Battery terminals with take-offs

[Diplomat]

All I do is use large tagged washers big enough to slip over the existing terminal bolts, fitted between the terminal body and the nut.

I have an auxilliary distribution box with 4mm socketed binding posts for attaching wire ends (fridge) and XLR 3 pin sockets for my radios which sometimes need over 20 amps on speech peaks when transmitting. Heavy sheathed twin red/black conductors lead through a bulkhead grommet to the box which is just to the left of the driver's footrest dummy pedal.

Immediately at the battery terminals I use thinner PVC insulated wire as fusible links.

For safety I put fusible links on both sides of the battery in case the starter motor earth return ever breaks leaving my equipment or the antenna earth to carry a huge destructive current.

I once suggested to the owner of a boy racer's audio shop that he should point out this disaster scenario to his customers and sell them two fuses so that the board in their amplifier didn't unexpectedly and very briefly form one of the starter leads. It can happen, anyone remember the accelerator cable doing the job on old Minis when the negative starter lead came loose?


Frank

[helen&tony]

Hi Frank
Lotus Elans did that too, and the cable had been known to melt in the outer at full throttle....I speak from experience
Yes...that rubber grommet in the driver's side bulkhead is great...I've added another 4 cables through it this weekend...I must make a count...somewhere near 20 I think ...Most circuits with individual fuses, so I want to tidy them up...auxiliary fuse-box on the passenger side behind the glovebox, and one planned under the bonnet. The problem is that I've run out of places to tag heavy current applications to, and it's either this gismo I've found, or a fused box with positive busbar
Cheers
Helen

[heavylevy]

Hi Helen
This sounds like something I would find useful can you post a link to the one you found
Many thanks
Adrian

[helen&tony]

Hi Adrian
Here's the box:
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... o/BDB1.jpg
Here's the company:
http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... 2.php#dist
I've bought stuff from them before...forgot about them....Geoff , our resident electrics man on here recommended them
Cheers
Helen

[teenmal]

Hi
The item replaces the original battery terminal entirely, and the original Mazda battery terminal has the small fusebox bolted directly to it...I reckon I'd need to see the box in the flesh, first, as I can't quite see how to replace the Mazda original fused systems in the new unit
Cheers
Helen

Are you actualy using the Starter battery to run all this Stuff from.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Many items are replacing original equipment with new wiring paths. Headlights with 3 fused, relay controlled wiring for new lights, Mazda original fogs, and aftermarket spots...no great loads...I don't put anything across the battery that takes large currents, and regarding the use of alternative power such as leisure batteries, that takes quite a lot more !...I actually run a lot less than some folk, and the battery is large capacity well within the ability of a standard alternator. Many things are better run from a battery terminal than messing the original wiring up....still, some folks do just love scotchlocks and sticky tape
Cheers
Helen