photo #2633037

Connecting Battery to Master Switch to Fuse block. For those wishing to add a fuse holder we will illustrate where we would add an additional amount of safety to the system as well. Now is getting to the exciting part, actually putting things together. First, this post will deal with making the system active by connecting the battery to the master switch and then to the fuse block. While it has been safe until now, we must remember the battery is alive and has plenty of juice in it to cause harm. The tools we use should be insulating so that the metal (conductive) parts of the tool will not cause a spark if touched in the wrong area. By doing this, wrapping some electrical tape around the stem of the screwdriver or wrench mostly covering all the exposed metal with the tape, we really minus the chances of an accident happening. Besides our wire cutters, Phillips screwdriver, adjustable wrench, and crimper, these will be the things we will be using. Ring and Spade connectors within kit https://amzn.to/3a8tnht 10 Gauge Wire https://amzn.to/3wxyrmT Volt Meter https://amzn.to/3sIBsjb On/Off Switch https://amzn.to/37Wthsy Fuse Block https://amzn.to/3FXQvuL Boot Covers for Battery https://amzn.to/3yOgkMx Optional Inline Fuse https://amzn.to/37YQBpC To connect the fuse to main wire https://amzn.to/38xgtcl Below, you will see a rough draft drawing on what we will accomplish today. With the battery being placed where we want it and secured in our last post we have no worries about moving the crate around. Lets lay out the parts where they should be and then we will begin assembly. Place the crate in front of you where the battery is away from you and the front, which we already prepared with holes being drilled should be directly in front of you. Lay the Fuse block in front of the battery with the negative bus bar pointing to the negative post of the battery. The negative bus bar is the 6 screws all in one line where as the positive end of the fuse block is 3 on each side and room for the fuse to be placed in. If we have not placed the switch into the hole in the front, now is a good time to do so and secure it. We made room by trimming so the nut should fit snugly on and tighten. You should be able to tighten tight enough with your fingers, if not, try to fit your wrench in to tighten. By the switch we will use 2 spade connectors from the kit. Place them near the switch. Lets take out the Volt Meter and place it safely on top of the battery. there should be 3 wires, one is for the temp and the other black for negative and red for positive. We will need to ring connectors no bigger than 3/8 and the color should be red to match the gauge of the wire. We will also need 4 3/8 ring connectors -- yellow to match the 10 gauge wire, for the battery and the main connection to the fuse block. We can then lay out the Battery boot covers on the battery as well matching the black with the negative post and red with the positive post. Alright, lets now put things together. Lets start with the optional inline fuse holder. I chose not to use this method but for those that want to add that little extra security, we need to begin here since the fuse is best when closest to the battery. Here will have our lever wire connector in place and then we will cut the red fuse holder wire in half. Take an strip the wire on Both Ends. On one end of the fuse block take and crimp on a yellow ring connector and the other end lift the lever up on the lever connector and place the wire inside and then clamp down firmly. Take the 10 gauge wire (red) and strip one end of it and then take it and place it into the other lever and close tightly. Now we have a UL Listed connection and the fuse inline. Now, with the ring on the fuse, drape it by the positive post, not touching and take the wire on the other end and start placing it loosely into the crate as your feeding it to the switch and leading the wire from the bottom of the crate to the switch itself and measure where you should cut the wire in order to make the connection with the on/off switch. Cut and then strip the wire and crimp on one of the spade connectors. Then Plug it into the spade blade closest to the side wall of the crate. Next, with the remaining wire, strip and connect the remaining spade connector. Plug it into the other blade on the switch. Now we need to bring the loose wire to the bottom and feed it to the positive end of the fuse block. Make sure there is slack on the wire to move the fuse block around and cut the wire where it meets up with the main bolt on the positive side. Take and strip the wire and then crimp on a ring terminal. Let it rest next to the fuse block. Now let's take the bundle of black wire 10 gauge and take one end and strip and connect a ring connector. Placing the ring connector close to the negative post (black boot cover) we will guide the wire down and leaving ample moving room for the fuse block take and cut it when it meets to the negative bolt on the fuse block. Hold and cut and then strip and crimp on the last ring connector. Now we are ready to make the connections. Being careful, lets loosen the negative bolt on the fuse block and taking the end near it with the ring connector place the bolt into the ring and then reconnect the black wire to the negative bus bar. Lets repeat this for the positive side of the fuse block and the red wire with the ring connector. Just lay the fuse block on the side of the battery now that it is connected. You will find later we will use double sided tape to connect it to the space we left between the zip ties but while we are making connections it is easier to leave lose and lift it up to work with. Now lets make the final connections. First, if we have not done so already then lets take the two wires on the volt meter and place the two small ring connectors (red) with the red and black wires with bare ends. Nice we don't have to strip these two its been done for us already. Secondly, lets take the red and black 10 gauge wire and strip and place the 2 remaining yellow connectors on each of the ends. It is time now to make connections, our final one. Take your Phillips screw driver and unscrew the bolts from the battery. Now, take the two red connectors, one belonging to the long wire we made up going to the master switch and the other belonging to the volt meter. Take the red battery boot and snake the wires through it and then take one of the screws and feed the rings through the screw and tighter unto the positive post. Move the boot up until it covers the post. The connection needs to be tight but do not over tighten. Repeat the same for the black wires. You will notice that the drok volt meter will light up. It is simple to set up for your battery type and simply chose the letter for your battery type and the number 2 which will let it use its built in algorithm. We now have an active and alive system, so be careful of what you drop in. The master switch should be working but until we plug in the other items, we will not know. The next post we will deal with three items inverter, ac charger and solar charger. Then we will close by connecting the dc items and lights. If you can help, we would truly appreciate and need it -- Thank you https://gofund.me/5b4a16c6 Any little bit helps and we truly are grateful.