Switch Panels - who’s using what?

Well I’m deep into it now.

The wiring harness is not connected yet but pretty happy with this mounting bezel. Definitely the OEM look I wanted.

Big hands are not your friend here.

This is turning into a whole weekend project. Well I did hunt this morning and had to run to town and back.

Looking clean. @Corbet Is breaking out with barrier terminal strips the way the manufacturer intended?

DaveInDenver said:

Looking clean. @Corbet Is breaking out with barrier terminal strips the way the manufacturer intended?

Click to expand...

I don’t understand your question. They meet the current demand specs.

Corbet said:

I don’t understand your question. They meet the current demand specs.

Click to expand...

I don't know the current demands of a switch panel. That might be true. I thought they usually used sealed connectors, Metripack and what-not. Seemed odd they'd put a sealed connector on the ganged side is all. Guess that makes sense if this is one of the panels that uses FET switches and they potted the unit.

Edit to add:
Up to speed now. Looked up the SP9100, the single wire circuits are 20A and the double wire are 35A. Barrier strip should be fine for normal aux loads, rated for 20A. Didn't know that. Those switch panels seem tidy.

I choose barrier strip as a way to terminate the circuits from the switch-pro. I only have use for two switches currently and didn’t want a bunch of loose wires for the foreseeable future. The strip is a Blue Sea unit rated at 65amp per circuit.

I like the buss bar / barrier strip, clean and easy as you add circuits, easy to troubleshoot. If a buss bar is good enough for my early OEM 62’ FJ40 and 63’ FJ45 front light harness’ it’s good enough for this.

Gotcha @Corbet. Blue Sea seems to sell 3 versions, the #6 screw (like I found on Mouser, those are 20A), a #8 (30A) and #10 (65A) like you're using. All squares with the OEM.

Was curious because you can sometimes find them cheaper (like the Littlefuse 880159 model of the Blue Sea 7620100 ML-ACR used to be about $50 cheaper) and they sometimes sell accessories Blue Sea doesn't. Like a terminal cover.



The Blue Sea 2608 is probably the Eaton TB400-08, but unfortunately Eaton don't make a cover for it. FWIW, Eaton rates them for 75A per pole, so that's nice.



Another FWIW, when trying to figure out what they recommended for over-current came across this disclaimer, which is a round about way of saying what I was asking. When you expose the ends of the wire moisture and corrosion can creep up under the insulation and get inside the device.



As you know they say they don't need them. Having designed my fair share of over-current and inrush limiting I don't 100% trust it under short circuit (FETs tend to fail shorted first, which avalanches to large current that cooks them into blowing open). So belt-and-suspenders here and usually put fuses or breakers anyway...

Now that the 250 is flowing electrons I’m diving into the Auxbeam specs for the 80. @nakman do your Auxbeam panels include trigger circuits? It looks like only the knob switch panel includes that feature.

no trigger circuits here.

Just found a new option. Need to dive it to it deeper.

Did some looking at this…I am a fan! This will likely be a Christmas present from me to me!

Did you notice if there was an option for triggered circuits off things like your brights?

I did not. It is wireless an has a power switch on the handle. I think you could wire the control box to run that way as it’s in the engine bay, but you may have to power on the handle? Or maybe it would work and offer over ride switching when powered on?

I just watched the install video. There is an ignition hot trigger circuit only. If you want to pair a switch to your high bears or other you’ll have to run an external relay. The price is attractive and the install looks really clean.

That's cool! Wish it was available for a 3rd gen Tacoma but we also don't have a grab handle on the driver's side although when I've taken off the A pillar trim it looks like one could be installed.