Electrical Upgrade? Just do it!

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PlayingWithTBI

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I was looking under the hood of my truck and decided the Mickey Mouse wiring I did for my sub woofer and A/C compressor coil looked like crap. If I wanted to do a "4 Hi" mod or add something else, it'd get even more congested. You can see here the way I tapped the in-line fuses and mounted the relay.
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I started looking at fuse and relay options that were designed to be waterproof/resistant since I was getting a lot of sh*t from some people for not using heat shrink waterproof tubing and other stuff. Instead of sitting down and drawing up a design and parts list, I decided to just go as I needed it, ha ha. Here's my 1st purchase. This is designed for marine applications along with automotive. 6 power lugs with 4GA feed, 6 fuses and relays. I had some wire and decided to just get a couple hanks of wire too. Of course I needed water proof heat shrink connectors!
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Then I tried to figure out how I'm going to get this in the space I had. I figured I'd need to attach them together to reduce their footprint.
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These primary lugs were easy to crimp with my Kline Staking Tool. But the "Open Barrel" connectors for the rest of the terminals were a pain with the tools I had so, let's place another order, what the hell!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07LF4K3VK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then I could properly crimp these things (note - 12ga wire takes a gorilla to squeeze this tool). Here's what they used for the fuse connections. Remember to slide on the waterproof plug or push the wire through the sealing block (green things) BEFORE crimping on the connector. It's a good thing they supplied extra connectors.
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I started fabricating up a frame so I can mount this stuff and try to keep it somewhat level and out of the way.
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Then I realized I need some ground lugs for the relays - back to Amazon, damn I love their next day delivery, most of the time!

Continued next post...
 
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PlayingWithTBI

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Electrical Upgrade Continued.
Here's the ground lug I found.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KWK6WBD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

While I'm at it, I probably should get some relays, LOL. These are cheap, hopefully they'll work!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07VS16PV3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Then, I started thinking, since I'm wiring all the primary stuff maybe I ought to hook up the rest of the lugs to the relays and leave pigtails to be hooked up as I add other stuff. That means I need more wire.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FMF24P4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I started making some pigtails for the ground and coil sides.
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I ran out of 12ga red so, road trip to O'Reilys, I didn't want to wait for Amazon. $30 for 24ft of 12ga and 100' roll of 14ga. Now, I'm poking wire through and sticking them in.
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Now, I need to start heat shrinking connectors but my wife's hair drier ain't cuttin' it! Time to start looking - found this 1800 watt gun with tips.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078S5QMFG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Oh, and maybe some 8ga for grounds and other primary?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MS8ZGXA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lugs big enough for up to 4ga.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08D8SG93G/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plus a cheap crimper since I'm not gonna do this commercially.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1UUVT0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It did a pretty good job, I may have used too big of a hammer, nah!
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I took some wiring harness I had laying around and ran the 16ga exciting wire and the 12ga switched wire together through each harness. with the relay # labeled on the big one. That way, I can easily find which goes with which. Now, I need some connectors so, if I needed to remove the assembly I can disconnect them and pull the main feeds from the battery. I also labeled the relays and fuses for future reference.
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To be continued with final product installed...
 

PlayingWithTBI

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Continued from post #2.

Here's what it looks like installed. I have the sub woofer being fed with a 10ga wire (above and to the right of the light reel), and the A/C compressor clutch below (red and yellow wires).
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Here's a view from above.
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And finally with the covers on.
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The connectors I ordered are supposed to arrive later this week. Then I'll install them and finish cleaning it up. I also ordered ones for 10 - 12ga.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075LZGX4T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If/when I do the big 3 upgrade I will get rid of the positive side terminal, right now it won't reach the top post terminal.

I spent over a week on this, mainly waiting on supplies. I have maybe 12 hours all together on it and ~$250 including tools. Is this a little overkill? what do you think? Don't forget, my 88 doesn't have an OE fuse box in the engine compartment so this is kind of its replacement. Cheers!
 
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Supercharged111

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People in AZ giving you **** for not weatherproofing a relay? They must be transplants. It was functional before, just the install seemed a little lacking in love and creativity. Got a link to the relay box? This is exactly what I need to pair with my Painless harness if I ever get around to the Camaro LS swap.
 

Supercharged111

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People in AZ giving you **** for not weatherproofing a relay? They must be transplants. It was functional before, just the install seemed a little lacking in love and creativity. Got a link to the relay box? This is exactly what I need to pair with my Painless harness if I ever get around to the Camaro LS swap.
 

PlayingWithTBI

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People in AZ giving you **** for not weatherproofing a relay?
Well, actually it was guys from here but, I didn't want to point any fingers:anitoof:

Got a link to the relay box? This is exactly what I need to pair with my Painless harness if I ever get around to the Camaro LS swap.
Here's a couple links - you may want the distribution block too. As mentioned above I ran all 12ga to the relay box so any one fuse could handle whatever I wanted to run to it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MR64XK1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PCGFX3L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And then the ground buss.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KWK6WBD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Enjoy! :waytogo:
 
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