My fusible link upgrade...

[PrOxLaMuS©]

I hate my fusible links because they keep burning up damnit.. and they are soo corroded and nasty.. i decided to convert it..

I picked up the kit from Pallnet.. similar to the setup BLUE sells.. in the Atlantic Z car club..

anyway.. cheap.. and easy to do...

I used a Maxifuse setup... and an MTX fuse bus!

[tymarbry]

How much was this bad boy?

I think this is great!

[sblake01]

He hasn't been here in a couple of years but I believe Sarah (FastWoman) did something similar with her fusible links.

[FastWoman]

See this thread...

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35588

I think my MaxiFuse blocks cost something like $25 each. They're sort of pricey -- a bit of money for the bling. However, they're still working great. My car lives outside for the time being (looking forward to living in a garage), and the fuse block gets rain through the hood vent. It's not complaining. I have a piece of clear packing tape over the top to shield most of the rain exposure.

This was a great upgrade. If I had it to do over again, though, I think I'd mount the fuse blocks on the firewall by the battery, where they would be better protected from the weather.

[tymarbry]

I still want to try this out.

Is there a certain model of Maxibox that I need? or is any standard 4 plug box going to work?

[FastWoman]

Any box will work. Some are more weather resistant than others.

[Gary in NJ]

I hate my fusible links because they keep burning up damnit.

I make my living in the avionics/aircraft electrical system business. This statement is our running joke.

"I keep blowing fuses"

"Then use a bigger fuse"

If fuses are blowing, it indicates a problem elsewhere. A fuse that is "less prone" to blow is more prone to cause a fire.

[FastWoman]

^^^ I agree. Except that a fusable link can also corrode and arc.

[sblake01]

I make my living in the avionics/aircraft electrical system business. This statement is our running joke.

"I keep blowing fuses"

"Then use a bigger fuse"

If fuses are blowing, it indicates a problem elsewhere. A fuse that is "less prone" to blow is more prone to cause a fire.

He won't see your advice because, like I said, Gordon hasn't been here in quite a while. Don't even think he owns the Z anymore. I remember him because I sold him some wheels about 7 years ago.

[Gary in NJ]

He won't see your advice because, like I said, Gordon hasn't been here in quite a while.

I was just posting this as general info. You shouldn't hide electrical problems [nods to Sarah] with bigger fuses.

[FastWoman]

Gary, you'd love a home renovation project we've just taken on. It's got 1930's 14 ga wiring made of a depression-era sort of anemic copper alloy such as I've never seen. It has 4 receptacle and lighting circuits fused at 15A (correct), 20A, 25A, and 30A. Yikes! Even more remarkably, the wiring was submerged in salt water in both 1933 and 2003. It's amazing the house is still standing.

I've seen worse. I remember once taking on a 70's era Cutlass with aluminum foil stuffed in the fuse panel. The wiring harness was a melty mess.

But yes, I agree. You don't get more ampacity with heavier fuses. You have to have the heavier wire to go with it.

My main motivation for replacing the fusible links was corrosion and rot, combined with my inability to find replacement fusible link assemblies. (The mounts on mine were broken, and they were just hanging on the ends of the wires.) The ampacities remained the same, except for the alternator wiring, which I upgraded a couple of gauges.

Edited March 17, 2011 by FastWoman