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Simply put switched power is a wire that has 12V on it when the
ignition switch is turned on and 0V when the bike is turned off. It's
really nothing more than that.
When the ignition switch on the bike is turned on it applies power
to many parts of the bike. Which parts depends on what type of bike you
have. Most bikes will apply power to running lights, accessories, etc.
This type of power is typically referred to as switched power because
it turns on when the bike turns on. The FZ-1 needs a signal to know
when the bike is on. It needs this to activate the relay that is built
into the FZ-1. When the relay is activated it will then power the
devices you have in the switched position on the FZ-1.
Most fuse blocks do not include a relay which leaves the installer
to wire in one if they want switched power for a device being hooked up
to the bike. The FZ-1 eliminates the need to wire your own relay but it
still needs a signal (i.e. trigger) to tell the built-in relay to
activate. By doing so the relay will gate power from the battery
through the relay and to the devices you select to have switched power
on the FZ-1.
The best way to find a switched power source is to inquire with the
online forums for your bike. Newer BMWs use a "CanBus" system which is
sensitive to connecting other devices for power so be sure to consult
with someone who has firsthand experience with these types of systems.
Common places to find switched power are running lights or other
accessories that come on when the bike turns on. Once you've found a
12V switched power source you can tap that line to send to the FZ-1
relay.
This isn't as straight forward as you might think.
The FZ-1 has two separate current paths. One is for constant power
and the other goes through the relay for switched power. Each circuit
can handle up to 10A (120W). The total amperage used via the relay
(switched power) should not exceed 30A (360W). The total amperage on
the constant side should not exceed 30A (360W). The total amperage for
the entire FZ-1 should not exceed 30A (360W).
Remember the constraints of the relay and each circuit. This allows
most people to run a number of accessories. You need to be careful when
running halogen lighting or heated gear. You can run these types of
devices but you need to know the amount of current they use before
hooking them up. Anything that uses electricity will tell you how much
power/current it consumes given in amps or watts.
To get watts from amps just multiple 12V * amps (V*I=P). To get amps
from watts just divide watts by 12V (P/V=I). We have a calculator on
our site if you need help with calculating power or amps.
Dimensions:
- Length: 3.314"
- Width: 2.467"
- Height dimensions (with cover on):
- 1.286" with the standoffs.
- 1.130" without the standoffs but includes the height of the component pins that come out the bottom of the board
- 1.101" is the height with just the cover and board without the standoffs and without the component pins height
- 1.450" is the height of the full unit if using the optional back mounting plate
- Hole centers for mounting standoffs: 2.65" x 1.78"
- Circuit Board thickness: .093" (thicker than a standard (.062") circuit board)
Space and money. When designing the FZ-1, keeping it small was one of the main requirements.
Large amounts of current require large amounts of copper to pass the
current but also to dissipate the heat created by the large current.
The FZ-1 is designed to be small so it will fit into a tight space.
This reduces the amount of area that is needed for the copper runs on
the circuit board. It's a tradeoff and hopefully the FZ-1 is a happy
medium tradeoff between being able to handle enough current but still
fit into a small space.
We reduced the circuits to 6 to widen the runs, made it a 4-layer
board with 3 dedicated to the output runs and used 2-ounce copper to
make all runs thicker. In the future we may offer something that
handles more current if we can solve the space versus current issue.
The FZ-1 will handle the limits listed in the specifications.
However there's more to the FZ-1 than just its current carrying
abilities and incredibly good looks.
The circuit board is .093" thick. Most circuit boards are .062" and
are more susceptible to vibration causing "board fatigue" which can
lead to failure. The FZ-1 uses heavier copper runs that are thicker
than standard boards to ensure that the board can carry the currents
stated in the specifications.
The relay chosen for the FZ-1 is an automotive industrial relay made
to carry high current for long durations. Although no electrical
component is 100% foolproof, the relay chosen for this application
performs above and beyond smaller-sized high capacity relays that are
made to handle high current for short periods of time (usually less
than 1 to 3 hours). The FZ-1 also provides an ABS cover that can handle
a hard impact with an optional ABS back plate (included) to prevent a
hard strike from damaging the board.
At Fuzeblocks.com we are committed to testing the ruggedness of the FZ-1.
To illustrate the impact resistance of the FZ-1 we low sided a
motorcycle equipped with an FZ-1 at 40MPH and had it impact a tree
right at the lower triple clamp making for a nice impact directly
across the fairing and headlight assembly. The FZ-1 was installed in
the fairing and fastened with dual lock to the front of the left
fairing pocket (the dual lock can be seen in the upper right corner on
the front of the fairing pocket). In this test the FZ-1 was directly in
the line of fire when the bike impacted the tree.
As you can see the FZ-1 was unfazed by the impact. The unit is still
working and is installed in the owner's new bike. The second picture
shows that the back plate was also impacted by a part of the fairing
sub frame during the test. The back plate did not crack and protected
the back of the FZ-1.
Ok, obviously we did not wreck a perfectly good motorcycle on
purpose to test the FZ-1 but this was a good example of the ruggedness
evinced in the FZ-1 so I decided to share this information to
illustrate the point.
Yes. The main issue with the CanBus system is its susceptibility to transient voltages.
