Fuse block install

Rivethead · #1 06-21-2008, 11:53 PM

I found a pretty good (for me) place to put my fuse block the other day. Should be in flight accessible also. Here are some pictures to peruse.

panhandler1956 · #2 06-22-2008, 07:13 AM

That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing.

w1curtis · #3 06-22-2008, 11:32 AM

Yup, I did a similar thing on my RV-10. I put it on the passenger side however.

Rivethead · #4 06-22-2008, 12:27 PM

Somehow when I look at all your fuses I feel inadequate.

rv8ch · #5 06-22-2008, 12:58 PM

Will the fuse blocks still move down with all the wires attached?

alpinelakespilot2000 · #6 06-22-2008, 01:05 PM

I know the fuses are held in pretty tight, so even upside down they will probably be OK, but....

I considered the same idea, but just didn't like the "what, if".

Rivethead · #7 06-22-2008, 02:29 PM

Yes the fuse block will still come down with all the wires attached. The wires will need to be about two inches longer than if they were not moveable at all. In the case of them working loose it's easy enough to check on them.

w1curtis · #8 06-22-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rivethead

Somehow when I look at all your fuses I feel inadequate.

And I didn't even post any pictures of the two additional fuse blocks by the batteries for the battery buss

There is definately excess capacity as it is easier to get them in now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv8ch

Will the fuse blocks still move down with all the wires attached?

Mine still moves freely and I have a lot of my wiring done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpinelakespilot2000

I considered the same idea, but just didn't like the "what, if".

What "what, if's" didn't you like. None of the devices on the fuses I would consider, trouble-shootable in flight. For other critical items that I want to positively remove from the buss (trim, autopilot, alternator, etc.) they are on the circuit breakers shown.

Rivethead · #9 06-22-2008, 06:21 PM

I think what he was saying is what if a fuse worked itself out of its socket. Since my fuse block is upside down it's an outside chance that could happen. Being inflight accessible is not a priority for me it was more an extra. I doubt that I would ever actually replace or check a blown fuse until on the ground but the swing down feature makes it easy to do.

alpinelakespilot2000 · #10 06-22-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rivethead

I think what he was saying is what if a fuse worked itself out of its socket. Since my fuse block is upside down it's an outside chance that could happen. Being inflight accessible is not a priority for me it was more an extra. I doubt that I would ever actually replace or check a blown fuse until on the ground but the swing down feature makes it easy to do.

Yes, that's what I meant. So long as you are VFR, and have the no-reset-until-on-the-ground mentality as I do, it probably doesn't matter whether or not the fuses were (even if unlikely) to fall out. Just land and pop them back in.

Originally I did actually consider your idea of hinging a door from the panel rather than the subpanel, though, because I'm using a pull out/tilt panel. All of my wiring and fuses are somehow attached to the panel to facilitate this. I ended up putting the fuses on top of my map box and so they are pretty much inaccesible in flight, though I do have an access cover cut into my panel that a passenger could take off to trouble shoot. Again, though, I figure that if a fuse blows, it blew for a reason and in flight is that last time I should be trying to troubleshoot the problem or replace a fuse that is likely to just blow again or, worse, start a fire.

All that said, your installation looks very clean.