I was told to go pound sand when I said fuse box add a fuses are shotty. Im working on a brand new $170k machine that I added an accessory to. I was determined to tie into the fusebox in a spare or accessory fuse. there are usually extra plugs that have a fuse in the fuse box. Well service manual was useless so I asked shop foreman. His response was add a fuse and cut fuse box cover. I then said those are shotty. Well he won't be talking to me for a month or more now. He had some choice words he threw at me. There is no way I'm using the add a fuse Cobb. If I bought a new machine and saw that in my fuse box I'd bring it back. There are accessory and spare fuses for a reason and if there isn't get the pins to add to the fuse box if you can. So would you put this in a new sold machine if you worked at the dealer? I wouldnt ever use one of these on a customers machine its alot like a scotchlock
I have used those for many years and they are very reliable if you get good name brand ones. We used to use little blades that wrapped around one leg of the fuse and spread out (damaged) the slot so it would not accept a bare fuse leg again. You do have to exercise your brain a little and find a spot that has an adequate supply and also not too heavy of a load on the original fuse. And I also hate cutting the cover to make one fit. Rather I would go back and find a battery stud in the system further back and put in an inline fuse, or something like that. Are you saying there are possible unused fuses, but nobody will give you the help you need to figure which one? That would indeed be shoddy. It is a lot better than a Scotchlok. I used one once, came back in a week, I said never again. If I need to tap a wire in the middle I cut the wire, install a butt connector with 2 wires in one end and one in the other. That's the way mfrs do it.
I found the fuses manufacturer left for these purposes most new machines have them because it's a machine made for a manufacture the manual is less the useful. It took a while but this is a brand new machine we are the dealer it should be done right no? I'm sorry but those add a fuses are just wrong along with inline fuses when installing in a new machine with 1 hour
I feel your pain.. Just remember, ur paid to do as your told.. & at a dealership, it’s ALL ABOUT TIME. When you go out on ur own.. U have ALL THE TIME in the world to do it right.
Yeah no way if they dont want me to do it right they can give it to someone else foremans not my boss hes a joke I answer to service manager he wants it done right
The add-a-fuse product does appear to be less than ideal, but they are a good solution for low amp draw cab accessories when options are limited. Dealership drama stories make me feel good about being independent. Lol. Your mileage may vary.
There is no book, rule, law or regulation that says anything about how you install current protection in a piece of heavy equipment. I have experienced plenty of machines that had no extra fuse slots installed. Engineers as a group want their designs to be the only way something can be done and they never even want to hear about something added that they didn't think of. At least you got a spade fuse and a decent sealing enclosure in the photo. The ones I've used had a sealing cap that fit over the top of the fuse. It's a darn site better than those crap plastic covers that went over the fuse and crimp on rings that have been used for decades. You sound a little young to be going after a shop foreman on what is the right and wrong way to do something.
Me im probably the youngest constant person on this forum that swings a wrench. It a boss told me to use one of those I'd laungh and say nope and if he got mad I'd be sure to make him even more mad. I won't use then to add something on my stuff. When I worked at the 2 dealers I did it was always a worry of time for management that never did the the job in there life. But I am wired a bit tighter then most.
If there is a spare fuse slot, use it. Otherwise I've used those add a fuse with good results. If I'm adding something high power, I'll tap off the main battery cable and add a fuse.
We won't use them on our work, the are good electrical service call generators for us tho
If it's something like an aftermarket LED light kit, backup camera, or radio they're fine.
A bit young that's funny formans old and set in his ways and wont take the time to look into doing it right he has 2 years more experience then me but has only worked at one shop his whole life. Doesnt actually perform any Forman tasks. maybe he did at one time but his mind is on retirement. Difference between him and I is when we have down time he plays with his phone I read through service manuals. When I get some time I'll be looking for the other two spare plugs. What's great is the schematic gives you a plug number but the plugs aren't marked on the machine.
Oh Lord.........a young versus old thread. Bring it on you little whippersnappers!
I'm 5 years younger whatever keep on doing it the way you've done it
I suppose being a bit obtuse is part of who we are as a group. Just keep in mind that you possibly made yourself replaceable somewhere down the line. So how did you solve the issue of no extra hole in the fuse panel?
5 years younger than who?
Being smart enough to put right fuse in right hole (one for new load, one for existing), having the correct polarity of the add-a-fuse, and, later on, making sure someone didn't flip it around, or move it, or add the wrong amperage after a failure are all concerns. Leave out the primary fuse and use just the accessory one, and tesr output...that's the easiest way to ensure correct orientation. With that said, I've used them, or, I'll simply add a fuse or fuse panel directly from the main power relay.
