougbgt6]

27 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said:

power comes in, goes through, goes out again

Well, yes, sort of.

Doug MIEE

[Josef]

19 hours ago, 00/63484 said:

PS I CAN just about follow the wiring diagram available in various locations, but a simple human scale reply was all I needed!

 

My colour re-draw of the standard wiring diagram is here if that helps https://gitlab.com/jovisg/SpitfireMk3WiringDiagram/-/blob/master/Herald/1360/Printable_Herald1360_Wiring.pdf?ref_type=heads

[Colin Lindsay]

2 hours ago, dougbgt6 said:

Well, yes, sort of.

Doug MIEE

See what I said about complications? That's my understandable version, the 'expert' version is that 'power is generated by the chemical reaction between the plates in the battery and is transmitted via suitable metal cables of adequate strength and conductability to a rotational contact-breaker switch and then again through suitable conductive cables via a fuse of suitable rating for the system allowing for fluctuations of heat and variations of engine revolutions, through the component, which will vary depending on the intended usage and construction of said component, and then earthed via a local connection to a metal ground of positive or negative polarity'.

I'm the sort of guy who buys shoes not on the premis that they allow my foot to breathe, flex with the movement, or cushion my instep when walking, and have some snazzy logo on the side, but that they just don't hurt my toes.

[dougbgt6]

One of our lecturers at Twickenham Tec had us calculate how long it would take an electron to get from Battersea Power station to Twickenham Tec. About 3 weeks, apparently.

Doug