Fuse tap on turn signal fuse

TomIre · May 10, 2020

I need to add a powered accessory and need a hot wire. I will use a fuse tap to get the power I need. Question is, which fuse slot should I use? I would like it to be an switched fuse that only supplies power when the tractor is running.
The blinker fuse is most convenient but I'm wondering how the flasher relay works. Is it "down stream" of the fuse block if you know what I mean?

Industrial Toys · May 10, 2020

The fuse "should" be before the flasher.

Most clip-on, or insulation puncture type splices should be avoided due to poor quality and poor future connections.

MOST modern fuse blocks have extra spots for unused devices and accessories.

TomIre · May 10, 2020

Industrial Toys said:
The fuse "should" be before the flasher.

Most clip-on, or insulation puncture type splices should be avoided due to poor quality and poor future connections.

MOST modern fuse blocks have extra spots for unused devices and accessories.

Thanks. Not using a clip on or puncture type. A fuse tap goes into an existing fuse. It then has two fuses where there was one fuse. The original is still there protecting that circuit. The second fuse leads to an all new "hot" wire protected separately.

Industrial Toys · May 10, 2020

Good. Make sure the live on key circuit has the capacity to do what you want. I ran into this recently. I will need to power a relay from the live on key circuit but get another fused lead from battery to feed the relay contacts.

dlctcg · May 10, 2020

I agree the flasher unit is usually after the fused circuit (downstream), but both auto & tractor manufacturers are known to only use the minimum size (gauge) wire for the circuits they install. I don't know what your "I need to add a powered accessory" is or what it requires for amperage; but I would make sure the factory wiring on the circuit your going to tap into has enough capacity for the load you are trying to power...

If you think your going to add additional electrical thing in the future you may want to look at adding a auxiliary fuse block now..

This is one I added to ours...

TomIre · May 10, 2020

I don't think the wire gauge will be an issue. Link below is what I'll use. My real question was whether the flasher relay on the blinker circuit would be a problem.
I could go to the battery with an online fuse but the wiring ruin will be shorter and cleaner to the fuse block.
The accessory is a third function valve so only powering a solenoid. The valve is supplied with a 10A online fuse, so that's what I'll use.

https://www.autozone.com/electrical...bussmann-atm-add-a-circuit-fuse-tap/32416_0_0

Industrial Toys · May 10, 2020

Not sure if it's an issue. But I put a snubber diode on all relays and solenoids. The collapsing field of a coil, especially a bigger one, puts out a wack of potentially destrucive EMF. If you had an electronic flasher on the same circuit for instance, it could damage it without the snubber diodes.

I personally, would NOT run a solenoid off of a flasher circuit. MAYBE, a smaller relay, that runs the solenoid, but not the solenoid itself.

dlctcg · May 11, 2020

Industrial Toys said:
I personally, would NOT run a solenoid off of a flasher circuit. MAYBE, a smaller relay, that runs the solenoid, but not the solenoid itself.

^^ I agree... you might want to look at a different circuit to tap in to, or install a relay to control the solenoid valve...

Also is the existing flasher unit a 10 Amp fuse? if your third function valve is using a 10 Amp in-line fuse make sure the wire feeding whatever fuse you are taping in to has a minimum of a 10 Amp capacity...
Also with that tap you are asking the feed wire to the fuse on the fuse block to handle the Amp capacity of both circuits (the original fused circuit & your third function valve if they are used at the same time)

TomIre · May 11, 2020

dlctcg said:
^^ I agree... you might want to look at a different circuit to tap in to, or install a relay to control the solenoid valve...

Also is the existing flasher unit a 10 Amp fuse? if your third function valve is using a 10 Amp in-line fuse make sure the wire feeding whatever fuse you are taping in to has a minimum of a 10 Amp capacity...
Also with that tap you are asking the feed wire to the fuse on the fuse block to handle the Amp capacity of both circuits (the original fused circuit & your third function valve if they are used at the same time)

If I'm not mistaken, the fuse block is served by a single large gauge wire not individual wires for each fused circuit. The reason I chose the turn signal circuit is because I seldom, actually never, have needed or used my turn signal. Not likely I would need to engaged the third function while signalling a turn!
Do solenoids draw a lot of power? I wouldn't have thought so but don't know. No idea what a snubber diode is!