 | Home > Maintenance & Modifications > My Electrical Adventure! LOTS of photos - Part 2 |
 
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20576  
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What are you fitting?
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17th Jul 2014 9:36pm |
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| Jim_Bean Member Since: 10 May 2011 Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border Posts: 613 
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*** UPDATE - Voltmeters installed - Split charge in action ***
Step 1 - Deep breath, throw warranty out of the window. Step 2 - Out with all the OEM battery, jack and junk in the battery compartment  Click image to enlarge Step 3 - D44 Puma twin battery tray installed - Fits perfectly without any additional drilling required. Click image to enlarge Step 4 - Optima Red top drops in as main started battery Click image to enlarge Step 5 - Remove centre dash console - Just undo the two torx bolts and gently ease of of the 4 retaining clips. I marked all the connectors so i could remember where to refit them, but its surprisingly difficult to get it wrong as the loom is very well constructed so as you can't really put the wrong connector in the wrong block. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 6 - Cuppa tea Step 7 - Install Blue Sea split charge controller. We found that it fits perfectly in the position the jack used to occupy. You can even use the rubber band (and 4 bolts) to hold it in place. Click image to enlarge Step 8 - Drop in a Optima yellow top to act as the auxiliary battery. Fits great in the D44 twin tray. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 9 - Begin running wires down from inside the dash, exiting behind the heater, running under the mats and to the seat base. Click image to enlarge Step 10 - Wire the batteries up via the Blue Sea solenoid - heat shrink, insulators and terminal covers recommended 
Click image to enlarge The big red 'blob' is the mega fuse that we have retained. Click image to enlarge Step 11 - Wire the remote control for the batteries that will sit on the top of the dash. This allows you to manually connect or isolate the batteries or simply leave in "Auto" and let the Blue Sea gadget decide. Click image to enlarge Step 12 - Ring 4x4 Overlander and order a Nakatenenga dash console to install switch and gauges. Excellent bit of kit that fits perfectly and looks a very close match to the OEM dash, if not better. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 13 - Another cuppa - stand back and admire vehicles. Click image to enlarge Step 14 - Run some twin core wire from the battery box up through the B pillar, behind the headlining and into the rear box where the passenger side speaker is. Remove the cover and discover lots of rust on a 12 month old vehicle! Click image to enlarge Step 15 - Cover everything in ACF 50
Click image to enlarge Good as new - no, better. Click image to enlarge Step 16 - Take a 30mm hole cutter and and fit Blue Sea cigarette lighter socket that will connect to fuse box and be 'always on' for camping and expeditions. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 17 - Cut further 30mm hole in the glove box for 'always on' Blue Sea USB socket. Make sure to smile as you cut big hole in your massively expensive almost new vehicle that you saved for for 20 years! Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 18 - Construct a bracket to hold a Blue Sea fuse box in a 'floating' posting above the two batteries. This give easy access to the fuses and loads of space for the wiring to run. Better than squashing it in the corner. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Step 19 - Wire up the sockets and install the fuses. Lots of insulators and heat shrink! Click image to enlarge Step 20 - Run loads more wiring for roof rack lights, rear work lights, further sockets and a fridge. Click image to enlarge This is my first attempt at anything like this in a long time. Massive thanks to taazzukcb for all the help and guidance. The Blue Sea stuff is top quality as is the Nakatanenga kit. The split charge is working a treat as are the sockets. Just need to get the voltmeters and lights wired next. **** Update **** Installation of Voltmeters using relays and taking the ignition signal from the purple/black wire on the factory cigarette lighter loom. Went with "Smiths" voltmeters from Demon Tweeks for that series Land Rover connection
Click image to enlarge New Smiths voltmeters fitted (carling switches in readiness for roof rack lights and rear work lights): Click image to enlarge Relays ensure the voltmeters only actuate when the ignition is on - Click image to enlarge Right hand meters shows red Optima 'starter' battery level - Left hand meter shows yellow Optima 'auxiliary' battery. You can see the split charge system working well as you start the vehicle. Photo 1 - Ignition off - Batteries isolated. Click image to enlarge Photo 2 - Engine on - there is a 30 second delay before the 'intelligent' Blue Sea solenoid detects the incoming charge from the alternator. Click image to enlarge Photo 3 - Charge detected and the solenoid joins the batteries together, red LED lights the 'auto' setting on the switch, system automatically 'splits' the incoming charge across the two batteries: Click image to enlarge Hope this helps you guys with your own builds 
Thanks for all the encouragement 
Lights next week.. Last edited by Jim_Bean on 18th Jul 2014 8:03pm. Edited 3 times in total |
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17th Jul 2014 10:26pm |
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| Pickles Member Since: 26 May 2013 Location: Melbourne Posts: 3787  
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Jim, you are oviously very competent,..you have some great skills.
