wiring a bunch of relays.....

ok so i have 8 8gauge power wires coming from the trunk to the firewall to power the relays for the electrical in my car...

I am currently moving the power wires from the battery/trunk to get power from the batt side of the solenoid....

my question is what is the besy way to run the positive power to the relay, not the switch source....that would be the cleanest....

also when coming out of the relay to the individual powered accessories, i know i need a fuse/circuit breaker, but do i need one before the relay....or is the fused switch enough?

anyone have any good diagrams on the best way to do this....I HAVE to have this race ready and wired by this monday so the more help the better.....I am just looking to clean up a BUNCH or wiring i am not happy with

info you may need:

bat is in trunk
solenoid on outside firewall (have no issue moving inside passenger compartment
each and every item that gets power is a seperate relay, swicth and circuit breaker..
powering: lights, electric pump, fan , fuel pump , msd box, power windows, starter, guage lights (will come on with head and tail lights), and i need turn signals to pass inspection
car has absolutely no original wiring

thanks in advance@
frank

really...nothing

Frank, first of all I would run 1 (one) wire of 4 GA. strand from the battery side of the battery cut-off switch forward. Yes, this wire must have a circuit breaker or fuse at the battery side cut-off switch terminal. Figure the amperage requirements of your accessories and insert a fuse or breaker that will operate at the total amperage requirement. If this wire somehow is grounded, it must become dis-connected, in this case by a fuse or breaker.

At a forward position locate a positive terminal that the accessories can feed from. The MSD ignition box and starter should not be interrupted by a fuse or breaker. IMO, what makes a relay work really good is to locate the relay a close to the accessory as possible. The relay is simply a smaller version of a starter relay. A switch that will pass high or above average amperage loads while activated by a low power or amperage wire.

As to the individual fuse or breaker per accessory, yes insert these before the heavy wire to the high load contact of the relay. The switches that activate the accessories will not need to be of heavy value although better switches are of above average value.




battery -------->---------> positive terminal at firewall -------->fuses/breakers, relays & switches ------->accessories.


The starter should have a "stand alone" 0 or 00 gauge wire from the battery disconnect switch to the starter solenoid. The MSD ignition's power can come from the positive terminal at the firewall and of course switched by an on/off ignition switch.

I'm not sure any of this makes sense or is clear and I would be glad to draw a diagram of sorts and send you if needed. Wiring is where I see so many failures in alot of applications. An electrical component will suffer and/or fail from inadequate amperage. So don't overlook the importance of a good, safe and well organized electrical system.

Dave.

Frank you ever work with audio stereo systems. they make these power blocks that work really good for this .

Run an 0 or 1 wire from the battery to this block then tie all your rely power to the block.



Dan

this is what i have mounted in the trunk right now....actually two of them.....then i have 8 hot wires going to the firewall to power the relays and the acces.....that is what i am trying to get rid of.....so what i am hearing is to run one large cable to these blocks and get rid of the 8 wires for one! http://www.deffaudio.com/store/images/pdb1.jpg

that will help alot....

i do have everything wired up now, just want to clean it all up and make it as neat as possible....

now i just a good diagram to make a nice clean relay panel

really it sounds if you have a pretty decent setup if you have the stereo fuse blocks. I only have one 0 gauge wire from the disconnect to the solenoid inside the car in the front. > fuse block > relays > accessory We have the stereo fuse blocks and built another panel for the relays close to this. Sorry I don't have pics.

I run the main power from my MSD and FAST XFI straight to the battery not the cutoff. This is NHRA/IHRA legal as you still have to have a switched source to turn the boxes on and off in addition to the main powers.

The next car that we build or if we redo this one we are going to let a guy we race with named Trevor Stripling do it. He is the founder of http://www.racecarcontrol.com/. He barely has any wires running around his ride.

http://www.stingerelectronics.com/products.aspx?selectedcategoryid=13

jones wrote:http://www.stingerelectronics.com/products.aspx?selectedcategoryid=13

YEP ...KEEP ALL OF THAT STUFF IN STOCK

bruno wrote:

jones wrote:http://www.stingerelectronics.com/products.aspx?selectedcategoryid=13

YEP ...KEEP ALL OF THAT STUFF IN STOCK

we still need to talk ol' buddy!

those damn distibution blocks are freaking pricey!!!!!!!!!!!!!

did i screw up:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/PRF-50303/ switch panel i am using

let me see if I really screwed up.......after going over the instructions again on the painless kit and reading afros post......except for the fan and fuel pump....do i even need to do anything besides just hook the powered wires directly to the access.....if this is the case.....what else on my list has to be relayed??

"IF" i am reading this correct this time, all i need to do is battery to kill switch. 0/1 to solenoid, 8g to fused link to panel.....panel to access (cept fan and fuel on relays) did i overthink this whole damn thing

Yes. You are indeed overthinking!

One big power wire.
Distribute power with the shortest (good looking route) possible.
Remember to have some kind of alternator relay/switch so that when you turn the car off it does not keep running due to the alternator providing juice and keeping things going!