Distribution Block?

[Mister.Lull]

Hello to All!

I've been designing a small box that'll have numerous small accessory
switches in it. Three of the switches will actually be an interupt
from/to the battery. I don't want to run all three directly to the
battery so what I'm looking for is a small distrobution block (that way
I can put ONE fuse on it and keep the battery nice and clean looking).
When I say small, here is what I mean: Something like a 14 guage input
from the battery, and three (or four) outputs of the same size or
smaller.

Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Would I be
better off just splitting a wire into three seperate leads? Any help
appreciated!!

~Mister.Lull

[MZ]

Radio Shack sells screw down terminals. They're not distro blocks, but they
do the job. If you find small (purty) distro blocks somewhere though, let
me know.

"Mister.Lull" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hello to All!
>
> I've been designing a small box that'll have numerous small accessory
> switches in it. Three of the switches will actually be an interupt
> from/to the battery. I don't want to run all three directly to the
> battery so what I'm looking for is a small distrobution block (that way
> I can put ONE fuse on it and keep the battery nice and clean looking).
> When I say small, here is what I mean: Something like a 14 guage input
> from the battery, and three (or four) outputs of the same size or
> smaller.
>
> Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Would I be
> better off just splitting a wire into three seperate leads? Any help
> appreciated!!
>
> ~Mister.Lull
>

[Mister.Lull]

You're talking about the terminal strips right? If I were to use that,
I would just bring a wire from the battery and seperate it into three
sections then attach each of those sections to one of the segments,
right? In that case, why not just take one wire and split it three
different ways (one to each accessory switch that needs it)? I guess
just to keep it all pretty...

~Mister.Lull

[MZ]

> You're talking about the terminal strips right? If I were to use that,
> I would just bring a wire from the battery and seperate it into three
> sections then attach each of those sections to one of the segments,
> right? In that case, why not just take one wire and split it three
> different ways (one to each accessory switch that needs it)? I guess
> just to keep it all pretty...

Sure. Functionally, you'd be ok with just splitting the wires three ways.
As long as your fuse is rated for the smallest of all the wires, you'll be
fine. For example, if you run one 14 ga wire and split it into 3 18 ga
wires, then your fuse should be rated to protect one 18 ga wire.

[Mister.Lull]

Then it sounds like maybe I should think about fusing after the split,
even if I find a distro block in the size I want...

I think the total current is going to be under 5 amps, do you really
think that it's worth it to put three seperate fuses on this setup?

~Mister.Lull

[MZ]

> Then it sounds like maybe I should think about fusing after the split,
> even if I find a distro block in the size I want...
>
> I think the total current is going to be under 5 amps, do you really
> think that it's worth it to put three seperate fuses on this setup?

No. What I said was that if you split it to three, you can still put the
fuse on the one main wire as long as you rate that fuse for the smaller
wire - or just use the same size wire for all three legs and the main wire.

[Mister.Lull]

Yup, that's what you said... Sorry, I must not have been paying too
much attention. Thank you for your help, as usual.

Now, if we can just get someone in the know to make smaller
distrobution blocks...

~Mister.Lull

[Spike]

Seems like I saw some real durn rhat ( not rhat rhat like a mousey
rhat, but rhat rhat like rhat now) purdy distro blocks at
www.crutchfield.com with downrite purdy steep prices... I dun thank
they was Monster. : 0 )

On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 23:04:42 -0400, "MZ"
> wrote:

>Radio Shack sells screw down terminals. They're not distro blocks, but they
>do the job. If you find small (purty) distro blocks somewhere though, let
>me know.
>
>"Mister.Lull" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>> Hello to All!
>>
>> I've been designing a small box that'll have numerous small accessory
>> switches in it. Three of the switches will actually be an interupt
>> from/to the battery. I don't want to run all three directly to the
>> battery so what I'm looking for is a small distrobution block (that way
>> I can put ONE fuse on it and keep the battery nice and clean looking).
>> When I say small, here is what I mean: Something like a 14 guage input
>> from the battery, and three (or four) outputs of the same size or
>> smaller.
>>
>> Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Would I be
>> better off just splitting a wire into three seperate leads? Any help
>> appreciated!!
>>
>> ~Mister.Lull
>>
>

Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

[Mister.Lull]

Spike, it was a good try... No, not only are crutchfield's distro
block WAY overpriced, but none of them accept any wire smaller than 8
guage. I need a smaller disribution block.