Congratulations on some very nice work. Pickles. |
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17th Jul 2014 10:39pm |
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| Jim_Bean Member Since: 10 May 2011 Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border Posts: 613
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Its been great fun and not quite as terrifying as I thought it might be!
Just needed the push to get going from  taazzukcb
Understanding and wiring the relays for all the auxiliary lighting is the next step. Again, the best way to learn is to just go for it i guess |
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17th Jul 2014 10:57pm |
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| custom90 Member Since: 21 Jan 2010 Location: South West, England. Posts: 20576
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Excellent work there, some of the best work I've seen on here.
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17th Jul 2014 10:58pm |
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| david mitchell Member Since: 01 Jul 2012 Location: Meath Posts: 418  
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Incredible attention to detail
, you could perhaps offer your skills to other defender owners, if the price is right |
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17th Jul 2014 11:14pm |
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| XS Pete Member Since: 13 Jan 2011 Location: Suffolk Posts: 632  
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That's a quality job you've done there. I particularly like the novel use of a pair of shelving brackets to hold up the fuse board!
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18th Jul 2014 8:20am |
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| Go Beyond Member Since: 30 Jan 2012 Location: Headcorn, Kent Posts: 6678
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As a 'newbie' I think you've done amazingly well
A tip for next time, it is worth getting a collection of different coloured rolls of cable (Beales are often doing great deals on weird colours) as it will make fault finding at a later date or adding to circuits a lot easier. Sorry  I don't like the shelf brackets, very functional but in my humble opinion spoil the look of a quality install |
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18th Jul 2014 9:13am |
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| diesel_jim Member Since: 13 Oct 2008 Location: hiding Posts: 6112 
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^^^ That was the only bits that I thought let it down. Looked naff
Other than that, excellent neat job. I can't stand untidy wiring. |
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18th Jul 2014 9:13am |
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| Go Beyond Member Since: 30 Jan 2012 Location: Headcorn, Kent Posts: 6678
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Another tip, learnt the hard way
 , remove rings, bracelets etc when working with electrics .... |
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18th Jul 2014 9:15am |
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| Jim_Bean Member Since: 10 May 2011 Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border Posts: 613
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I guess the brackets are more 'function over form'. They do offer a very study base for less than £2
If I had better tools I guess I could have fabricated a more professional looking mount but for the money they are painted and hopefully will stand up to time well. At least you can't see them! |
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18th Jul 2014 9:17am |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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deleted
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18th Jul 2014 9:20am |
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| Jim_Bean Member Since: 10 May 2011 Location: Staffordshire / Shropshire border Posts: 613
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One thing that has been surprising is the amount of surface rust on almost all the surfaces hidden away behind trim panels, consoles and floor mats. Almost everything has a least some corrosion or rust.
I need to make a 'sheep dip' of ACF50 and sit the Landy in it for a few hours. I just don't get why Land Rover can't be bothered to add even a little bit of protection. On the plus side almost all the trim is easy to remove and you can get a good coating of your favourite anti-corrosion spray all over. |
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18th Jul 2014 9:21am |
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| munch90 Member Since: 26 Oct 2013 Location: guildford Posts: 3558
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go one better and use corrosion block , made by the same people
seems to me that acf50 has to be applied more often and if your doing behind panels you need to take them out to keep spraying it |
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18th Jul 2014 9:25am |
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