Fuse Box

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

OK, I got my little fuse box today and it has a back weather cover on it. I noteced in some of the pic's it was left off Is this for clearance or what? Also, if I understand correct, on my 79SF, I dont need to bother with the fuse that is outside the OEM box, below and to the left?

[crazy steve]

Mine didn't have any 'back cover' (or if it did, I threw it away first thing), but it's not anything that's needed. As to the 'accessory' fuse, you can leave it, remove it altogether (unless you're planning on hooking something to the bike like a GPS), or move it into the new panel but you'll have to rig a terminal... easiest to just leave it.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Pic

Here is what came with it

Guessing that back is a weather cover?

Mine didn't have any 'back cover' (or if it did, I threw it away first thing), but it's not anything that's needed. As to the 'accessory' fuse, you can leave it, remove it altogether (unless you're planning on hooking something to the bike like a GPS), or move it into the new panel but you'll have to rig a terminal... easiest to just leave it.

[CatatonicBug]

Mine didn't have a weather cover either. Would have been nice though. I packed mine with dielectric grease and put a piece of cardboard over the back. Since you've got one, I'd say to use it! Remember to grease the fuse connections though. And yes, you can ignore that aux fuse altogether.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Thanks

Thanks guys, the back cover doesnt add much thickness, so I will use it. TopCat must be sell his on the black market

[mack]

adapter

I believe thats a mounting adapter. Your holes on the block will not line uo exactly with the mounting panel. Mine didn't come with that so I think it's an upgrade for an identified problem.

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Holes

I have seen on here where many have ground down the ears on these to make the sit level, I dont want to grind on the case and weather back and damage the seal, so Can I just drill two holes at the top and install it as an angle?

[jetmechmarty]

I elongated the holes with a little round file and used the mounting points from the OEM fuse box. My installation looks OEM.

[mack]

Mounting bracket

For the SF , I made this one from a scrap piece of sheet metal I had. I didn't need to but I wanted to add some rubber washers to act as vibration dampers.

Finsihed

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

AMPs

OK, NOW, I am reading the specs on the little fuse box, Max Amp per fuse is 15 amp, Max amp per fuse box is 45 amps With the OEM fuses being 30 amp, 20 amp, 10 amp, 10 amp, for a total of 70 amps Any problem with this, should I use two plugs with two 15 amp fuses for the for the 30 amp circurt?

[crazy steve]

That backplate isn't a seal, it's an additional retainer for the fuse contacts which just snap into the plastic housing. These boxes aren't sealed unless you apply sealer to all seams. Even at that, you still have the exposed tabs where the wires hook up for a corrosion point...

As far as running parallel fuses, don't do it. Even the slightest difference in resistance between the two sockets will bias the current to the lower resistance and you'll likely have issues. That appears to be the same panel as TC sells (and I've seen them elsewhere too) and all those can use a 30 amp fuse. Also keep in mind that a particular fuse size doesn't mean that's how much current you need. Fuses shouldn't be run any higher than 80% of their rating or you'll have nuisance failures. Realistic values for circuit current are probably about 6-7 amps for the ignition system and about the same for lighting, everything else is intermittent loads so your 'normal' load on the box is under 15 amps...

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Seal

So a bead of RTV around the back and at the term's at the box, my cover has a gasket built in, so then all would be water resistant

That backplate isn't a seal, it's an additional retainer for the fuse contacts which just snap into the plastic housing. These boxes aren't sealed unless you apply sealer to all seams. Even at that, you still have the exposed tabs where the wires hook up for a corrosion point...

[bikerphil]

That area behind the sidecover won't get wet (well maybe just a little) unless you ride the bike into a canal.

[crazy steve]

That area behind the sidecover won't get wet unless you ride the bike into a canal.

... at which point a waterproof fuse box won't be much help....

[bikerphil]

I don't have that type of fuse box, I have a gang type box and I chose to solder all the connections instead of using spade terminals.