The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Wiring up a heater

What is the correct guage wire to use to connect a recirculating heater to the ignition and ignition to the heater switch for an original 6volt 54? The heater switch has a fuse on the back. How many amps?

Thanks

Rusty 54,

Someone on this site probably has the factory sheet that gives 'official' sizes, but a educated guess would be 16 guage wire and a 10 amp fuse.

I have put in a link with some great wire/electrical data. Hope this helps.

There is a online wiring diagram site that shows a schematic for a '54 truck, but no heater info as I think this was a option.

http://www.crowbarelectricalparts.com/Specifications.htm

Stuart

If it is still 6 volts you should use 12 gauge wire & 30 amp. fuse.

Heres what i'm doing rusty I bought a fuse block with 8 connections to it. I put it on my inside fire wall. I then ran a wire from my igniton to the hot lead on the fuse block the block is now live when i put the ignition on. This ables me to hook up my heater, radio,tach etc directy to the block the block has those spade type newer fuses. This save in line fuses and i found my ignition switch terminal was getting to crowded.

Peter.

What do you think Stuart!!!!!

Peter,

That is the perfect solution to the problem. As always, I have a lingering question though.

I thought I had read somewhere on this forum that the ignition switch contacts were not rated to pass the load of the entire system.

I guess the bullet proof solution would be to have the ignition switch power a 30 amp relay that fed a remote fuse panel. This way, all accessories would be turned off when the ignition switch was shut off, but the switch itself would only have to pass the minimal load of the relay coil.

I'm sure your solution is fine..I usually go overboard!

Stuart