A standard relay has a coil and when the electrical field on that
coil collapses the energy needs to go somewhere. The voltage travels
back through the wiring and, if not blocked, to the bike. The FZ-1
provides two diodes to prevent this from happening. Both diodes provide
protection ensuring that any transient voltages are sent to ground or
blocked from traveling back into the bike wiring.
The relay is replaceable by de-soldering the relay and replacing it with a new one.
If the relay fails on the road, the best suggestion is to move the
fuses from the switched position to the constant position to get home.
Make sure that you power off any devices when turning off the bike at
that point. Once home you can work on replacing the relay.
The relay chosen for the fuse block is a common relay used in
automotives, furnaces and industrial kitchen appliances. It is made to
withstand heat, humidity and vibration. It is also meant to be cycled
thousands of times and for the contacts to be closed for long periods
of time. It's a high and long-duty cycle relay. Some relays that can
handle the same or more amperage (and are smaller) are typically used
for short duration applications such as door locks and power windows.
However they cannot withstand long durations in a high current
situation because they simply can't dissipate the heat.
Although no relay is perfect the fuse block relay is one of the most
durable PC flush mount relays available today which is the reason it is
made by several manufacturers. It wasn't a random choice and the relay
was chosen for its low profile and its ability to handle long duty
cycles.
An inline fuse between the battery and the fuse block is needed in
case the +12V wire to the fuse block shorts against something between
the battery and the fuse block. That's also why the fuse should be
located as close to the battery as possible.
The size fuse is variable depending on how much current will be used
by the devices connected to the Fuzeblock. A 30A fuse can be used as a
default however if you're not going to need that much current you
should consider a smaller value. This will ensure that the fuse will
blow quicker should something go wrong.
You want to use a value of fuse that is above what you're actually
going to need. If the maximum needed is 15A then consider a 20A or 25A
fuse. If the current goes 5 to 10 amps over the maximum amount then you
knows there's an issue and it should blow the fuse to protect the
wiring from burning up.
Remember the fuse does NOT protect your devices. It protects your bike from burning up.
In a perfect world the answer would be as many as you want.
The FZ-1 can individually fuse up to 6 devices. However, so long as
you obey the rules, you can hook more than one device to a circuit.
Just remember that the circuit should not exceed 10A and that the total
current for all devices should not exceed the fuse that is in place for
that circuit.
Weather resistant means it will put up with moisture, sand and dirt and is non-corrosive.
This doesn't mean that you can submerse it in water and expect it to
work. It is NOT waterproof but then again neither is your bike and
neither are any common fuse blocks. Electrical things don't like water.
The FZ-1 has a non-conductive, non-corrosive, and flame retardant
(UL 94-5VA) cover that will help protect it from the elements but again
it is NOT waterproof. You should mount the FZ-1 in a place that it is
protected from the elements. The windshield is NOT a good choice.
Typically people will mount a fuse block under their seat, under a
side panel or under their fairing. It is your responsibility to find a
safe place to mount your FZ-1. If you're in doubt, consider posting
your question to an online forum dedicated to your make and model of
bike.
Mounting a fuse block is a common item and there's usually no shortage of opinions on where to mount one.
A back plate is provided with the Fuzeblock to protect the back of
the unit from coming in contact with metal and creating a short if
needed.
There are also standoffs on the board so that it can be mounted to a
flat surface with no need to protect the back. The board is .093 inches
thick so it does not flex under normal circumstances. It would take a
great amount of pressure to get the board to flex. Although the back of
the board has exposed solder connections the rest of the board has a
protective silkscreen coating on it. The pads are all silver to prevent
corrosion under normal weather conditions.
Most people believe that a fuse block should be waterproof however
you will rarely see a waterproof fuse box on any vehicle. They are
protected from the elements but are not sealed so that they can emit
moisture. Typically the bottom side of a fuse box on a motorcycle is
open to the air although the top is protected and typically under a
side panel. This allows the fuse box to air cool and to emit moisture
to prevent corrosion.
Protecting the back of the Fuzeblock with any rubber coating or
electrical tape causes two issues. One, it prevents the surface from
dissipating heat and, two, it traps moisture between the board and the
coating (should any get in there during a frog strangler).
The Fuzeblock should be mounted in a protected area.
Protecting the back from shorting against metal (i.e. ground) is a
smart idea and should be done using the provided plate if possible.
However protecting the back from moisture (unless it's salt water
protection) is not necessary. Rain water is not that conductive and is
typically not corrosive. Opinions vary on this but minerals in water
conduct electricity which is found in ground water and not very much at
all in rain water. Rain water typically does not have a high salt
content either. If it did then there would be a lot more corrosion on
the bike than just the Fuzeblock.
You can charge the battery via a trickle charger or battery tender
by connecting the charging pigtail to a constant circuit on the
Fuzeblock.
Make sure that it is fused properly for the charging unit which is typically less than a few amps.
The blank can be used for mounting.
It also provides protection for the back of the FZ-1. On my install
I used #6 machine screws and stop nuts to fasten the plate to the back
of the FZ-1. I left the standoffs on the board. I used a little
sandpaper to rough up the surface of the plate and used isopropyl
alcohol to clean it. I then stuck a piece of dual-lock on the plate and
used that to fasten it into place on the bike. I've included some
pictures to help illustrate my install. |