Fuse box has lots of extra room added it directly to fuse box not with a add a fuse junk. Replaceable yeah everywhere I've worked they want to clone me. replacability has never been a problem from the first day I punched the clock at 14
Oh, and, BTW, it's "shoddy"
A dedicated fuse or an inline fuse is the way to go unless totally unavoidable. I have spent far more time doing it right than doing it the quick and easy way and it pays off when the thing you are adding is properly wired in, not going to cause issues down the road, not going to burn up the wiring, etc. Had to follow up on a machine once that had 18amp draw lighting added to it by tapping into the existing light switch, using the power from that, and replacing that circuits 5 amp fuse with a 20 amp fuse. While it worked temporarily in a few hours it burned up the switch, smoked a protective diode, and damaged wiring. After I was done with it the damage was repaired and the lighting was wired in with dedicated fused circuits, appropriate gauge wiring, relays, and a separate switch controlling those relays while still using the factory panel illumination circuit tied into the switch.
The spelling kind of fits the post.
What's considered old and what's considered young? Sometimes working on things makes you feel a lot older than you are or you wish someone younger could do it. I used to do a fair amount contortionist welding in tight spaces and sure as heck wouldn't want to do it now. I think I'd get locked up like a pretzel and wouldn't be able to move. On the other hand I think it's good I did those kind of jobs when I was younger. I think it contributes greatly to my being able to remain active despite having cancer related issues with my back. Dr. said it's very important I keep active and wants me to do at least 7000 steps a day. Climbing up in the grader is a good work out, especially when the lower step isn't solid and you have to pull yourself up and in.
Polarity doesnt really matter with these add a fuse setups just that the fuse you remove goes into the bottom fuse spot and if it's in one way and you blow bottom fuse you wont have power to top not horrible but you cant install it and not have fused power. Still junk in my opinion but hey that's just me it's the right way or not at all. This is the way the one I tested works red is the fuse you remove blue is the one you add. . To all you haters about my spelling when I realized it I couldn't find a way to change it. Autocorrect is great unless you cant spell words that dont use hooked on phonics
With an "Add A Fuse" you can put a 60 amp load on the fuse slot that was designed for a maximum of 30 amps. Getting the correct terminal crimping it on the new supply wire with the correct crimping tool and accessing the rear of the fuse box is not a big deal in most cases. Dealer shops would have everything needed to do the job right. The extra time is not a lot.
Not my dealer you have to remember alot of manufactures build some stuff but have 2 or 3 other manufacturers rebranding for them on those machines service manuals lack alot. Oh yeah your forgetting good old 40 amp fuses so 80amp draw
Add-a-fuse units DO have a polarity. Rather than composing a shoddy description with pictures, with circles and arrows on the back, I'm just gonna link this...as the write up is clear. https://www.124spider.org/threads/add-a-fuse-the-right-and-wrong-way-to-use-them.33420/
I've got 2 of them in my service truck. They have been in there so long I completely forgot about them. Only when somebody yelled at me through the window that the brake lights were not working. The brake light fuse likes to fall out every year or two. It is not one of the add a fuse spots either. So when I opened it up it reminded me that I had put them in there so long ago. One runs the 2 way radio with a 15 amp fuse. Installed hundreds that way. The other I can't remember what it is for. But everything is working so it must be for something.
Acceptable for a used piece of equipment if done properly. Not acceptable for a new piece. If I saw that on a new piece i'd kill the sale over it if there was empty places in fuse box it could have went.
Learn something new.
Heymccal that link is wrong if you test the one I have in my hand power crosses diagonally not straight up like your link Why does polarity really matter everything is still fused only issue if installed wrong top wont work when bottom blows
Well I find this thread pretty funny. On some types of equipment like the brand new KW 900L 2022 model priced at total cost of $189,000 which I just installed a dash camera in, I used 2 fuse taps one for constant p and one ignition p-. Which is the way I have done it now since dash cams came out. Obviously some folks haven't seen a power distribution box in a PacCar product. Your not going to just remove it.
Is it sad that I didn't even notice the spelling? LOL
Just think how hilarious this would be with all of us around a campfire drinking!!!
Did you notice the word phonics is under Midnightmoon's image in post #23 ? It is weird how HEF does that sometimes with a comment and image in the same post. The post can be edited to correct it, if the author sees it before the edit time limit expires.
Nowadays, i'm leery about adding any extra load to any existing circuit because of all the computer controlled stuff, electronic modules and maybe the possibility of multiplexing. I sure don't want to cause unforeseen issues caused by something i added in to an existing circuit. So, i go right to the power centre and either use a spare cavity or go to a power stud( or keyed ignition supply terminal and then add what i want either fused or relayed or both. It can be very frustrating trying to diagnose an electrical problem where somebody has randomly added in extra crap willy-nilly and inadvertantly caused other issues.
