MarcusOReallyus
Well-known member
- 4,524
- 811
- 113
- Location
- Virginia
Well, I finally got around to doing the resistor bypass and put in a new relay while I was at it. Truck's been hard starting, so I figured it was time. Still has the same GPs that were in it when I bought it, so they need to be changed out, too. I have GPs on order. Well, actually, I have GPs around here somewhere that I bought a few months ago, but I have searched high and low and can't find them. As soon as I get a new batch here and installed, the others will show up, of course. ![Banging Head aua aua](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile_banghead_125.gif)
I decided to do mine a little differently than the standard recommended method. I just don't like the idea of putting that GP load on the existing 12v block on the firewall. Yeah, yeah, I know, it works fine for a ton of people who have been running that way for years. I know that. Still, I don't like the idea, so I had some custom cables made to carry the load. We had an interesting discussion about how much current they draw a while back, and Antennaclimber measured it at 80 amps.
I decided I want that 80 amp load running on its own circuit with heavier wire, protected by a Mega fuse. I had the cables made by BestBoatWire.com, and I am VERY pleased with the results. Well, except for the color. The cables are more pink than red! Kind of a salmon, really. Oh well, they fit in with the faded red stock wiring that's there!![Smile :smile: :smile:](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Anyway, the quality looks excellent, and the service was great. They forgot to send me an email saying it had shipped, and late one evening I emailed and asked when I could expect my order to ship. I got an email back in a half hour saying that tracking showed it had been delivered. I checked, and sure enough, it had arrived that day in the mail. It was sitting right there, but I hadn't noticed it.
When I took the resistor off I found a bit of a mess. I don't know if this is gen-yoo-wine Iraq mud or what. It's like cement! I found a bunch in one of my alternators, too, but that's another thread.
Anyway, the photos show the results and a bit more work I need to do. Check the circled area in the first photo. I need to clean up some connections, too.
I used 4 gauge from the battery to the fuse block, because I may want to add some accessories there later. I used 6 gauge from the fuse to the GP relay. This is overkill - 8 gauge probably would have been fine, but the price difference was trivial, so I went big.
Speaking of prices, the cabling cost me a whopping $25, shipped. Works for me! The fuse block was $20, which I thought was a bit steep.
To connect to the battery terminal, I replaced the existing 5/16" bolt with a longer, Allen head cap screw, in stainless steel. While I was at it, I did the same for the other terminals, but in standard length. As you can see from the photo, I could probably trim some off.
All the connections got a thin coat of dielectric grease, and I don't expect to have any trouble with this circuit for a loooong time to come.
![A toast to MV's :beer: :beer:](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/beerchug.gif)
![Resistor Bank.jpg Resistor Bank.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366261-87a3f9e5cf390103b176a4ad45c49c58.jpg)
![1.jpg 1.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366246-383a74f8c701a61d73387ec923706f13.jpg)
![2.jpg 2.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366249-b305a1844a18defd38c774bacf9b38f7.jpg)
![3.jpg 3.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366250-e4d5f0764a19430051566b29ab54949a.jpg)
![4.jpg 4.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366253-c7749a5536fdc7564766e4e9c037b9a3.jpg)
![5.jpg 5.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366255-9a287137712e6e18d965ef1892be791b.jpg)
![6.jpg 6.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366257-f6c1143bb87c6d3f08a09da6bd9b5f39.jpg)
![7.jpg 7.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366258-8f4199261b01fc0ada7268852c64016c.jpg)
![Banging Head aua aua](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile_banghead_125.gif)
I decided to do mine a little differently than the standard recommended method. I just don't like the idea of putting that GP load on the existing 12v block on the firewall. Yeah, yeah, I know, it works fine for a ton of people who have been running that way for years. I know that. Still, I don't like the idea, so I had some custom cables made to carry the load. We had an interesting discussion about how much current they draw a while back, and Antennaclimber measured it at 80 amps.
I decided I want that 80 amp load running on its own circuit with heavier wire, protected by a Mega fuse. I had the cables made by BestBoatWire.com, and I am VERY pleased with the results. Well, except for the color. The cables are more pink than red! Kind of a salmon, really. Oh well, they fit in with the faded red stock wiring that's there!
![Smile :smile: :smile:](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Anyway, the quality looks excellent, and the service was great. They forgot to send me an email saying it had shipped, and late one evening I emailed and asked when I could expect my order to ship. I got an email back in a half hour saying that tracking showed it had been delivered. I checked, and sure enough, it had arrived that day in the mail. It was sitting right there, but I hadn't noticed it.
When I took the resistor off I found a bit of a mess. I don't know if this is gen-yoo-wine Iraq mud or what. It's like cement! I found a bunch in one of my alternators, too, but that's another thread.
Anyway, the photos show the results and a bit more work I need to do. Check the circled area in the first photo. I need to clean up some connections, too.
I used 4 gauge from the battery to the fuse block, because I may want to add some accessories there later. I used 6 gauge from the fuse to the GP relay. This is overkill - 8 gauge probably would have been fine, but the price difference was trivial, so I went big.
Speaking of prices, the cabling cost me a whopping $25, shipped. Works for me! The fuse block was $20, which I thought was a bit steep.
To connect to the battery terminal, I replaced the existing 5/16" bolt with a longer, Allen head cap screw, in stainless steel. While I was at it, I did the same for the other terminals, but in standard length. As you can see from the photo, I could probably trim some off.
All the connections got a thin coat of dielectric grease, and I don't expect to have any trouble with this circuit for a loooong time to come.
![A toast to MV's :beer: :beer:](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/images/smilies/beerchug.gif)
![Resistor Bank.jpg Resistor Bank.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366261-87a3f9e5cf390103b176a4ad45c49c58.jpg)
![1.jpg 1.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366246-383a74f8c701a61d73387ec923706f13.jpg)
![2.jpg 2.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366249-b305a1844a18defd38c774bacf9b38f7.jpg)
![3.jpg 3.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366250-e4d5f0764a19430051566b29ab54949a.jpg)
![4.jpg 4.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366253-c7749a5536fdc7564766e4e9c037b9a3.jpg)
![5.jpg 5.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366255-9a287137712e6e18d965ef1892be791b.jpg)
![6.jpg 6.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366257-f6c1143bb87c6d3f08a09da6bd9b5f39.jpg)
![7.jpg 7.jpg](https://www.steelsoldiers.com/data/attachments/366/366258-8f4199261b01fc0ada7268852c64016c.jpg)