Well that was fun!!!

[project62]

OK, now I see what you are talking about. I thought you were talking about a buss bar like the style electricians use. That's a fuse block and should already be insulated by virtue of its construction. That is unless it's damaged or flawed. That particular block itself is not fused to main power so the fuse you mentioned earlier that blew was powering something. The question is, what was that particular fuse powering? That's where you want to start looking.

Inline fuse from battery to fuse block. Had a 10 amp that blew twice. So I put a 30 amp in.

 

[project62]

Inline fuse from battery to fuse block. Had a 10 amp that blew twice. So I put a 30 amp in.

Fuse block has a 30 amp for ignition box 20 amp for electric fan and 2 other 30 amp fuses for what I'm not sure.

 

[Cranky]

Understand. Can only say, once you mount it, to the trunk floor, or wherever, use an ohmmeter, to check it. All depends on it's design. If you get any contact from either cable lug, to one of the mounting screws...you've got ground. Don't want that.

And, yeah...that's exactly why I don't use electronic ignition. Too many throw away parts.

Are you running a points system?

Inline fuse from battery to fuse block. Had a 10 amp that blew twice. So I put a 30 amp in.

Man, NEVER step up your fuse capacity. If something blows, you need to find out why and not amp it up. That's how cars get burned down.

 

[project62]

Are you running a points system?

Man, NEVER step up your fuse capacity. If something blows, you need to find out why and not amp it up. That's how cars get burned down.

No points. Electronic.

 

[Shorthorse]

Thanks project62. I'm getting a clearer picture of your setup. I believe that particular block is rated for 150 amps max with 30 amp max per fuse. Your inline power fuse is a good idea but you already found out that 10 amps was too small. You need to determine all the devices that are attached to your fuse block, look up their power consumption and/or find their manufactures suggested fuse rates. That's what will determine the main fuse size. You may find out that even your 30 amp main fuse is too small, especially if you intend to ad electric fan/s and electric fuel pump. The individual fuses it came with are unimportant. When wiring the car you pick a fuse position to connect to and insert the appropriate size fuse for what you are powering. Just don't exceed the manufacturers specs.
Most important, are the individual fuse ratings correct for what they are powering? Are any of them failing or even getting too hot?

 

[Cranky]

No points. Electronic.

I know you are....I was asking Mr. Miller

 

[project62]

I know you are....I was asking Mr. Miller

Oh. Lol

 

[project62]

Thanks project62. I'm getting a clearer picture of your setup. I believe that particular block is rated for 150 amps max with 30 amp max per fuse. Your inline power fuse is a good idea but you already found out that 10 amps was too small. You need to determine all the devices that are attached to your fuse block, look up their power consumption and/or find their manufactures suggested fuse rates. That's what will determine the main fuse size. You may find out that even your 30 amp main fuse is too small, especially if you intend to ad electric fan/s and electric fuel pump. The individual fuses it came with are unimportant. When wiring the car you pick a fuse position to connect to and insert the appropriate size fuse for what you are powering. Just don't exceed the manufacturers specs.
Most important, are the individual fuse ratings correct for what they are powering? Are any of them failing or even getting too hot?

Ok thanks.

 

[project62]

Yes you must insulate the + buss from the body.
Here's a trick. Remove the negative cable from the battery, attach the positive cable to the battery. Take a volt/ohm meter and set it to DC volts. Put the negative meter lead on the negative battery post and put the positive meter lead to the frame. If you read voltage, you've got a positive short to the frame.

Connected positive battery cable, disconnected negative, dis what you said except I touched the floor pan. Read .44 volts.

 

[Shorthorse]

I apologize. I didn't take into account that some devices such as lights, especially ones like your interior lights (+) have a high resistance path to ground via the filament. If you had the door open, that's what you were seeing and could result in your .44 reading. I think you are OK with that.

 

[project62]

I apologize. I didn't take into account that some devices such as lights, especially ones like your interior lights (+) have a high resistance path to ground via the filament. If you had the door open, that's what you were seeing and could result in your .44 reading. I think you are OK with that.

Interior lights are not hooked up. Headlights and tail lights are though.

