Wiring advice. Battery terminals vs distribution blocks

[jrhone]

So i have a car stereo amp and electric fan connected directly to the battery in addition to the standard 02 stuff.  Its looking ratty.  So i wanna clean it ip from a visual standpoint as well as a functional one.  So i was thinking of one of 2 options, a batter terminal with multiple wire ports or running one wire to a distribution block and feeding all my stuff from there.  Any way better than another?

 

so something like this

 

vs this

 

 

or is there a better way than both of those?

[Mike Self]

Why not install a small auxiliary fuse box (2 or 3 fuses) up on the driver's side fender well near the existing fuse box.  Run a heavy wire (10 gauge) from the existing terminal on the + battery terminal to your new fuse box; that'll declutter the battery area;  You should be able to find a small fuse box that uses the same cartridge fuses as your original box (E30s have a nifty little two fuse box) 

 

Alternatively, run that same 10 gauge wire to the supply terminal on a pair of fused relays, one for the stereo amp and the other for the fan.  Install the relays in the same location as you would the auxiliary fuse box.

 

mike

[mgben]

I am bordering on your issue, but just adding headlight relay.

You could do a distribution block using a fat wire from your starter feed, leaving just the standard setup at the battery.

https://ceautoelectricsupply.com/individual-components/power-distribution-products/

I am always worried about having things fused, but OEM doesn't fuse till farther downstream.

The best you can do for battery post still can look busy.

https://ceautoelectricsupply.com/individual-components/battery-terminals-boots-and-adapters/aftermarket-battery-terminals-and-adapters/

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

Best thing for this type of additive-wiring work is one of these (or similar):

https://www.amazon.com/ONLINE-LED-STORE-Waterproof-Automotive/dp/B07MR64XK1

Bring in one good sized wire in and then break it out to all the relay terminal 30s, then control all your auxiliary devices with proper relays and fuses all nicely tucked away in one little box!

Walking my talk:

 

Edited October 11, 2020 by AustrianVespaGuy

[Golfcar]

Many ways to do this but a simple small fuse box like Mike suggests would work well. 

If you got one with a cover you could use modern mini fuses and not have corrosion problems. 

Here are two resources that can be helpful. 

https://www.wirecare.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppyY9ziaV5m3hcCDhmVpFSUuKxZ7uwvITvec5_mbQcevXegIXt-7BMw8aAib9EALw_wcB

 

https://racespeconline.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw2or8BRCNARIsAC_ppybQdD75LsnxAL3cNFFa3FM-mn9SJTQ17hBrgCqdy-i_bVLQggcwhpIaAqe0EALw_wcB

 

 

[dlacey]

If you just want to make the battery terminals look nice/organised then consider moving your additional fan and amp wires to the large positive terminal on the starter motor...same wires in a less visible location.

[calw]

This is a work in progress, and may seem like overkill...   I'm doing a completely new wiring scheme as I rebuild my car.  The goal is not one electrical gremlin when I'm done.  The car is a late 1968 build 1600, which had a ratty old modified wiring harness and which did not meet today's needs.  I'm doing my own wiring design, so some of this is not necessarily applicable.   Ignore my temporary umbilical cord used for testing seen in the photo (red and blue wires coming up thru battery tray).

 

The battery stays in it's original position.  Ground is immediately connected to a block of copper with threaded holes on the rear side of the nose panel with additional attachment points for devices needing ground. 

 

The battery positive terminal connects to the G10 epoxy board just above the master cylinder, which has large fuses protecting everything in the car.  The biggest fuse is for the starter.  The other three are for 1.  Engine bay heavy loads- the things switched by the blue fuses above the battery tray, 2. cockpit power- instruments, heater, wipers, radio, etc, and 3.  Trunk power - I plan on installing a ham radio in the trunk.  All of these fuses are from junk yard E39's, they are mounted in the trunk just behind the rear passenger side wheel well.  They're used on other 2000 era BMW models also, and easily found.  The engine bay power line feeds to the fuses behind the relays and power them. 

 

All of the usual 6 or 12 fuses are gone...  Under the driver's dashboard area will be a fuse panel replacing them.  Suddenly, those grommets thru the firewall are not so crowded, and the under hood fuse area is empty unless I think of a use for it later.

 

Originality?  None.  Better?  I hope so.  Properly documented?  Absolutely.  Each wire is tagged, and corresponds to a schematic diagram that's also under construction.  Wire colors are not original except where I need to graft on NLA connectors from a donor wiring harness. 

[MauiBob]

Beautiful!

[Rich]

CALW amazing work, very jealous