Fuse Block 30 or 50 AMP?

[Steel_Gin]

Looking in to getting a fuse block (Eastern Beaver PC-8) and not 100% sure what size to get. Save a few bucks for extra Farkles and get the 30 AMP or open the wallet a little more to get the 50 AMP. I just don't want to spend the extra money if I'm never going to use AMPs 31 and up.

Right now, gear wise, I have no plan to get anything heated and haven't even looked in to it. If it's cold out, low 40s, I'll add another layer and keep moving. Usually in the northeast when it's really cold out there is snow and salt picture so I won't be riding.

Right off the bat I would be connecting my GPS to it, Garmin 665. After that adding some LEDs to increase visibility so people see me better; the ones I'm looking would total up to about 500 mA. A little further down the road adding USB ports to keep stuff charged, just for numbers say I'll add four ports. (I'm sure that's more than I need.) 30 AMPs I'm sure will cover what I have listed with some room for growth, correct?

So has anyone been down a similar road I'm heading and learned, Damn I should have gotten the 50 AMP?

[Twigg]

30 Amps @ 13V = 390W

You don't have the stator capacity to go that high.

However, the number of connections you can easily make is more important. It makes the wiring neater and easier to manage. I'd probably take the higher capacity unit, even if I didn't need the overhead if, for example, it had 10 outlets rather than 6.

[NTXFJR]

I really like the Eastern Beaver fuse blocks, but I wanted a switched unit with relay and their options add up. Since I'm a cheap bastage, I chose a Blue Sea unit and have been happy with the quality. I added my own automotive type relay to make it switched along with a 25a inline main fuse coming off of the battery connection.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems ... block&th=1

It didn't give the option of having switched and unswitched circuits combined, but the farkles I have needed to be off when the bike is off anyway. The advantage to this setup maybe, is that if the relay ever fails a new one can be found at most auto parts houses.
https://www.amazon.com/Ehdis-Pre-wired- ... lay+40+amp

Your bike's charging system isn't going to support much more than 20 amps of accessories before dragging the system voltage down below 12vdc, but most farkles aren't going to draw anywhere near that.

[MrZappo]

Heated gear is really the only thing that would draw anything worth worrying about and since you are clear that you don't need it, you are good to go. For that and for other reasons listed by others.

The list if gear you gave barely adds up to 2 amps let alone 30.

The Eastern beaver pc8 with a relay harness is an elegant and reliable simple solution.

It would serve your use case we'll.

[Cav47]

Don't discount heated gear. It really was underrated by me for a long time. Until I got some good stuff and then I realized what I was missing. And even a bunch of heated gear will not overdraw at 30 amps.

[Abercrombie FJR]

I would look into the FZ-1 Fuse block. The relay is built in and all circuits can be easily changed from switched or constant power by just moving the fuse. BlackHillsMoto.com is a great place to purchase the FZ-1 and also offers a wiring kit that makes it real easy.

http://blackhillsmoto.com/fuzeblocks-fz ... ion-block/

Can also be located at

http://www.realtimeindustries.com/fuzeb ... ion-block/

Alex The owner operator has been a long time supporter of FJR owners and is a good friend.

[HotRodZilla]

I would look into the FZ-1 Fuse block. The relay is built in and all circuits can be easily changed from switched or constant power by just moving the fuse. BlackHillsMoto.com is a great place to purchase the FZ-1 and also offers a wiring kit that makes it real easy.

http://blackhillsmoto.com/fuzeblocks-fz ... ion-block/

Can also be located at

http://www.realtimeindustries.com/fuzeb ... ion-block/

Alex The owner operator has been a long time supporter of FJR owners and is a good friend.

I cannot believe I agree with this hose dragger! I have an FZ-1 Fuse block, and decided on it after I looked at all of their features. I like the switchable settings. It's a nice piece of equipment.

Edited to make Wheaties happy.

Are you happy now Wheaties?

[Hppants]

+1 for the FZ-1, far less expensive than the Eastern Beaver. With the built in relay for your switched circuits, that results in less wiring connections and by association, less points of failure. On the flip side, if the relay goes bad, you have to throw away the fuze block. But let me assure you, the soldering/construction of the FZ-1 makes that a very unlikely possibility.

Like my friend NTXFJR, I am a cheap er... frugal individual, so I opted to make my own wiring harness, rather than buy a pre-made one. I've learned some tricks along the way with respect to wiring, and I'm happy with my harness so far.

