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wbhubbert3 · 03-01-2012, 02:33 PM

I'm adding two electrical items (Daylight Running Light Kit [fused at 15 amp] and upgraded Tire Pressure Monitoring System [fused at 3 amp]) to my 2003 36 FDDS. Previous TPMS utilized the power outlet socket on left side of console - totally unacceptable.

I noticed in the Bussman "switched accessory" and "non-switched accessory" fuse boxes in front of the passanger seat, that I have some (5 in one & 4 in another) unused mini-ATC fuse spaces labeled "BLANK." Were these available for future useage, or left open because the fuse box was maxed out?

Do these fuse boxes have a maximum number of amps they can carry?

Thanks,

Bruce

ga traveler · 03-01-2012, 03:21 PM

The supply wire will determine the max amps of the fuse block. most fuse blocks are not full just because they didn't need all the slots.

wbhubbert3 · 03-01-2012, 04:04 PM

GA Traveler:

I had looked and naturally no numbers on the cable, but it looked somewhere around 2 to 4 gauge. Under some heat shrink it splices into three (3) wires that all go into the same fuse box. They look like 8 to 10 gauge each.

Old Scout · 03-01-2012, 07:52 PM

As an alternative, you can run a couple 10 ga wires [hot and ground] from the main or secondary DC power studs on the passenger side bulkhead [under dash] to the driver side and mount an aux 4-6 space fuse block (AutoZone). Just be sure to put an inline fuse [delayed reset] between the main power stud and the aux fuse block. This will give you plenty of options for now and in the future....

JimM68 · 03-01-2012, 08:43 PM

2 gauge? 4 gauge? even 10 gauge? Relays? for a DRL module and a TPMS???

Not needed. The DRL module (fused at 15 amps, probably draws 4) will be perfectly happy with 14 gauge wire. The tpms you could use 18 or even smaller if you wanted to. Yes, you can use the spare fuses, if you look at your wiring diagram, they probably are connected to an unused terminal, just hook up your wire and go.

EngineerMike · 03-01-2012, 10:14 PM

You could add a new fuse block, maybe a Blue Sea type or rewire the existing one. If you have the pre-Vansco wiring schematic for the Alpine, you could follow the wiring that feeds the block & figure out whether there is capacity. Might have to remove it from the bulkhead to make sure all the connections are present.
If you don't have the schematics, PM me as I have paper copies.