Wiring Panels & Kits
by Steve Watson
Watson's StreetWorks Rod & Custom
Getting what you want and need -
You took one look under the dash of your '34 and knew that new
wiring was a must. The mess looks something like a raw Klingon
breakfast delicacy. Or maybe your old VW isnıt up for the extras that you
have in mind to add - especially with only a few ceramic fuses!
Take Heart! This booklet on Wiring Panels & Kits was written to
give you the best information so that you can get the right parts for
your wiring job... the first time!
Questions You Need to Ask
To start - How many electrical do-dads do you plan on having? Will
they be battery or ignition controlled circuits? What amperage does each
require? Need room for future expansion? How much do I want to spend? How
knowledgeable am I with wiring? Do I need the "extras" that are in the
kits?
The answers to these questions will lead you to make selections in the
following areas: (1) Panel or full wiring kit? (2) Basic or "Top End" complete kit? (3) How many circuits (fuses) and connections for both
battery and ignition circuits? (4) Integral Fuse Panel or Modular Panel
System? Letıs take a look at each of these questions so that we can make
the right choices.
Who's doing this job...anyway?
O.K., we know that weıre all do-it-yourself kind of people. And
Iım here to tell you that wiring a car isnıt all that big of a job. But it
rates right up there in the top three things that we will "farm-out" to
have someone else do - those are paint, upholstery and electrical. Why?
Because the difference between an amateur and a professional job can be
significant! We know their importance. Safe and good looking
electrical power to our project is a must.
People who don't know electricity can often be afraid of it. Worse yet,
there are companies out there who push the "fear thing" in order to sell
you product - the 'buy our stuff and you won't fry' advertising. But it's
not that way if you follow very basic rules. For example, fuse each
circuit properly, including fusible links with the right size fuse.
Protect wires that might get rubbed. Secure wires to prevent excess
movement. Don't do a "cheap" job, read instructions and follow them. Oh,
and get our Basic Auto Electricity Book! Itıs a steal at just $7.95 +
S/H.
So, are you going to do the job or are you going to farm it all out?
The answer to that question will tell a lot about how complicated you want
to get. Complicated? By that we mean how much work is required. And how
much you want to spend. Doing a big job or a little job requires the same
amount of knowledge but a different amount of time and effort. Doing it
yourself saves expense, but at the possible sake of quality (although we
hear horror stories every day about "experts"). Buyer beware!!!
Panel or Full Wiring Kit?
 What does your ride need? A full rewiring or just a new fuse
panel? Most vehicles that need rewiring need the whole ball-of-wax - if
thatıs the case, tear it all out and start over again, NEW. This is a hard
decision to make but if you are going to go through the expense and effort
to begin with, then it is best to go all the way and do it right.
In a few cases, the choice of a new fuse panel is appropriate. If the
existing wiring is in good condition and there is no need to add
additional circuits, AND if the old fuse panel is easily replaced, then
the addition of a new panel can be a good choice. However, replacing just
an existing fuse panel is seldom an easy job.
Most original and after-market fuse panels are of the "Integral Fuse
Panel" type. This means that the wiring is preterminated to the fuse
panel. Replacement of just the panel would require clipping all of the
wires and reconnecting to the new panel. If there is an excess of "old"
wire length and if the new panel is a Modular Unit (we will discuss these
soon), then this can be O.K. Otherwise, it will be a major pain in the
butt connector.
In very few rewire cases will a new fuse panel ONLY be the best
decision. In most cases where the entire vehicle needs to be rewired, you
should go with a full vehicle wiring kit - fuse panel, wiring, and
whatever else it needs.
Brand new, first time wiring jobs done by knowledgeable people
can frequently use "panel only" kits and do the rest of the wiring on
their own. After all, a wide variety of wire sizes and colors are
available at any good parts store. But seldom will this approach end up
costing less or producing a better job. It just drags out the expense and
adds numerous trips to the parts store. Basic pick-ups, dune buggies and
kit cars are examples where panel-only wiring jobs are more common. The
key to success is having a knowledgeable person doing the work. A good,
complete wiring kit with quality instructions helps to bridge the
knowledge gaps for the first time automotive electrician.
Basic or "Top End" Kit ?
Top end kits are more complete with all of the stuff you will
need. Basic kits give you...well, the basics. Either way, go for a quality
kit.
A quality kit Will have -
- the manufacturers name right up front (reputation does count!)
- color coded wiring (preferably GM standards)
- line marked applications on every wire
- quality instructions - computer generated with a phone number to
call in case of problems or questions
A quality kit WILL NOT -
- tell you that you can use ONLY their parts with their kits
(electricity doesnıt know manufacturers)
- tell you that using anyone else's parts will void their warrantee (cop an attitude).
Top end or basic, look for a quality kit from a quality source.
How many circuits?
You will need to know what electrical items you are going to
have. The number of circuits depends upon the number of different items
and whether they need to be fused independently (by themselves) or whether
two or three items can be run through one fuse.
