terminal bus

[wil.hansen]

I'm doing a LOT of research about wiring, and I know that I need a power hub for my 12V system (4 fuses will be sufficient for my setup), so i'll need a fuse block for that. I also know that I need a grounding bar located nearby to ground my circuits. But I see a lot of talk about terminal busses. What would I need one for? couldn't i just wire my circuits straight into my fuse block, and my fuse block wired straight into my battery?
I need some clarification here.
Thanks.

[GuitarPhotog]

If you run ground wires back from each light, outlet, fan, etc. you'll have too many connections for one ground terminal, so you'll need to bus several terminals together for the ground side.

You shouldn't have more than two spade/ring lugs under each terminal strip screw, so you might even need a terminal bus for one or more of the positive side circuits too.

I have 5 separate light circuits, all ganged up on one fuse, so I have a circuit bus on the positive side of that circuit also.

Your needs will depend on the complexity of your wiring.

<Chas>

[bobhenry]

Mines not fancy but I have had no problems in 3 years. A simple 4 fuse fuse holder that I daisey chained the hot side to. then broke up the four circuits to front wall , galley wall , right side and left side walls. All circuits were grounded seperately. I returned them to a screw type grounding bar (white wires lower right) where they were screw in tight and a larger gage wire was returned to the battery. These handy little grounding bars can be found in any good hardware store.

[Dale M.]

On DC side yes you need some sort of ground bar (buss) so you have a point to collect the "return side" of fused circuits....

Here is a fuse panel equipped with its own ground buss...

http://order.waytekwire.com/productdeta ... %20GROUND/

Something like this should do you just fine....The come in 4-6-8-10-12 fuse/ground circuits...

Dale

[wil.hansen]

thanks for the replies, very helpful!

so, is a terminal bus the same as a grounding block? if they are NOT the same, i'm having trouble determining the need for the terminal bus.

[bobhenry]

TYPE IN TERMINAL BUS BAR AND HIT IMAGE (on google or yahoo)!

You will see dozens and dozens of different styles.

A buss bar will become a grounding bar if you choose to ground it !

My need for my buss bar was to return the 4 circuits to ground neatly. I guess I could have twisted the wad together and taped it but you will have problems. Perhaps a little solder would have helped but would still look crappy.

[wil.hansen]

A buss bar will become a grounding bar if you choose to ground it !

thanks bobhenry. no need to get testy.

I'm trying to learn here people, bear with me.

[bobhenry]

A buss bar will become a grounding bar if you choose to ground it !

thanks bobhenry. no need to get testy.

I'm trying to learn here people, bear with me.

Sorry you took it wrong I was not being testy at all. A busbar can be hot as well as grounded. The little fuse block you saw in my picture could be concidered a "fused busbar"

I am sorry if I came off wrong !

[Miriam C.]

Easy way to do this is to get a barrier strip from Radio shack, a Jumper strip and a couple of fused wires. Radio Shack will have someone who can tell you how.

You can also got to the auto parts place and they can tell you how..Don't forget the fuses! ONe right after the battery and one going to each fixture! Or buy a panel...



Jumper strip

[3822sean]

i used a bus bar in my raceway to run all my black wires to before going to my battery (red being hot) check out people's albums you will see how they are used,good luck and have fun with it

[Dale M.]

:thumbsup: Easy way to do this is to get a barrier strip from Radio shack, a Jumper strip and a couple of fused wires. Radio Shack will have someone who can tell you how.

You can also got to the auto parts place and they can tell you how..Don't forget the fuses! ONe right after the battery and one going to each fixture! Or buy a panel...



Jumper strip

Actually easiest way is with this....



Fuses and ground connections all in one...

Dale

[jss06]

Not my trailer but this is a dash I made for my old Jeep.



The 3 buss bars on the left are: (in order from top to bottom)

1) power for the guages
2) Ground bus for all guages and lights
3) Power for the instrument lights. This is powered off of the light switch.

The free wires are for the guage sensors and turn signals.
The base is aluminimum but the buss bars are plastic and I used nylon screws and nuts to prevent potential grounding issues.

This worked perfect for 5 years under some of the harshest conditions you would exposed a vehicle too without any problems. I have sold the assembly to a friend who is installing it into his Jeep.