Kodemore wrote:
Hello! This is Kody (him). I bought a little 77 dodge sportsman travel mate last October. It needs some love, and a lot of work. I want to replace a lot of the electrical, including the fuse box, because it uses old tube fuses in the cab. There is a breaker box in the back for the "house" that looks fine, but I'll get it checked out just to be safe. The major changes won't be able to happen until later this year. I am just trying to establish some connections in case I run into trouble down the line.
I definitely can understand wanting to replace the fuse box ... the old glass fuses getting hard to find, with many places only stocking ATO/ATC fuses or newer types of fuses.
One option for components is
Blue Sea Systems. While their apparent focus is marine systems, the also provide systems for law enforcement, ambulances, fire trucks, etc. They tend to be a bit pricey but quality is never cheap.
They also have a lot of good information and tools for determining proper wire size and related details.
If you go with Blue Sea Systems fuse panels, you'll have to find pigtails/adapters/sockets for the turn signal flashers.
As an alternative, you can search junk yards for a used fuse panel from a newer vehicle that uses ATO/ATC fuses. This will probably have flasher sockets. It'll be tricky finding a used panel that suits your vehicle and needs ... I'd look for a late model B1500/2500/3500 Dodge van.
The turn signal circuitry can be a bit tricky to understand ... in addition to the turn signal lever (switch), the stoplight (brake) switch feeds into the same circuitry.
Some vehicles use a single flasher for turn signals and emergency (four-way) signal. Others use one flasher for the turn signals and a separate flasher for the emergency signal.
One area where you'll have to be careful is to make sure you're using the right size wire and fuse for each circuit. A wire gauge would be a good tool to have, so you can measure the size of the existing wires.
I've been planning, when I get a little less busy, to post some information on wiring systems in general, versus my battery rants over the past umpteen months.
For you, as well as anyone else reading this thread, automotive wiring systems can seem complex but are actually rather simple ... especially if you break them down into subsystems and functions.
Finally, you may view your situation and efforts as unique and therefore not of any interest to others. In fact, the opposite is true and many people could benefit from detailing your efforts, experiences, and solutions.
