The fuse block setup in TUG was ripe for improvement and we decided to tackle the project as part of the process of getting the machine ready for sale. The factory fuse block had 10 circuits and used old-school, small cylindrical glass fuses. Those fuses have gone out of style, and sometimes they can be hard to find. Another issue is the amperage is marked on the fuses in really small letters and determining the amperage can be difficult. Back in the day, I had great eyesight, but that’s no longer the case (part of getting old, I’m afraid). In fact, several times I’ve had to break out a magnifying glass to read the amperage on a small fuse, and that's not something I normally keep with me. Here’s the factory fuse block. There was also no "legend” to know what fuse powered what circuit. That lack of a description of the fuse layout seemed like what Navy guys would call “poor headwork”.
Here’s a pic of the factory fuse block after removal.
Blade-style fuses on the other hand can be easily found, and they’re color coded based on their amperage. The fuse block and fuses were relatively inexpensive, though there were a fair number of hours involved in changing everything over.
I ordered a 12 circuit blade-style fuse block from Amazon. Scott and I then discussed options about the best way to install it. Of course we’d have to make a new bracket to mount it behind the instrument panel, but we re-configured the fuse block internally, so instead of having a power lug and a grounding lug, we have one lug powered by the vehicle battery and the other lug supplies power from the ignition switch. The items powered by the fuse block are separately grounded.
Here’s a pic of the new fuse block installed (there is one unused, or spare circuit). We made our mounting bracket to reuse the factory’s holes in the instrument panel.
I printed out a legend listing the power source, the individual circuits, and their amperage. I then took that to the local Staples store and they retyped the label and laminated it to the back of the fuse block cover (which had been media blasted and repainted). The hope is that a plastic laminated label will last for many years.
Here’s a pic.
This is how you’d orient the fuse block cover to see the fuse arrangement. You can see the word “Top” in the legend.
All done.
One can certainly argue that it’s a lot of work for a small gain. And is it really necessary since we’re selling the machine anyway? I really can’t refute either of those points other than to say we think it’s a nice improvement, and makes the machine a bit more user friendly. In our opinion, when you’re selling something - it’s not about you, it’s about the customer.
Here’s a pic of the factory fuse block after removal.
Blade-style fuses on the other hand can be easily found, and they’re color coded based on their amperage. The fuse block and fuses were relatively inexpensive, though there were a fair number of hours involved in changing everything over.
I ordered a 12 circuit blade-style fuse block from Amazon. Scott and I then discussed options about the best way to install it. Of course we’d have to make a new bracket to mount it behind the instrument panel, but we re-configured the fuse block internally, so instead of having a power lug and a grounding lug, we have one lug powered by the vehicle battery and the other lug supplies power from the ignition switch. The items powered by the fuse block are separately grounded.
Here’s a pic of the new fuse block installed (there is one unused, or spare circuit). We made our mounting bracket to reuse the factory’s holes in the instrument panel.
I printed out a legend listing the power source, the individual circuits, and their amperage. I then took that to the local Staples store and they retyped the label and laminated it to the back of the fuse block cover (which had been media blasted and repainted). The hope is that a plastic laminated label will last for many years.
Here’s a pic.
This is how you’d orient the fuse block cover to see the fuse arrangement. You can see the word “Top” in the legend.
All done.
One can certainly argue that it’s a lot of work for a small gain. And is it really necessary since we’re selling the machine anyway? I really can’t refute either of those points other than to say we think it’s a nice improvement, and makes the machine a bit more user friendly. In our opinion, when you’re selling something - it’s not about you, it’s about the customer.
