Power Distribution Questions

Randy · Nov 29, 2005

I apologize for my ignorance in advance.

Looking at the 12V Power Strip guide on FJRtech.com , I have a concern and am kindly asking for guidance.

I'm really a neophite when it comes to electronics, so, sorry if this is elementary. In looking at the instructions, it listed the 8-position jumper as one of the parts needed, but, didn't say what to do with it. I'm guessing it is used to connect one whole side together so that the top would be positive, right? Using that same logic, do you do the same for the ground side? If not, what do you do with the grounds?

Common sense tells me that you don't want the positive and negative ends touching each other, right? So, and here's another dumb question - if you jumper all the positives on one side of the block (assume I have the same block as is in the instructions) and all of the grounds on the other side of the block, how do you keep the circuits from shorting out when there is a metal plate that connects the 2 screws in each of the positions on the strip?

On a related note, I saw this diagram on another site and the directions for what gets connected to each position on the relay differs from the directions in the link above and I don't know if that matters. Does it? Are there any flaws in this diagram?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/...agram-final.jpg

twowheelnut · Nov 29, 2005

Can't help you (well, I could, but you'd hate me later), but just remember what Reddy says:

"Sparks on the Fourth of July, up in the air is good. Sparks coming outta dash is bad. Don't eff-up."

HIGHLANDER · Nov 29, 2005

A lot of guys run two barrier strips, one Pos. & one Neg. Your correct do not use both leads ( pos & neg ) on one strip. Lead all grounds to a neg strip and ground the strip to the Batt.

On certain model of barrier strips the screws are not connected, thats why you need the " 8 position jumper ". The jumper connets all the screws and makes them all " hot ".

GunMD · Nov 29, 2005

Or (for a bit more money) you could use this setup

Power Distribution

That's what I'm currently using and I like it. I do want to get a ground block though, like this one...

Master Ground Block

Below is my current setup.

Also, see this thread...

Slightly older thread about power distribution

skyway · Nov 29, 2005

A lot of guys run two barrier strips, one Pos. & one Neg. Your correct do not use both leads ( pos & neg ) on one strip. Lead all grounds to a neg strip and ground the strip to the Batt.On certain model of barrier strips the screws are not connected, thats why you need the " 8 position jumper ". The jumper connets all the screws and makes them all " hot ".

+1 on this type of setup. I am not the worlds best sparky, but the FJR Tech articles and people here sure helped me out, no fried wires so far.

BrunDog · Nov 29, 2005

Only one way to go in my opinion: BlueSea systems fuseblock. It has both positive and negative busses, and it fits nicely in several places, including under the mirror mounts.

Looky-see:

Get it from marine places or here: Item 5183T11 for ~$30.

-BD

Randy · Nov 29, 2005

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the insight. I'm still looking for validation on the wiring of the relay. Will it work both ways?

Option 1

'30' = hot from battery

'87' = hot to power block

'85' = ground

'86' = connection to a hot when ignition is on

Option 2

'87' = hot from battery

'86' = ground

'85' = connection to a hot when ignition is on

'30' = hot to power block

Rogue · Nov 30, 2005

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate the insight. I'm still looking for validation on the wiring of the relay. Will it work both ways?Option 1

'30' = hot from battery

'87' = hot to power block

'85' = ground

'86' = connection to a hot when ignition is on

Option 2

'87' = hot from battery

'86' = ground

'85' = connection to a hot when ignition is on

'30' = hot to power block

The from battery & To power block can be reversed.

The Ground & switched source may be + & -, I will have to check a relay.

Rogue · Nov 30, 2005

Looking at a relay it doesn't look like it cares which is + and which is -. So either of your ways will work.

Ignacio · Nov 30, 2005

In looking at the instructions, it listed the 8-position jumper as one of the parts needed, but, didn't say what to do with it. I'm guessing it is used to connect one whole side together so that the top would be positive, right? Using that same logic, do you do the same for the ground side? If not, what do you do with the grounds?

The front and back screws are connected on each set of screws, so an 8 position jumper would make the whole barrier strip (all 16 screws) the same polarity.

I don't need 16 positives so I cut the jumper in half, trimmed down the edge a touch so the halves wouldn't touch each other and now have the upper half of the barrier positive and the lower half of the barrier negative.

In hindsight I would have gone 10 positive (I tend to use them more) and 6 negative (I tend to use them less).

Randy · Nov 30, 2005

Thanks again, everyone. It doesn't seem as difficult now.

JimLor · Nov 30, 2005

Randy - thanks for asking the question! I'm not a pro when it comes to electrical work and appreciate when someone throws out a question. I've only got a couple of electrical farkles on the bike now, but can see the battery (especially the (-)) is getting crowded with wires and I'll need to fix that soon. Thanks again!

Bounce · Nov 30, 2005

I apologize for my ignorance in advance.Looking at the 12V Power Strip guide on FJRtech.com , I have a concern and am kindly asking for guidance.