Usually there are spare accessory fuse ports to tap into.
Oh yes, we had this problem on a then-new Dodge. This would have been about 2013 or so. Tapped the usual fuses, very low additional draw, truck would randomly refuse to start (crank), a lot. After scratching our heads for many hours looking for things we might have damaged, we just put the fuses back like original and it started right up every time. The solution was to use a Charge Guard, a piece of electronics that monitors main battery voltage and turns on its output when it rises above what a resting battery could provide (i.e. it sees the alternator operational). It is pretty much fool proof, it does not affect any vehicle system and it's the only way to fly on newer electronified junk. Tap as close to the main battery as practical.
And nowhere in this thread does it mention chasing down computer issues that stem from adding an accessory relay that didn't have a clamping diode. It's more prevalent in light trucks than in machines, but relay coil decay has led me to chasing quite a few issues through the years.
That's why 99% of class eight come with accessory power ports wire in/too many issues like you mention.
We are all shot so shotty is fitting hard round ball on top of our shoulders. All I was asking is simple is it shotty to use this style power tap when you can add a pin to a fuse box or use a spare fuse in a fuse box specifically for adding accessories. Personally I would never use one of these regardless if the fuse box is full or not.. Put it in backwords and you over load a circuit. It's just not professional. I've worked onTrucks theres better ways around the add a problem
Your not adding a problem if installed correctly.
"Never" is a long time. We have put in literally hundreds of them from pickups to class 8, dozers etc. and a few passenger cars thrown in. As stated with the newest multiplex it can run into problems but in the dash of a KW where you know the feed to the fuse goes straight back to the battery or some big relay then to the battery, it works perfectly. You will not overload anything if installed backwards but as you correctly stated earlier, you might double up on the fuse for the original load, the answer to that problem is to not install it backward.
See, now I'm checking EVEYONES spelling!!
In my early days working on Komatsu excavators, they never put in enough heater fan in the cab to keep the windows clear. The operator's answer was to just get a fan where ever and screw it into the frame of the back of the cab. To them, any old wire they could probe that would light up a test light was good. Many dollars wasted because the operator would hide the wire connection under the panels and plastic and not say anything. We then changed up and started putting accessories on the radio circuit. Usually only a three amp fuse in them and power came off the buss bar. Made it easy to troubleshoot over the phone. If they didn't mention it on the call, the dispatcher would ask them if the radio worked. That fancy add a fuse thing might have been a big help on the corn binders and old Japanese machines.
LOL......spelling passed!
Vetech63---aka The Doctor Detroit of Spell Check, plus any other items of interest.
All of my loader attachment wiring is on the same feed as the CB radio. "My broom won't angle" is now met with, Does the CB work? "My planer won't tilt" yields the same question.
You missed an error
If we do 2 or more circuits for an upfit we put in a little fuse panel somewhere. I hate having a bunch of inline fuse holders everywhere. Same with relays it's pretty easy to order a nice relay box these days online. Don't even have to deal with a parts counter monkey.
Your always better off to run a new power supply, fuse panel and relay box to create new circuits. Tail lights last much longer when a junction box is installed and easier to trouble shoot.
Yep, I can't stand a crappy upfit and that seems like what every truck and body company does, throw 500 feet of wire a handful of crummy fuse holders and some relays at the vehicle and hope it sticks. Some municipal equipment really blows, sweepers, vac trucks.
Don’t forget scotchlocks and other “do it faster and easier” junk
******* scotchlocks Every time I see one I wanna wack someone with my crimpers. They make for great trailer light service calls tho.
U-Haul-you can thank them for that.
That's my opinion add a fuse is just a scotch lock in disguise unprofessional on every level. It's easy stop being lazy and do it right
Much better than a Scotch Lok as in they will do their job and work for years. A Scotch Lok will work when it's in the shop, and quit when the customer is in the middle of a job and call you very angry.
Have been in the business of eradicating Scotchloks at any chance run across them. Despicable corrosion starters.
