Professional way to tap a fuse box

**MastaKebob** · 03-02-2007, 11:13 AM

Hi all,
I'm looking for a good/clean/safe way to the tap the fuse box under my steering column ('02 RSX-S). I know that I have a fuse slot open and powered (I'm using the fuse jack assigned to a 'Canada only' feature), I just need a good/professional way to tap it. I went to autozone and they had something that turns 1 fuse jack into 2 (basically a break out box) with a 12V lead coming off of it. It would have been perfect, except they were pretty explicit about not using anything over a 10A fuse, and I was looking to use a 15A one (This is going to my M1-ATX) and the 12V lead coming off was a 14 gauge crimping, and I'm trying to use 10 gauge for my power leads.
Also, I'd rather not solder anything to my car as I want this to be as reversable as possible.
So, my question is: Do you guys know of any fuse break out boxes that I can slide in or out easily that can handle 15A and can accomodate 10 gauge? Maybe point me to a specialty car part website? I want to do this right and not half *** anything.
Thanks for all your help, I do appreciate it

**lostreception** · 03-02-2007, 11:25 AM

unless you can get to the bus bar of the fuse block id suggest trying to run some 10ga thru an existing hole in the firewall and fusing a new lead close to the main battery. the space might be tight but try some soapy water and try to slide it thru. this is the best reversable option IMHO second best i think would be to go to autozone get a 1/4 in grommet and drill a whole in the firewall and snake your new set of wires along the nearest wire duct and enclose the new wires in your own wire duct, this makes it professional in that it looks like its OEM unless you have seen 100's of these cars before and notice the extra duct

**MastaKebob** · 03-02-2007, 12:07 PM

How would I do that? Tap the hood fusebox? Or do you mean actually solder my wire onto the battery lead? Cause I'm not looking to do that. And I'd rather not have to solder my wire onto an existing wire...
And is there any reason that I shouldn't use the interior fusebox?

**greenman100** · 03-02-2007, 12:12 PM

10A is more than enough for a M1-ATX

**lostreception** · 03-02-2007, 12:17 PM

you can you need to find an open slot or get to the buss bar tho which depending on space can be difficult, for less of a headache down the line and a profesional look going to the main battery is the best and safest way

not that it hasnt or has happened but IF there is a problem with a bad ground or a short, although unlikely the main ECU and car electronics are protected if you dont use that fusebox. you should be fine but I prefer to be safe rather than sorry when it comes to the internal workings of my car. Id hate for a short circuit to fry my gauges or ECU in the slight chance it may happen. by giving the carputer its own line of power you are assuring that this is much less likely to happen
is it overkill, possibly but for maybe an hours worth of time vs 20 minutes its worth it to me

Originally Posted by greenman100

10A is more than enough for a M1-ATX

yea i guess my logic is def overkill worst case scenario youll blow the 10A fuse i just like a security blanket

**david69leonard** · 03-02-2007, 01:33 PM

Originally Posted by MastaKebob

How would I do that? Tap the hood fusebox? Or do you mean actually solder my wire onto the battery lead? Cause I'm not looking to do that. And I'd rather not have to solder my wire onto an existing wire...
And is there any reason that I shouldn't use the interior fusebox?

Why on earth would you solder a wire to your battery, what you should do is wire a distro-block to hook up your stuff to...

**mwmcginn** · 03-02-2007, 01:46 PM

Would something like this work?

http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/FU...GE_p_2095.html

Then fuse that link?

**J187** · 03-02-2007, 02:52 PM

Hi, those fusetaps do the trick, not sure if You'd have fun trying to find a famale blade terminal small enough to fit on the male blade and yet have a 10awg crimp. As far as this business about soldering wires to other wires etc, if you run a new wire to the battery, simple put a ring terminal on the end of the wire and screw it down to whatever post or screw is attatched to the battery pos term. It could be an auxillary terminal somewhere remote from the battery or even a screw on the clamp that goes around the post. As long as it makes good contact. Now the questions I have for you are this...

Not having used that PSU before, I dont' know the answer to this, but do you have to provide a constant source AND a switchable source? If so, then running through the firewall to the batter only scores one of those, you'll still need to seek out a switchable hot at the fuse panel or somewhere else.

Do you think that 10awg is a little overkill for that PSU? How far are you running the wire.

**MastaKebob** · 03-04-2007, 12:41 PM

Yea, it needs a constant source and a switched source (It calls for the ignition line, which I'm assuming goes high when the key is turned to an 'on' state, and then goes low when the key is 'off').
And yes, 10awg is probably overkill, but I bought 20 feet of it already, so I'm figured I'd try and use it. If it doesn't work, not a huge deal, just get some smaller cable.
Thanks for everyones help, I'm feeling much more confident about this now.

**J187** · 03-05-2007, 08:50 AM

10awg may not be big time overkill, but if you are just running a short way it is, for instance, in my truck I'm only running power from a fuse box to the opus that is 4 feet away. 12awg would be more than adequate for me. The ignition line is one that is powered when the ignition is on and NOT powered at all when the ign is off.