I'm really a neophite when it comes to electronics, so, sorry if this is elementary. In looking at the instructions, it listed the 8-position jumper as one of the parts needed, but, didn't say what to do with it. I'm guessing it is used to connect one whole side together so that the top would be positive, right? Using that same logic, do you do the same for the ground side? If not, what do you do with the grounds?

Common sense tells me that you don't want the positive and negative ends touching each other, right? So, and here's another dumb question - if you jumper all the positives on one side of the block (assume I have the same block as is in the instructions) and all of the grounds on the other side of the block, how do you keep the circuits from shorting out when there is a metal plate that connects the 2 screws in each of the positions on the strip?

On a related note, I saw this diagram on another site and the directions for what gets connected to each position on the relay differs from the directions in the link above and I don't know if that matters. Does it? Are there any flaws in this diagram?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/...agram-final.jpg

There's no "sides" to one of those blocks. That's a mistake I made early on (years ago) when first starting this stuff too.

One of those strips will be for power. A different strip would then be used for ground. [You can split a single strip, but I find that more than 4 terminals (half of the 8 terminal strip) are used on most of my bikes; feeding lines from both directions (16 feeds from an 8 position strip) tends to make it hard to mount with proper clearance in both directions.]

The jumper makes all the terminals +12v on a "hot strip". You feed a power lead to one terminal from the + of the battery and then the jumper "jumps" across to all the other terminals (that then feed the various +12v lines to different devices).

A "ground block" would then be the same thing, but the main lead would go back to the battery - terminal and the jumper would then joing together all the terminals to then feed the ground lines needed to those same devices.

Each device would have 1 wire run to the "power distribution block" (+12v).

And each device would also have 1 wire run to the "ground block" (- or ground).

For photos of a dual use like that, check out Bikes-N-Spikes.

Toecutter · Nov 30, 2005

In looking at the instructions, it listed the 8-position jumper as one of the parts needed, but, didn't say what to do with it.

On mine, I cut the jumper strip in half, which makes one half of the terminal strip hot and the other half ground. So far, so good. If I need more than 8 of each, I can always add a second strip.

user 711 · Nov 30, 2005

Is there any danger in using a barrier strip for your hot feeds (protected by a single 25-amp fuse) compared with individually fused circuits?

I'm considering using two of these Bussman 15600-06-20 6-position fuse blocks, one for switched and unswitched power. Not as nice as the Blue Sea one, but much cheaper at $10.99 each from www.partsamerica.com.

I could also go with 8-position barrier strips but was worried that my GPS might get zapped since it requires a 2-amp fuse. Or do you guys add the fuses inline from the barrier strip?

Toecutter · Nov 30, 2005

Or do you guys add the fuses inline from the barrier strip?

That's how I do it.

BrunDog · Nov 30, 2005

Is there any danger in using a barrier strip for your hot feeds (protected by a single 25-amp fuse) compared with individually fused circuits?
I'm considering using two of these Bussman 15600-06-20 6-position fuse blocks, one for switched and unswitched power. Not as nice as the Blue Sea one, but much cheaper at $10.99 each from www.partsamerica.com.

I could also go with 8-position barrier strips but was worried that my GPS might get zapped since it requires a 2-amp fuse. Or do you guys add the fuses inline from the barrier strip?

You could do this, but there are two caveats:

1. When one short occurs the main fuse blows and you are SOL on ALL the circuits connected to the block.

2. More importantly, different devices draw different amount of power, and the fuse for that device should match with a safety factor. For example, a light might draw 10 amps, and a 15 or 20 amp fuse would be appropriate. A radar detector will draw less than 1 amp, so a 2 or 3 amp fuse would be appropriate. Do you really want the radar detector to have to draw 20 or 40 amps in order to pop the fuse on a circuit that includes two 10A lights (for example)? Go look at the circuit breaker panel in your house or the fuseblock on your car. How many different values do you see? Obviously all circuits are not the same.

Also, I think that busman fuseblock is a POS. You can buy one at a local car parts store (Autozone, etc) for about $7. It is made in Mexico and it is obvious that it was. Also, the terminals are open in the back, so this block is not your best option in potentially wet applications like the bike. Nothing would short if it got wet, but I would expect corrosion to occur sooner than desired.

-BD

JimV · Nov 30, 2005

Only one way to go in my opinion: BlueSea systems fuseblock. It has both positive and negative busses, and it fits nicely in several places, including under the mirror mounts.

Brundog,

Is your Bluesea panel physically attached to anything with screw, zipties, or anything? Or is it just kind of floating in there? I put in one of the power plate units screwed to the intrument panel bracket but I really like the dual bus bluesea units.

Thanks,

Jim

BrunDog · Nov 30, 2005

Brundog,
Is your Bluesea panel physically attached to anything with screw, zipties, or anything? Or is it just kind of floating in there? I put in one of the power plate units screwed to the intrument panel bracket but I really like the dual bus bluesea units.

Thanks,

Jim

Actually, it wedges in there quite nicely, but I did zip-tie it into place via the through holes in the corners. I don't see it in the photo so I assume I took the photo before tying it down.

This thing is $30, but it is VERY well constructed, with a nice grip to the fuse blades.

-BD

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