When I worked for a Kenworth dealer we would get a radio shop to send a guy over to install the radios. They were the worst harness butchers I have ever seen. It got to the point where I would open the dash and show them the power wire to use and where to put the ground and where to put the co-ax through the firewall. The Add-A-Fuse and Scotch-Lock were made for radio installers. Once a radio installer showed up all battered and bruised. I jokingly asked him what happened. Apparently he was working in the dash of a new vehicle and managed to set off the steering wheel air bag. Had a customer bring his car to our shop. It was a lease and he was returning it that day, he wanted me to take the Auto-Tel out for his next vehicle. It was screwed to the floor of the trunk. When I took the screws out, 4" long self drilling tapping screws I could smell gasoline. The screws went through the trunk and an inch further into the gas tank. I put the screws back in to plug the holes in the tank. My last job a company that outfits new vehicles installed a radio clam-shell on the hump in the floor of our new Ford Expedition. They managed to put a self drilling screw through the transmission housing.
See these twits at truck shops and garages, the ONLY screws they use are MILES too long, setting to Sheet Metal or Plastic where ONLY have to pass thru the material not anchor to the asphalt under the machine.
Farmer brings in rig for air leak-mounted fire-x to back of cab ran 1/4" screw through 5/8 feed line to tractor protection valve. But when it comes to the worst wiring from factory-look no further than Great Dane and Vanguard refer trailers.
There is a reason the Great Dane has GD Initials!!!
I am still a stickler to solder and shrink tube every electrical connection I touch on equipment and vehicles. You can probably figure out I am in the old fart category. Way to stiff and sore to do it more than once.
one of the reasons the crown Vic got its reputation as “The Police Incinerator” was the poorly installed self tapping screws of body upfitters installing LE equipment puncturing gas tanks in rear end wrecks. I tell my apprentices at work to use care in their worksmanship as there are times when poor choices can result in lives and/or property loss and besides the harm you don’t want to wind up on the stand going “Uhhhhh” about a repair you did going sideways.
I either use Deutsch connectors or similar (high quality and very environmentally sealed) or solder and heat shrink like you to join wires as necessary. Reliability is paramount. Besides the normal scotchloks and buttsplice failures I have seen those seemingly fancy heat shrink/solder connectors fail also.
One of my wiring jobs. like it or dislike it-it's the way I did it.
Its clean and worked!!
The wiring in older trucks was so simple compared to what we deal with in modern trucks.
That's true-but 99% of the mechanics managed to f@#k even those systems up. And modern trucks don't need 40% of the wiring-there's no need for power door locks, power windows, lane avoidance systems, traction control-that's what interlock is for. All the power ports installed for entertainment center garbage, miltiplex wiring, sam modules, power inverters, Trucks have been turned into a lexus. IT'S A TRUCK for **** sake. I owned and operated a 1966 Pete as OTR, 13spd with a 4spd brownie and power steering-didn't even have AC. No GPS, no cell phone, no dash cam, no tv, no microwave, no nothing and was out 7 days at a time. Somehow for some reason I survived without all that crap.
Not old-school cool like Truck Shop’s classic iron. My example is mostly plastic and soulless. New T880 Kay-Dub tanker. I installed a SkyBitz Smartlogix system. Needed some juice. Add-A-Circuit to the rescue! Tap that R7.
What sort of Tom-foolery is this? It tracks gallons, controls delivery, tracks the truck, GPS, cellular, creates a ticket, BIll of sale, starts an invoice.
I guess the days of the Brodie, Neptune and other meters are long past?
59 North, Almost. There are two Neptunes in regular service in Sitka. Russ Smith rebuilt them for me before he retired. No idea of anyone in the PNW that can work on one, anymore. There was a Brodie in Bethel still passing AK Weights&Measures proving inspections as of 2018. Now retired. I have a picture somewhere. Lol. Like 50’s vintage. It was on John’s old International fuel truck before he sold the station to Delta Western Petroleum. Liquid Controls model LCRII is predominantly in use across the state. A few LCR600’s, mostly on bulk lube delivery trucks.
Not much different than the Quall coms, Lytx camera's and Samsara trackers I install.---George Jettson crap. Truck drivers with some sort of cyborg head set on---trying to look like some kind of half *** jet pilot/astronaut.
Every ******* one of em here has a Bluetooth on, and can't back into a dock for ****
Correct-they are excellent at scraping the marker lights off shorting out the lighting system though.
In my opinion, add-on fuses are trash. Either utilize a spare fuse block in the factory fuse block or do a separate fuse block. Just my $0.02.
When I worked at a place that had docks we'd find a few marker light remains a month down in them. We got a lot of SWIFT so we were always fixing bumpers and levelers lol.
Thanks! Very interesting. Drove fuel truck some, for part of the '70s, and those were the 2 that I recall were on the trucks. Carbon paper in the delivery tickets!
Awesome. Still some use slip printers in the way North for home heat. In ultra-frigid temps, point of sale roll printers stop working. And the fragile thermo-paper gets destroyed by the snow and wind before the driver makes it from the truck cab to the resident’s front door.