Installing a switched Centech fuse box
 

I want to run quite a few additional electrical devices on my Tenere
- heated grips
- Gerbing heated jacket
- auxilliary spotlights
- Garmin Zumo GPS
- DIN socket to run power into a tank bag

All of these need fuses and the easy way to provide fused power is to connect a Centech fuse box to the battery terminals, then run the wires from there to the devices. You can buy the Centech fuse box at �40 from Nippy Norman.

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net.../P1000010e.jpg
The Centech unit holds five fuses, the inner three handle two connections each, the outer two handle one
connection, so up to eight devices can be powered at once with 5amp, 10amp, 15amp or 20amp fuses.

But in all cases I wanted switchable power--in other words, when the ignition is off, the devices are off. The way to do this is to insert a relay between the positive battery power and the fusebox. The relay is activated by a feed coming from the sidelight near the instrument panel.

The four relay terminals are labelled 30, 85, 86 and 87. These are connected as follows:
- 30: positive battery terminal
- 85: cable from sidelight
- 86: earth (or negative battery terminal)
- 87: Centech unit

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net.../P1000013e.jpg
There's space for the Centech unit under the seat with the relay tucked away next to the positive battery terminal.
The thin red wire coming from the front is the feed from the sidelight.

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net.../P1000011e.jpg
All the cable lengths were worked out in advance whilst the combo was assembled in the warmth of the kitchen.
All that's missing from the wiring is the feed from the sidelight into the relay. Terminal spades were insulated
before fitting.

http://www.morocco-knowledgebase.net.../P1000014e.jpg
The finished installation. Most of the devices will be simple plug ins to each side of the fusebox, the exception
will be the aux lights which will also have an on/off switch. Simple.

Tim

Neat install and great write up...Thanks

nice set up what size relay are you using

i was looking at these, relay included

http://www.sportouring.com/gallery.p...angeChoosen=12

tricky: the relay came from the aux lighting kit, it's probably 40 or 60 amp.

fozzy: the Blue-Sea system looks good and six connections should be enough for most people. I'd recommend going for the version with earth.

Nice installation and write up, Tim.

A couple of questions, if you don't mind:

How have you secured the Centech and relay?

When you fit accessories, I presume it's simply a question of positive wire to appropriately fused connector on one side of the fuse box and negative to the eqivalent connector on the other?

Top job, I use one of these also, but my installation is nothing like as neat as yours!

Brewers Whoop - Yes it is as simple as that, if you look at the first picture of the Centech fuse box you will see at the top and bottom two black plastic rails with flat headed screws in them, these are the terminals. All you do to wire something into the box is strip of the ends of the wires and insert the positive wire into the top (on the photo) rail and the negative into the bottom one.

Nice job Tim. Would have been nice if they supplied a water proof box for the relay.

I have used the Centech panel which is very good but recently I got this


http://www.nippynormans.com/Fuzebloc...tinfo/FUZ-FZ1/


A bit expensive but THE ANSWER to all your power needs, very compact, includes relay and each circuit can be constant or switched power by moving the fuse as a jumper - ideal.

BIT EXPENSIVE? no sh*t.

I have made up a relay and fuse system which does the same job but cheaper and easier to fault find.
I use a realy as shown but use these small individual fuse holders which clip together (Halfords) and I can carry a spare, just in case! They can be unclipped and thrown as they are so cheap.

http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...enmods0001.jpg

Clipped together

http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...enmods0003.jpg

Tucked in to the cavity for the tools

http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...enmods0005.jpg

I have also installed this little gizmo from Gammatronix which shows the battery output. If the output is too low it will glow orange, going to red at less than 11V. This does not show charge but battery output. Here it is orange as the ignition is on, hazzards on, heated grips on, head light on and brake on

http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...enmods0009.jpg

Here I have started the engine at tickover with the same load and the light is green

http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/a...enmods0011.jpg

I have switched it so that I do not need it on all of the time. It is powered from the fuses as previously shown.
Even with my GPS and heated jacket I have not been able to get it to go orange. This just gives me peace of mind in that it will trigger before the dash lights would show a problem. That's my theory anyway!

updated photo links so they work now.