Shotty work poll

[Midnightmoon]

I was told to go pound sand when I said fuse box add a fuses are shotty. Im working on a brand new $170k machine that I added an accessory to. I was determined to tie into the fusebox in a spare or accessory fuse. there are usually extra plugs that have a fuse in the fuse box. Well service manual was useless so I asked shop foreman. His response was add a fuse and cut fuse box cover. I then said those are shotty. Well he won't be talking to me for a month or more now. He had some choice words he threw at me. There is no way I'm using the add a fuse Cobb. If I bought a new machine and saw that in my fuse box I'd bring it back. There are accessory and spare fuses for a reason and if there isn't get the pins to add to the fuse box if you can. So would you put this in a new sold machine if you worked at the dealer? I wouldnt ever use one of these on a customers machine its alot like a scotchlock

 

[Birken Vogt]

I have used those for many years and they are very reliable if you get good name brand ones. We used to use little blades that wrapped around one leg of the fuse and spread out (damaged) the slot so it would not accept a bare fuse leg again.

You do have to exercise your brain a little and find a spot that has an adequate supply and also not too heavy of a load on the original fuse. And I also hate cutting the cover to make one fit. Rather I would go back and find a battery stud in the system further back and put in an inline fuse, or something like that.

Are you saying there are possible unused fuses, but nobody will give you the help you need to figure which one? That would indeed be shoddy.

It is a lot better than a Scotchlok. I used one once, came back in a week, I said never again. If I need to tap a wire in the middle I cut the wire, install a butt connector with 2 wires in one end and one in the other. That's the way mfrs do it.

 

[Midnightmoon]

I found the fuses manufacturer left for these purposes most new machines have them because it's a machine made for a manufacture the manual is less the useful. It took a while but this is a brand new machine we are the dealer it should be done right no? I'm sorry but those add a fuses are just wrong along with inline fuses when installing in a new machine with 1 hour

 

[thepumpguysc]

I feel your pain..
Just remember, ur paid to do as your told..
& at a dealership, it’s ALL ABOUT TIME.
When you go out on ur own.. U have ALL THE TIME in the world to do it right.

 

[Midnightmoon]

Yeah no way if they dont want me to do it right they can give it to someone else foremans not my boss hes a joke I answer to service manager he wants it done right

 

[Coaldust]

The add-a-fuse product does appear to be less than ideal, but they are a good solution for low amp draw cab accessories when options are limited.

Dealership drama stories make me feel good about being independent. Lol.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[John C.]

There is no book, rule, law or regulation that says anything about how you install current protection in a piece of heavy equipment. I have experienced plenty of machines that had no extra fuse slots installed. Engineers as a group want their designs to be the only way something can be done and they never even want to hear about something added that they didn't think of.

At least you got a spade fuse and a decent sealing enclosure in the photo. The ones I've used had a sealing cap that fit over the top of the fuse. It's a darn site better than those crap plastic covers that went over the fuse and crimp on rings that have been used for decades.

You sound a little young to be going after a shop foreman on what is the right and wrong way to do something.

 

[Tyler d4c]

There is no book, rule, law or regulation that says anything about how you install current protection in a piece of heavy equipment. I have experienced plenty of machines that had no extra fuse slots installed. Engineers as a group want their designs to be the only way something can be done and they never even want to hear about something added that they didn't think of.

At least you got a spade fuse and a decent sealing enclosure in the photo. The ones I've used had a sealing cap that fit over the top of the fuse. It's a darn site better than those crap plastic covers that went over the fuse and crimp on rings that have been used for decades.

You sound a little young to be going after a shop foreman on what is the right and wrong way to do something.

Me im probably the youngest constant person on this forum that swings a wrench. It a boss told me to use one of those I'd laungh and say nope and if he got mad I'd be sure to make him even more mad. I won't use then to add something on my stuff. When I worked at the 2 dealers I did it was always a worry of time for management that never did the the job in there life. But I am wired a bit tighter then most.

 

[skata]

If there is a spare fuse slot, use it. Otherwise I've used those add a fuse with good results. If I'm adding something high power, I'll tap off the main battery cable and add a fuse.

 

[JLarson]

We won't use them on our work, the are good electrical service call generators for us tho

 

[MarshallPowerGen]

If it's something like an aftermarket LED light kit, backup camera, or radio they're fine.

 

[Midnightmoon]

A bit young that's funny formans old and set in his ways and wont take the time to look into doing it right he has 2 years more experience then me but has only worked at one shop his whole life. Doesnt actually perform any Forman tasks. maybe he did at one time but his mind is on retirement. Difference between him and I is when we have down time he plays with his phone I read through service manuals. When I get some time I'll be looking for the other two spare plugs. What's great is the schematic gives you a plug number but the plugs aren't marked on the machine.

 

[Vetech63]

Oh Lord.........a young versus old thread. Bring it on you little whippersnappers!

 

[Midnightmoon]

I'm 5 years younger whatever keep on doing it the way you've done it

 

[John C.]

I suppose being a bit obtuse is part of who we are as a group. Just keep in mind that you possibly made yourself replaceable somewhere down the line. So how did you solve the issue of no extra hole in the fuse panel?

 

[Vetech63]

I'm 5 years younger whatever keep on doing it the way you've done it

5 years younger than who?

 

[heymccall]

Being smart enough to put right fuse in right hole (one for new load, one for existing), having the correct polarity of the add-a-fuse, and, later on, making sure someone didn't flip it around, or move it, or add the wrong amperage after a failure are all concerns. Leave out the primary fuse and use just the accessory one, and tesr output...that's the easiest way to ensure correct orientation.
With that said, I've used them, or, I'll simply add a fuse or fuse panel directly from the main power relay.

 

[Midnightmoon]

Fuse box has lots of extra room added it directly to fuse box not with a add a fuse junk. Replaceable yeah everywhere I've worked they want to clone me. replacability has never been a problem from the first day I punched the clock at 14

 

[heymccall]

Oh, and, BTW, it's "shoddy"

 

[JD955SC]

A dedicated fuse or an inline fuse is the way to go unless totally unavoidable.

I have spent far more time doing it right than doing it the quick and easy way and it pays off when the thing you are adding is properly wired in, not going to cause issues down the road, not going to burn up the wiring, etc. Had to follow up on a machine once that had 18amp draw lighting added to it by tapping into the existing light switch, using the power from that, and replacing that circuits 5 amp fuse with a 20 amp fuse. While it worked temporarily in a few hours it burned up the switch, smoked a protective diode, and damaged wiring. After I was done with it the damage was repaired and the lighting was wired in with dedicated fused circuits, appropriate gauge wiring, relays, and a separate switch controlling those relays while still using the factory panel illumination circuit tied into the switch.