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Tom Schenk
02-26-2006, 10:52 AM
This is something I have needed to do for a while. My under-hood accessory wiring looked more like tonight's special at the Spaghetti Factory rather than competent wiring. What I needed to do was organize and consolidate my fuses and relays. I stopped by AMC Salvage in Glendale to see what Nacho could find for me. We found a fuse/relay block from some old Jeep that he had cut the harness off of for another customer.
http://www.photodump.com/direct/tomschenk/rewire001.jpg

When I got it home I carefully removed all of the relay contacts and set them to the side. Next I drew up a plan to re-wire the relay block to suit my needs. I seperated the contacts from the wires and soldered new wires to the contacts and inserted them back in the block. I left the fuse contacts alone and used the existing wires. All I had to do was route the fused leads to the correct position for my relays. I have still have 5 fuses left for future connections that have been taped off and secured.
http://www.photodump.com/direct/tomschenk/rewire002.jpg

I chose to mount the block above the battery on the ECU cover. I used heavy duty 3M double sided foam tape to secure it. I like the 3M foam tape because it holds very well but will remove when you want it to without leaving sticky junk all over the parts. When I need to add new circuts or service the block I can remove the tape and flip the fuse block over for access to the contacts and wires. I mounted my Optima on it's side and used a 1 ft battery cable to connect the block to the battery's side post.
http://www.photodump.com/direct/tomschenk/rewire008.jpg
http://www.photodump.com/direct/tomschenk/rewire009.jpg

I ended up using all of the relay contacts to wire the block but I still have room for 3 more relays. When I need to add more I can go to the U-pull-it junk yards and remove contacts from another car and use them in this block.

scully
02-26-2006, 03:15 PM
Nice write up! I've been trying to figure out how to clean up my wiring mess, I think I may use your idea!
In your pic I saw that you have the pep boys compressor hard mounted. How well has that been working? Does it hold up in the heat? I've been thinking of doing the same thing, but have been worried that it would get to hot. One solution that I've been thinking of is picking up a little 12 volt computer fan and mounting it by the heat sink on the compressor.

Tom Schenk
02-27-2006, 08:53 AM
Nice write up! I've been trying to figure out how to clean up my wiring mess, I think I may use your idea!
In your pic I saw that you have the pep boys compressor hard mounted. How well has that been working? Does it hold up in the heat? I've been thinking of doing the same thing, but have been worried that it would get to hot. One solution that I've been thinking of is picking up a little 12 volt computer fan and mounting it by the heat sink on the compressor.

Thanks. I plumbed the compressor to my bumpers and only use it for airing up and filling balloons. It takes about 5 minutes to fill the bumpers to 110psi. It gets warm (as expected) but has not overheated on me yet. I keep the circut shut off when I am not going to use it so it hardly ever runs. I love having it hard mounted. I gained a lot of space when I got rid of the air box. Even if you do not plumb it, the coiled air line it comes with will reach all 4 tires from under the hood. Harbor freight has a similar pump on sale now.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=93186

scully
02-27-2006, 07:30 PM
I've got the same compressor and have been wanting to hard mount it. I was just afraid that it would overheat and die mounted that close to the motor. Have you had it hard mounted through a summer yet, or was that a recent install?

Tom Schenk
02-27-2006, 08:16 PM
I have not had it mounted through the summer, but I do not see engine heat as an issue since it is dormant unless I am consuming air from the tanks.

Stu Olson
03-03-2006, 08:42 PM
Nice job on the fuse block,Tom. Good idea and the price was most likely right too! :)

Ramjet308
06-21-2007, 01:54 PM
Tom,

Would you by chance know what "older jeep" that distribution block came out of?

Between what you have done and what i have seen over at Stu's site i should be good to go.

SavageSun4x4
06-21-2007, 03:07 PM
Tom, looks good. Does it have any kind of a lid?

Seems to me that if it does not have a lid or other covering, that there is the possibliity of water getting in and being retained :confused: or so it seems, where is my thinking wrong?

k7mto
06-21-2007, 03:13 PM
Goo djob, Tom. I need to do something similar myself.

I agree with Don. A box intended for in-cab use might need a lid if used elsewhere. Maybe you can enclose the whole thing within a tupperware or rubbermaid container with a cutout for the pigtail.

Tom Schenk
06-21-2007, 05:17 PM
Back from the dead!

You can find this block in an XJ, YJ, or ZJ. Check the U-pull junk yards on Broadway as they always have XJ's there. Buy 2 if you can so you'll have extra contacts since only half of the slots are wired.

I do have a cover for it. Here is a pic of one with a cover on it we put in Last Renegade's CJ when we swapped in a Ford fan a while back:
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g205/tomschenk/jeep/cjfan017.jpg

Ramjet308
06-21-2007, 06:33 PM
I have been meaning to check out all those yards on the west side on Broadway, but thats a trek for my now that i live in AJ.

I got a local pick-n-pull right down the street that i may hit up. tomorrow.