But to your specific question, I agree with the others. Even if .... er..... WHEN you get heated gear, 30 amps is more than enough. And WHEN you do, you get heated gear, and use it on that first 40 degree day, you will curse yourself for waiting that long to do it. DAMHIK

[Steel_Gin]

Thanks a ton for the info everyone!! 30 AMPs it is then and now just need to figure out which one to get. As much as I'd like to make my own, having never done that before I'll be staying away from that for now.

I say I'm not interested in heated gear now, but after I got my RDL seat I thought my bike has everything I want on it now and I don't need to add anything else.......and here we are.

[Abercrombie FJR]

I would look into the FZ-1 Fuse block. The relay is built in and all circuits can be easily changed from switched or constant power by just moving the fuse. BlackHillsMoto.com is a great place to purchase the FZ-1 and also offers a wiring kit that makes it real easy.

http://blackhillsmoto.com/fuzeblocks-fz ... ion-block/

Can also be located at

http://www.realtimeindustries.com/fuzeb ... ion-block/

Alex The owner operator has been a long time supporter of FJR owners and is a good friend.

I cannot believe I agree with this hose dragger! I have an FZ-1 Fuse block, and decided on it after I looked at all of their features. I like the switchable settings. It's a nice piece of equipment.

Also, regarding Realtime Industries, Jeff is gong out of business and has some great sale prices. Last I looked, the FZ-1 blocks were priced very well.

Alex has both Blackhillsmoto and Realtimeindustries. I think you might be thinking of Jeff who is going out of business as Bikeeffects.com and offering 50% off remaining stock.

[HotRodZilla]

Oh, shit!! You are correct. That is Jeff, NOT Alex. Sorry!!!

[Steel_Gin]

Oh, shit!! You are correct. That is Jeff, NOT Alex. Sorry!!!

No worries. Believe it or not after I read that it was Jeff/Bike Effect that I thought of.

[Twigg]

If you were to look under the skin of the bikes in the parking lot of the Iron Butt Rally, I'm guessing you would find an FZ-1 on about 90% of them.

It was designed and sold by the late Curt Gran, and his widow has continued the production. Superb unit and I've yet to hear of one failing.

That's not to say there is anything wrong with other units, but the FZ-1 has one job to do, and it does it very well.

[wheatonFJR]

Oh, shit!! You are correct. That is Jeff, NOT Alex. Sorry!!!

Can you edit your previous post to not confuse people who do not read further. I hate to see leaving the business, but I hate to see people stop ordering from Alex because they got some wrong info.

[HotRodZilla]

Oh, shit!! You are correct. That is Jeff, NOT Alex. Sorry!!!

Can you edit your previous post to not confuse people who do not read further. I hate to see leaving the business, but I hate to see people stop ordering from Alex because they got some wrong info.

No!


Lol...Done

No-one listens to anything I say anyway!

[steveg]

Where is the most convenient place to mount on a Gen 3? I'd assume under the seat but my compressor is jammed in there, any other suggestions?

[Hppants]

I mounted mine under the rider's seat. Plenty of room for the FZ-1 and my amplirider. The air compressor and a small can of WD-40 go on top of these.

[Steel_Gin]

Ordered the FZ-1 and wiring kit yesterday. Just got an email saying it was shipped.

Thanks for all of the info everyone!! Very helpful in making the decision.

[NBB]

I really like the Eastern Beaver fuse blocks, but I wanted a switched unit with relay and their options add up. Since I'm a cheap bastage, I chose a Blue Sea unit and have been happy with the quality. I added my own automotive type relay to make it switched along with a 25a inline main fuse coming off of the battery connection.
https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems ... block&th=1

It didn't give the option of having switched and unswitched circuits combined, but the farkles I have needed to be off when the bike is off anyway. The advantage to this setup maybe, is that if the relay ever fails a new one can be found at most auto parts houses.
https://www.amazon.com/Ehdis-Pre-wired- ... lay+40+amp

Your bike's charging system isn't going to support much more than 20 amps of accessories before dragging the system voltage down below 12vdc, but most farkles aren't going to draw anywhere near that.

DO you have pictures of the relay and Blue-Sea mounted?
And no, that not being cheep, it's saving a few clams for the next farkle!

[NTXFJR]

This seems to be the best one I have. I used double stick foam tape - the good stuff.



The relay is a Bosch type like this:



I don't have a pic of it on the bike, but I used the tab to mount it on a threaded hole in the frame just behind the battery. I used an inline fused connecting cable similar to this one: