It was so nice outside today (sunny and 88F), I decided to spend the day inside doing a little fabrication. LOL I needed some place to mount the digital fuse holder for the power inverter line, but didn't want to drill into the firewall or anywhere else on the truck. So I break out the LED flashlight and do a little looking around. I spot (3) unused screw mounts on the outside of the 2nd battery tray. Perfect! Some foam core was used to get the holes and angles right, and then a piece of plexi I had down in the shop got drilled, trimmed, and heat gunned. End result: Yes- I know the screws are long. Totally temporary. Yes- I know the plexi will melt like butter on a Vegas parking lot. Yes- I know there's a big chunk of extra real estate on the left side of the fuse holder. Yes- I know it's missing the fuse. Yes- I know it's not lit up. The plan is to use (powder coated) 1/8" thick aluminum for the final piece. Proper length screws will also be used. The extra space on the left side of the fuse holder is for an on-off switch for the display. There' no need to have it on 24/7, right? :grin: I also plan on picking up a couple of different amp-size ANL type fuses this week. The unit will be lit up when I pick up new 4 AWG connectors for hooking up the cable to the fuse holder. Inverter DIY article is getting closer..... All content and Design ©2008 Kevan J. Geier All Rights Reserved
Thanks Curtis! The inline fuse holder is designed for a single fuse on a single power line. In this case, it's the main (positive voltage) line for the power inverter I have in the truck. The 4 AWG cable runs directly from the POS terminal on the battery to the inverter. It's a fairly massive cable and carries a pantload of amperage, full time. Most power cable goes by a "gauge" or "AWG" (American Wire Gauge) number. Cable thicknesses are usually opposite their AWG number; so, "0 AWG" is very thick, and "16 AWG" is fairly thin. More amps = Smaller AWG cable number. AWG only uses even numbers, so don't let anyone sell you "13 AWG" cable. LOL "220.....221....whatever it takes...." Here's a simple chart on AWG cable: http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm For comparison, the stereo system in your M6 is probably on a 20A fuse. This inverter will likely run a 150A or 200A fuse. :grin: Inverters these days are pretty well built and usually have great protection inside the units themselves, but the fuse is an added safety measure. I opted for the one with the digital display to add a tiny bit of tech under the hood. Normally, you'll see these big fuse holders screwed into the firewall, or onto some part of the battery tray or other body panel inside the engine bay. I'm not a big fan of drilling new holes. :grin:
4 days later........... The fuse holder mounting bracket is almost done: All the holes are drilled, and final shaping is complete in the 1/8" T-6 6061 aluminum (HUGE PROPS to the guys at Flood Heliarc for doing that bend for me). I'd *love* to cut a Viper or SRT logo onto that main face and take some of the weight down, but.... All I need now is to clean up (read: hand file) a few edges and paint it. That's right; I said paint. I've decided to try that truck bed liner paint on this as well. If it melts or turns out like crap, then off to JMB for powder coating. :grin: The truck bed paint is a little 'flexible' and 'rubbery' so it should add some vibration dampening to the mount bracket. Here's what it looks like installed on a battery tray (yes- I have a spare. LOL): As you can see, the display on/off switch is now in position. I'm very happy with it's location. The wiring for it is very simple. The 100 amp ANL fuse is installed. I could go 150A, but....I'll stick with the 100A for now. Final install pics sometime this weekend. :grin: All content and design ©2008 Kevan J. Geier All Rights Reserved
Wow, you went from plexi to metal:worthy: nice. What was the heat gun for with the plexi piece? ... and the comment about plexi melting? Now I'm guessing that the heat gun was to smooth the edges after cutting the plixiglass? I never thought about it melting. So when you go to Orchard Supply they got regular old plexiglass and then a couple of other options that are thinner, harder, and more expensive. Just can't think of what they're called. Acrylic? Polycarbonate? So the question is: what's the heat tolerance of the different stuff? What's ok for inside the car? Whats ok for inside the engine bay (not against the engine or anything)? etc.
Ice storms. :grin: I use the inverter on road trips and for emergencies. It's nice to have AC power when the power company is trying to find it's ass with both hands and Google Earth. The 1000W inverter isn't enough to keep all the appliances in the house going, but I can run a laptop and charge a couple of cell phones. I think you guys will like the DIY article on it. It's pretty slick if I do say so myself. BTW- I would have had this bracket done earlier, but we've been doing a bunch of trips to the vet lately, and yesterday we did an ATF and rear diff. fluid change in Keith's Bee. I really need 27 hours in a day..... :grin:
With most of my projects I go: - Paper - Foam core (or cardboard) - Plexiglas - Metal The different steps allow me to make changes and adjustments. And screw up more times so I learn. :grin: The heat gun is used to 'bend' the plexi. Different thicknesses get different heat settings. Since I'm just prototyping, bubbling isn't a big deal, but that's a sign that you're too hot or kept the gun on that area too long. You want the plexi to be soft enough where you can shape it, but not so soft that it stretches or goes 'taffy' on you. It's a fine line that's tough to stay on the good side of. Practice REALLY helps. So does patience! To smooth the edges after cutting, I: - Dremel (sanding drum) - File (hand) - Sanding sponge (hand) ...and if I want a clear edge, I'll use 1600 or 2000 grit sand paper taped to a square sanding block. The other "clear hard plastics" are: - Lexan - Polycarbonate - Acrylic ...and a few others. I don't know the specs on all of them, but Polycarbonate can be used in an engine bay without worries of melting. It's fairly brittle so it can crack with enough vibration though. Lexan is pretty tough, and good with heat. I don't think I'd put it in an engine bay....and certainly not in an SRT-10 engine bay! Acrylics are varied, and there are a bunch of different types. Stuff like Clear Casting Resin is pretty damn tough, but it's caustic as hell to work with (I speak from experience. LOL). Plexi is cheap and plentiful, and comes in a variety of sizes, thicknesses and shapes. It's a great material for prototyping.
If you mean of the defective one that I sent back and waited 5 months for the new one, then yes. :grin:
INSTALLED! 6 days from concept to installation. Not bad, eh? More pics after the sun comes up. :grin:
:naww::naww::naww::naww::naww:So what that happened to me last week. :naww::naww::naww::naww::naww::naww:
I have always been overwhelmed by your laser beam focus, intellect, and common sense. I have much respect for you Kevan.:worthy: ANOTHER nice job. P.S. ...... What manual was this Mod in?:shifty:
You got stuck behind a line of 200 mph vehicles that were stuck behind a 10 mph vehicle? :grin: What a great picture.
