coil post clutter

[Marty Levenson]

I have five wires landed on the + terminal of my coil. Access is poor and I was barely able to tighten on the 3/8 nut. Thinking of making a mini bus bar on a bulkhead with just one lead to the terminal. Anyone else done that? Any issues or drawbacks to be aware of?

Thanks!

[ndutton]

Here's a thread from a few years ago that discusses the issue:

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=99063

[sastanley]

Marty, I did this when I re-wired the boat years ago. A mini bus-bar is a great idea.

I feed the coil +12v from the ignition circuit with a dedicated wire, and then feed the "accessories" that we want to put on the coil(+) to the "ignition bus bar". If you get some nice, but spendy Blue Sea stuff, you can use little jumpers they sell on their bus bars to "share the love", or spread the load.

[GregH]

Marty, I did this when I re-wired the boat years ago. A mini bus-bar is a great idea.

I feed the coil +12v from the ignition circuit with a dedicated wire, and then feed the "accessories" that we want to put on the coil(+) to the "ignition bus bar". If you get some nice, but spendy Blue Sea stuff, you can use little jumpers they sell on their bus bars to "share the love", or spread the load.

Did the same - makes for a neater system in a tight space. Used the Blue Seas bus bar.

[ronstory]

I used a slightly different approach with one of the amaz*n pseudo-waterproof fuse blocks with LED indicators. Mine has really thin o-ring and with a touch of synthetic grease, you could dump a bucket of water on it an would stay dry. I wouldn't expect to handle submersion, but if that block on firewall is underwater, I have bigger problems. ;^)

I could not find the exact brand that I ordered 2 years ago, but below is a fair representation.

https://www.amazon.com/FidgetFidget-Holder-Indicator-Marine-Waterproof/dp/B07F6D6Y3B/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1539615755&sr=8-16&keywords=fuse+block+waterproof+led

I have the ignition wired to a weather-pack style relay/socket that powers the fuse block directly from the battery switch output. I then connect coil +, electric FWC pump, fuel pump (via low pressure CO switch), field wire for alternator (via field CO on battery switch). The only connections off the coil is for the distributor Pertronix module.

This approach gets all the fuses in one place and if I see any LEDs on in the block, I know a fuse is blown. Then I don't need to dig round the back of the engine to replace those irritating in-line fuses. Plus I still have 2 more fused ignition switched outlets for the future. Also, those civilized color-coded ATC blade fuse don't require a magnifying glass to read their amp rating.

YMMV

[joe_db]

The coil post should not be a distribution bus for power.
Try this:

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-DualBus-BusBar/dp/B000277JB4/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1539624194&sr=8-15&keywords=blue%2Bsea%2Bbus%2Bbar&th=1

[toddster]

Same. I used a Blue Seas fuse block in the engine compartment for just the engine harness and related circuits that feed through the engine control panel. Divided between "always on" and "switched" circuits.

[sastanley]

Joe & Toddster are right...I probably didn't articulate things very well. I have a bus bar in the engine compartment that is fed from the wire from the key switch..That bus bar feeds the coil and other accessories that I want to run in the ON position, but there is only one wire on the coil post.