THE BASIC 8
For any vehicle being used on the street, there are 8 basic
circuits. Four are battery fed (powered all of the time) and four are
ignition fed (powered only when the ignition or accessory systems are on).
The battery fed circuits are:
- Horn
- Headlights/Running Lights
- Brake Lights
- Hazards (if equipped).
The ignition fed circuits are:
- Gauges
- Heat/Defrost Fan
- Wipers
- Turn Signals (if equipped).
You can see why theyıre called the basic 8...no frills here.
Additional circuits include:
- Radio/Auxiliary Radio
- Separate Tail Light Fuse
- Separate Park Light Fuse
- Entry Latch Release
- Radiator Fan
- Fuel Pump
- Power Windows/Seats
- Power Door Locks
- etc., etc., etc.
A rule of thumb - 12 is good unless you want "power" (windows, seats,
etc.). With power, go to 18 circuits minimum.
Integral Fuse Box or Modular Panel?
 Integral Fuse Box wiring kits are the most common kits
available. They are often called "OEM" kits because they look like what
you would find under the dash of any Detroit vehicle and, in fact, use
those same components. Distinguishing features are the OEM looking fuse
box with preterminated wires leading into a large "pig tail" with
connectors attached. These kits give a "factory look" by using factory
parts, which make them less expensive and a lot of the work is already
done. One drawback is that big pig tail - wrestling with it, mounting and
hiding it neatly.
The other approach is a Modular Fuse Panel kit where the fuse box is
literally a separate "module" preterminated to a connection block. No pig
tail here.
The modular panel packs more circuits into a smaller, neater package
making fuse box mounting an easier job. Wiring is done one circuit at a
time and can be made "show car" neat even by a first-timer. The one
drawback here is that the parts are less common making the kits a little
more expensive.
Review Time...
O.K. We've covered a lot of items. Let's review -
(1) we've decided on whether to do the job ourselves or find a
professional.
(2) We've chosen between putting in a fuse panel only or a complete wiring
kit.
(3) We've selected between a quality top-end kit with more features and
components or a quality basic kit (remember that either way you want a
quality kit from a quality source).
(4) We know what features we want in our vehicle and therefore how many
circuits the fuse panel needs to have.
And
(5), we've considered the difference between an OEM style Integral
Fuse Box and a Modular Fuse Panel and decided which will give us the
finished job that we want.
Price...Ya, price.
None of us has bottomless pockets, so what we are willing to
spend for a wiring kit always becomes an issue. But like anything, we can
get burnt by spending too much or too little.
Here's some numbers for guide lines -
For fuse panels only, expect to spend about $50 +/- for a basic panel
without flashers, relays, etc., price varying with the number of fuses.
 For top end fuse panels expect to pay a minimum of about $100 for an 8 to
12 fuse panel with the price going up from there very quickly to over
$200. If you are looking at a higher priced panel, we suggest you consider
a complete wiring kit because youıre not going to save much money buying a
panel only.
Prices for complete wiring kits with fuse panels should run in the $250
- $300 range for Integral Fuse Box kits and up to about $350 for Modular
Fuse Panel kits and near $400 for "deluxe" Modular Panel kits. What makes
them deluxe except the price? More circuits, more connections and maybe
more included switches, etc. Over $400 for a kit? We think that is too
much.
How about price guides for professional installation? We're not going
to touch that one. Prices will vary a lot due to location, experience and
demand. BUT - we strongly suggest that you get a price for the whole job,
not work done by the hour. A reasonable sounding hourly rate may end up
costing you big time. Also get a PRICE for specific itemized work, not an
estimate. A pro will know what it takes to do your job and will stand
behind their work.
Add-on Panels
One last subject to mention is Add-on Fuse Panels. With add-on's
you're not rewiring your whole car, you're just adding fused circuits to
cover new accessories like power windows or auxiliary lighting, etc. Keep
in mind that these are not band-aides for an ailing electrical system.
They are additions for when you need more circuits (fuses) than your
present system has.
 It's also comforting to know that you can rewire your whole car and, if
you picked too small a fuse panel to begin with, have a safe, neat way to
fuse extra circuits.
Add-on panels can come with a variety of inputs depending upon what you
need and whatıs easiest for you. For example, the Power Tap shown has a single input for all 6 fused circuits so they will all be battery
or ignition fed but not both.
 The PanelTech fuse panels shown have separate inputs for battery and ignition circuits (the 14 circuit
panel is split 8/6). Or you can get add-on's like the ones shown on this
page that have individual inputs for each fuse so that you can choose or
change the input source as needed. With any of these panels, you get extra circuits with a minimum of
hassle.
A word about American AutoWire
Here at Watson's StreetWorks we carry American AutoWire wiring
kits. Why? Because we think they are the best wiring kits available at any
price. They are backed by decades of experience making their "Factory Fit"
products for OEM replacement harnesses. They are engineered products,
planned and designed to work right for you. And they back their products
after-the-sale. In the rare occasion that you have a question or a
problem, they are there for you. And so are we. When you buy a quality
product from a quality manufacturer and supplier youıre getting the best
you can get.
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