 

[miller]

I know you are....I was asking Mr. Miller

Aw, heck! Please don't call me Mr., gives me the creeps! Just a tee shirt/jeans kinda guy.
Yeah, points (two of 'em), and know what your going to say. All those parts, besides the condenser, I can fix and make work. Too old school to change, now.

project62...try un-hooking your positive battery cable, at the starter...then test for any contact with ground. Sounds like you have a short, somewhere.

 

[moper]

Why was the 10A fuse put in before the positive buss? Was it part of the aftermarket wiring or you added it?
If the battery is in the trunk, you should have a negative cable that runs from the battery terminal to a spot on the frame cleared of paint and undercoating, then forward to the engine itself, with additional ground wires from the firewall to the engine, and from the radiator support to the engine. I put my busses in the engine bay so there's les wires the length of the car and everything gets grounded easily.
The pertronix in the distributor is fried. A good friend once said electrical is all about keeping the smoke in. Once you let the smoke out, it's dead.

 

[project62]

Why was the 10A fuse put in before the positive buss? Was it part of the aftermarket wiring or you added it? It was originally for the fan relay wiring harness. When we put the fuse block in we cut it and used it from battery to the fuse block. Just curious. Why so many grounds?
If the battery is in the trunk, you should have a negative cable that runs from the battery terminal to a spot on the frame cleared of paint and undercoating, then forward to the engine itself, with additional ground wires from the firewall to the engine, and from the radiator support to the engine. I put my busses in the engine bay so there's les wires the length of the car and everything gets grounded easily.
The pertronix in the distributor is fried. A good friend once said electrical is all about keeping the smoke in. Once you let the smoke out, it's dead.

 

[Shorthorse]

I have some questions.
1. This fuse block you added directly to the battery means the devices attached to it are hot full time and not affected by the ignition switched (switched vs. un-switched power). What devices are attached to that fuse block. What gauge wire did you use and what amp fuses are you feeding those devices with?
2. Of those devices, which ones are connected directly and which devices have some sort of on/off switch?
3. Are you still utilizing the stock wiring harnesses?
4. Have you altered (attached to, spliced, cut etc) any of those original harnesses, including the bulkhead terminal and original fuse block? Keep in mind, there are several harnesses such as lights, dash and engine/ignition.
5. What gauge wire did you use from the battery in the trunk to the engine compartment? Where did you attach it up front?

 

[project62]

I have some questions.
1. This fuse block you added directly to the battery means the devices attached to it are hot full time and not affected by the ignition switched (switched vs. un-switched power). What devices are attached to that fuse block. What gauge wire did you use and what amp fuses are you feeding those devices with?
2. Of those devices, which ones are connected directly and which devices have some sort of on/off switch?
3. Are you still utilizing the stock wiring harnesses?
4. Have you altered (attached to, spliced, cut etc) any of those original harnesses, including the bulkhead terminal and original fuse block? Keep in mind, there are several harnesses such as lights, dash and engine/ignition.
5. What gauge wire did you use from the battery in the trunk to the engine compartment? Where did you attach it up front?

I will get back with you later this afternoon.

 

[Cranky]

Aw, heck! Please don't call me Mr., gives me the creeps! Just a tee shirt/jeans kinda guy.
Yeah, points (two of 'em), and know what your going to say. All those parts, besides the condenser, I can fix and make work. Too old school to change, now.

Oh man, sorry about the Mr lol....and I'm a points guy too! I love it when someone looks at my car and asks if my ECU is located inside the car then they ask what is a point system when I tell them it's a points system and everything is under the hood. Several years back I had 3 cars and all were points with two of them being original and one had an Accel dual point in it. Old simple school and easy to fix but rarely had ignition problems with them.

 

[project62]

I will get back with you later this afternoon.

1) Ignition box to fuse block 30 amp fuse. Electric fan relay 20 amp, starter relay 30 amp and another wire to a 30 amp not sure for what though can't where it goes.
2)

3) No stock wiring. Bought universal wiring kit from ez wiring. Should be called pain the A## wiring.
4) No alterations

5) From battery to engine compartment i used 4 gauge. The only spot i could find was on the head. Ran it down the passenger side

 

[Shorthorse]

PM sent

 

[project62]

Still trying to figure out why the inline fuse blew again. Pertronics junk is gone. All new MSD ignition. 15 amp fuse between fuse block and battery.