Hi all,

I am still playing around with putting this alarm in the Torana, and I started thinking about the power source. Every time I've added another electrical "toy" to the car, (and other cars), I've simply cut into an existing wire near the fuse box, and made sure it's heavy enough to take the extra current.

(Exception has been a Land Cruiser - it had a really cool power supply box under the bonnet with spare terminals.)

However, there comes a point (particularly when working with older cars), when you don't want to stress the original wiring.

Now, in the case of an alarm, running a fresh wire back from the battery or starter motor would be a very obvious wire to cut for a determined thief, so I won't be doing this for the alarm...

But for other things (stereo, central locking, cruise control, spotties, air-horn, etc), what have other people done in regard to this? After market fuse boxes? Home-made arrangement hidden somewhere? Blatantly run a new heavy wire back from the battery to the cabin?

Particularly along the lines of when I rebuild the car, I'd like to do it right the first time, and have neat wiring and a common power location. What have others done?

Appreciate any comments...
Cheers,
Jason.

I would probably look at running another heavy guage wire (similar to what ChrisHQUTE was saying) but run it from the +ve terminal of the starter motor or alternator. That way it won't be so obvious - run it up behind the dash into a 2nd fuse box and off

I got the brass junction block off a demolished house fuse box it has a series of screws in it. I bolted it to the fender near the battery and ran a heavy cable to it from the battery, then connect the extras to that, fusing them as needed, not as neat as

Hi Dave
They have a heavy plastic base insulator.
There is also a plastic cover with them if you want to get fancy.
When do you go back? (don't mean that in a want-to-get rid-of-you-way)

Forgot to reply to the answer to my question...

Ah, yes, I have seen them (and used one in my boat as an Earth Block)...they are excellent for distributing power or earths.

Cheers...Dave

Now, that's a good idea to replace the old fuses with blade ones...

How was the holiday bluhj? Get the cobwebs out?


Cheers...Dave

ozjason

The laser was already dead so it won't miss the fuse box. I haven't had an electrical problem since it did the conversion and it's only going to get harder to get the glass fuses.

Dave,

Have sent you an e-mail.

I can send you both a

Edited by user Friday, 23 September 2005 11:15:33 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Jason

Sending them now. They should be in your inbox by the time you read thid

Andrew

You got it Dave. They're in your inbox.

Andrew

Also, Painless Wiring do aftermarket fuse / relay boxes and switch panels (as well as full wiring kits.

I have seen them for sale at Summit racing (US parts site), but Castlemaine Auto Electrics also stock painless kits, so may be able to supply relay