tapping into the fuse box

[fgross2006]

Another mod I finished yesterday was setting up a rear defroster in an 84 convertible.

I took a heater panel from a hatchback that had rear defrost stock and a I got wiring harness from another ebay seller. I affixed an aftermarket window grid from Frost Fighter and tested it out and it works as I had imagined.

The heavy gauge yellow wire I ran through the firewall and connected to the positive side of the starter solenoid. The white/purple wire for the switch is supposed to go to the #6 fuse according to my owners manual.

Would I remove the fuse box from its mount and connect the wire in the back? I never pulled a fuse box or jacked a new wire in so I wanna make sure I do this right.

Attachment 112022Attachment 112023

[JACook]

Pulling the fuse block with the dash in place is probably not something you will want to experience. And
once you get to the backside, there won't be any easy way to tap directly into it, other than splicing into
one of the existing wires, which you could also do without pulling down the fuse block.

Easier to look at what is powered off fuse 6, and borrow electrons from it. The relay control is very low-
draw. Fortunately, since you have A/C, that source is available right there on the HVAC control panel, in
the white/pink striped wire that feeds the selector switch.

I would also suggest a fusible link or circuit breaker be added to the starter relay end of that fat yellow
wire, if you don't already have one.

[fgross2006]

Pulling the fuse block with the dash in place is probably not something you will want to experience. And
once you get to the backside, there won't be any easy way to tap directly into it, other than splicing into
one of the existing wires, which you could also do without pulling down the fuse block.

Easier to look at what is powered off fuse 6, and borrow electrons from it. The relay control is very low-
draw. Fortunately, since you have A/C, that source is available right there on the HVAC control panel, in
the white/pink striped wire that feeds the selector switch.

I would also suggest a fusible link or circuit breaker be added to the starter relay end of that fat yellow
wire, if you don't already have one.

Thanks for the info. I had a bad feeling pulling the fuse block would be a bad idea.

As for the fusible link, the wiring harness I got from ebay had a fusible link still connected so I just added a ring connector with shrink tubing.

Attachment 112084

[86GreenStang]

Pulling the fuse box is one giant PITA. I had to change mine because is was turning to dust. I pulled one from a 90's model crown vic and found the pinning was almost identical. I ended up with an extra fuse location which I just don't use.