Fuse box question - which side should I use?
 

I'm needing to use a switched power source running off the main fuse box for the trigger voltage for my driving light relay. I want the driving lights to go out if I accidentally leave them on when I turn off the car (I'll hook up the headlamps in a similar fashion when I upgrade them to halogens).

I know that on the 4-fuse box, the first (top) and third fuse are connected to the ignition switch, but which side of the box should I connect my switched wire to, in order to properly complete my circuit? I ASSUME (dangerous word there, I know) that the right side of the box (as you're looking at it standing in front of the car - in other words the PASSENGER side on a RHD car) is the switched side, seeing as how there's a brown, unfused wire leading to the #2 fuse - I know that plain brown is generally the color code for unfused direct-to-battery positive.

Is this correct? Also, if I have an extra terminal on the box, above the wire that's clipped there, can I also clip to that free terminal? They look like they both run from the fused connection, but it's difficult to be 100% sure.

Last, can anyone recommend a convenient ground connection near the fuse box? I've located my relay a few inches form the box, but the relay needs a ground connection for the trigger voltage to function properly. There are some wires clipped to the screw securing the fuse box to the firewall - is this a suitable ground location? There's nothing about this being a ground in my Haynes book...

Thanks a million as always!

You're correct - the right hand side as you look at the fuse block is the "switched" side. And I see no reason why you cannot use the spare spade lug for your light relay control.
As far as ground for the relay goes, you can use the firewall. Use a sheetmetal screw or find a handy srew already available being used for another mounting. In fact, you can use one of the screws that mounts the fuse block. If you're planning on adding additional fused loads (CD, GPS, whatever), you may want to consider adding an auxilliary fuse block. See attached pix of mine.

Yeah, I've seriously considered adding the second block, but I was looking for one that was covered. The one you used is the same as the one I used on my 2006 - I know they only cost about $5. Do you have any moisture issues with the non-covered block with that placement? Also, how do you have that wired? Into the #1 or #3 terminal so it's switched, or direct to the battery?

As for the ground, I see 2-3 black wires clipped to the screw holding the OEM fuse block, but the Haynes manual makes no mention of anyhting using that as a proper ground, so I wasn't certain. I'll try clipping the negative lead from the relay to it and see what happens - I'm 99% sure it's a ground point. As I have a ton of nasty, cracking insulation all over my firewall it's a bit hard to tell - this is a great excuse to yank all that crap out and clean it up in there. :)

Thanks for the confirmation of the fuse direction! I'm working up a How-to for installing driving lights in the classic - might as well make it so that everyone benefits form all my pestering... Erm, I mean, "all my carefully thought-out questions". :)

If you don't have a test light buy one or build one. They come in very handy. Mini ownership will make your tool box grow & grow.:grin:

Edit.... If you are worried about moisture at the fuse box, use some dielectric silicone grease on the fuse ends & wiring connections.

Yeah... I really gotta make a test light. It's amazing that I've got as far as I have with all the electrical MODs without one OR a proper volt meter. Definitely NOT recommended...

No moisture issues, but I rarely take the Mini out in wet weather. Regarding the power feed, my aux block has two sections: unswitched and switched by the ignition key. The unswitched section I use for the lights (replaced Lucas with Xenon) Their relays are in the lower left of the pix. The switched section is for the CD. The unswitched is fed from the BATT lug on the solenoid. Thats the fat red wire in the pix. The switched section from the #3 fuse, left side (the fat yellow wire in the pix). BTW I told you sorta wrong before. The right side is switched but so is the left side. The difference is the fuse. The right side is protected by the #3 25A fuse. The left side is unfused (raw switched 12V). So its really up to you which side to use. If your light relay will have its own fuse, then the left side is fine. If not, use the right side. The relay adds negligible load to the circuit/fuse.

I'll use the right side (as you look at the block). I know the extra load from the trigger is minimal, and having a fuse on the connection will give me insurance against a short. I know that the relay itself will fail at >40A, but I don't like thinking about the relay melting... :)

Clever way to wire up that second fuse block - I'll have to do that when I upgrade my headlamps. I was shocked when I learned that with the OEM wiring the entire current load from the headlights goes through the cabin switch! There are multiple reports of the switch melting when the headlamps are upgraded to halogens or xenons (which draw much more current than the OEM sealed-beams), and putting them on relays just makes sense to me.

What xenons did you go with? I was looking at the "crystal" replacement units with the angel eye parking lights, personally...

Here are the headlamps: http://www.gbcarparts.com/proddetail...=Lamp7Headlamp

I ordered them with the Xenon bulb option. Of course they don't show that as available now; probably out of stock. These lamps are SOO much better that OEM.