~Mister.Lull

Spike wrote:
> Seems like I saw some real durn rhat ( not rhat rhat like a mousey
> rhat, but rhat rhat like rhat now) purdy distro blocks at
> www.crutchfield.com with downrite purdy steep prices... I dun thank
> they was Monster. : 0 )
>
> On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 23:04:42 -0400, "MZ"
> > wrote:
>
> >Radio Shack sells screw down terminals. They're not distro blocks, but they
> >do the job. If you find small (purty) distro blocks somewhere though, let
> >me know.
> >
> >"Mister.Lull" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >> Hello to All!
> >>
> >> I've been designing a small box that'll have numerous small accessory
> >> switches in it. Three of the switches will actually be an interupt
> >> from/to the battery. I don't want to run all three directly to the
> >> battery so what I'm looking for is a small distrobution block (that way
> >> I can put ONE fuse on it and keep the battery nice and clean looking).
> >> When I say small, here is what I mean: Something like a 14 guage input
> >> from the battery, and three (or four) outputs of the same size or
> >> smaller.
> >>
> >> Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Would I be
> >> better off just splitting a wire into three seperate leads? Any help
> >> appreciated!!
> >>
> >> ~Mister.Lull
> >>
> >
>
> Spike
> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
> 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
> 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

[Scott Gardner]

On 15 Oct 2005 20:30:36 -0700, "Mister.Lull" >
wrote:

>You're talking about the terminal strips right? If I were to use that,
>I would just bring a wire from the battery and seperate it into three
>sections then attach each of those sections to one of the segments,
>right? In that case, why not just take one wire and split it three
>different ways (one to each accessory switch that needs it)? I guess
>just to keep it all pretty...
>
>~Mister.Lull

It's not exactly like a terminal strip, but close. There are terminal
strips where all of the terminals are electrically-connected to each
other. So, you could run one wire from the battery to one of the
strip terminals, and then run your three smaller wires from three of
the other terminals. You could even place the "terminal strip" inside
the box you're designing. The strips I'm thinking of are most often
used for grounding multiple components. One terminal gets grounded,
and the components are attached to the other terminals.

And if you're talking about running one 14-gauge wire from the
battery, and three 14- or 16/18- gauge wires to your switches with
less than 5A of total current, it would be both safe and convenient to
put one 7.5A fuse in the main 14-gauge wire. In the case of a short,
the 7.5A fuse would blow before any of the 16- or 18-gauge wires would
have a chance to be damaged.


--
Scott Gardner

"If the pilot screws up, the pilot dies. If Air Traffic Control screws up, the pilot dies."

[Mister.Lull]

Excellent! Thank you all for your help!

~Mister.Lull

[Spike]

I'm thinking... I'm thinking....

Ok.... Do any of the makers have their own web sites? Like Monster...

Alternative.... Did you try doing a Google for "stereo distribution
blocks"... I just tried that and it returned 10 pages just for
starters...

On 15 Oct 2005 22:02:25 -0700, "Mister.Lull" >
wrote:

>Spike, it was a good try... No, not only are crutchfield's distro
>block WAY overpriced, but none of them accept any wire smaller than 8
>guage. I need a smaller disribution block.
>
>~Mister.Lull
>
>Spike wrote:
>> Seems like I saw some real durn rhat ( not rhat rhat like a mousey
>> rhat, but rhat rhat like rhat now) purdy distro blocks at
>> www.crutchfield.com with downrite purdy steep prices... I dun thank
>> they was Monster. : 0 )
>>
>> On Sat, 15 Oct 2005 23:04:42 -0400, "MZ"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >Radio Shack sells screw down terminals. They're not distro blocks, but they
>> >do the job. If you find small (purty) distro blocks somewhere though, let
>> >me know.
>> >
>> >"Mister.Lull" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> >> Hello to All!
>> >>
>> >> I've been designing a small box that'll have numerous small accessory
>> >> switches in it. Three of the switches will actually be an interupt
>> >> from/to the battery. I don't want to run all three directly to the
>> >> battery so what I'm looking for is a small distrobution block (that way
>> >> I can put ONE fuse on it and keep the battery nice and clean looking).
>> >> When I say small, here is what I mean: Something like a 14 guage input
>> >> from the battery, and three (or four) outputs of the same size or
>> >> smaller.
>> >>
>> >> Does anyone know where I can find something like that? Would I be
>> >> better off just splitting a wire into three seperate leads? Any help
>> >> appreciated!!
>> >>
>> >> ~Mister.Lull
>> >>
>> >
>>
>> Spike
>> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
>> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
>> 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
>> 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg