How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box?

jvivlemore

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Hello Everyone,

I've done this before in a previous car and I'm drawing a blank for the proper way to do this. I'm adding 4 LED strips for footwell lighting. I'm going to either tap into the slot for the ACC power or the daytime running lights since both remain on. I have the 'Add A Fuse' already purchased but I'm having trouble remembering what to actually plug into it.

For Example: The slot for the Daytime Running Lights is a '10' I believe. If I remove that I know I place it into the 'Add A Fuse' but there's a second slot. Do I keep that slot empty or am I supposed to add a fuse to that slot? If so, how do I know which to actually put in that slot?
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Honda Civic 10th gen How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box? cAdjo1S

this is basically how it works.
figure out which side is the hot side going to the battery and plug the "in" part to that side. Original circuit goes to the bottom slot and the top slow goes to your new circuit.

in your example, you'd remove the 10A fuse from the DRL, put the add-a-circuit in and reinstall the 10A fuse on the bottom slot. Then you insert the fuse on the top slot and wire the footwell lights to that power wire.
 
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jvivlemore

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cAdjo1S.jpg

this is basically how it works.
figure out which side is the hot side going to the battery and plug the "in" part to that side. Original circuit goes to the bottom slot and the top slow goes to your new circuit.

in your example, you'd remove the 10A fuse from the DRL, put the add-a-circuit in and reinstall the 10A fuse on the bottom slot. Then you insert the fuse on the top slot and wire the footwell lights to that power wire.
First, thanks! Second, I have more questions. Sorry!

Stupid Question #2. How do I determine which sidei s the hot side? I see that it's the side that goes to the battery so I basically look at the fuse box inside the Civic Hatch and the side with the wires leaving the fuse box is the hotside?

Stupid Question #3. Your second part makes perfect sense to me until 'then you insert the fuse on the top slot". How do I know what fuse to add here in addition to the 10 I already added? Do I use a 5, 10, etc?
 

boosted180sx

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First, thanks! Second, I have more questions. Sorry!

Stupid Question #2. How do I determine which sidei s the hot side? I see that it's the side that goes to the battery so I basically look at the fuse box inside the Civic Hatch and the side with the wires leaving the fuse box is the hotside?

Stupid Question #3. Your second part makes perfect sense to me until 'then you insert the fuse on the top slot". How do I know what fuse to add here in addition to the 10 I already added? Do I use a 5, 10, etc?
there is no such thing as a stupid question. The only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask. :thumbsup:

Question #2: I use a volt meter to determine that. Once you remove the fuse, you should only have one side getting voltage. If you are talking about the in cabin fuses, i believe the slot towards the bottom was the 12v from battery. It's been a while since I hardwired my dash cam so i'd have to look. I tell you that because if you insert it the other way, as you can tell from the diagram, now your going through 2 fuses to power the footwell lights and putting a strain on the original 10A fuse instead of having a independent fuse for your new circuit (footwell lights in this case). If you insert it the original way, you have 12v and a 10A fuse going to the DRL, and a separate fuse going to the footwell lights.

Question #3: The fuse you add in the top slot depends on the current draw of the acc you are trying to add. Fuse is there to basically pop in the event of a short or too much current and prevent your wires from getting hot and burning/causing a fire so putting in too high of a fuse will defeat the purpose of it.
 
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jvivlemore

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there is no such thing as a stupid question. The only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask. :thumbsup:

Question #2: I use a volt meter to determine that. Once you remove the fuse, you should only have one side getting voltage. If you are talking about the in cabin fuses, i believe the slot towards the bottom was the 12v from battery. It's been a while since I hardwired my dash cam so i'd have to look. I tell you that because if you insert it the other way, as you can tell from the diagram, now your going through 2 fuses to power the footwell lights and putting a strain on the original 10A fuse instead of having a independent fuse for your new circuit (footwell lights in this case). If you insert it the original way, you have 12v and a 10A fuse going to the DRL, and a separate fuse going to the footwell lights.

Question #3: The fuse you add in the top slot depends on the current draw of the acc you are trying to add. Fuse is there to basically pop in the event of a short or too much current and prevent your wires from getting hot and burning/causing a fire so putting in too high of a fuse will defeat the purpose of it.
Regarding #2: Great. I'll grab a voltage meter and run down shortly and figure out which side is getting voltage. I had no idea only one side did and that mattered. Good to know.

Regarding #3: I don't have the original packaging for the LED lights. It's basically 4 strips of LED lights (1 per section of car). Any recommendations on what to buy to add to the add a fuse? 5?

The picture is showing the LED strips (one of them anyways). The 'Add A Fuse' is the one from my Mustang but I had this picture handy so thought I would share.

Honda Civic 10th gen How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box? LED2
 


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Technically, you'd have to figure out the current draw of the new accessory and figure out a fuse rating from there.

Current (amps) = Power (watts) / Voltage (volts)
you'd also look at the wire gauge and figure out what the maximum current that can go through the wire is also.

Anyways, that's too much talk lol. LED's don't usually draw too much power so i'm sure a 5A probably would be just fine.
 
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jvivlemore

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Technically, you'd have to figure out the current draw of the new accessory and figure out a fuse rating from there.

Current (amps) = Power (watts) / Voltage (volts)
you'd also look at the wire gauge and figure out what the maximum current that can go through the wire is also.

Anyways, that's too much talk lol. LED's don't usually draw too much power so i'm sure a 5A probably would be just fine.
Progress (thank you).

I just need to find a ground location in the driver sider footwell area. Any recommendations. I saw these two screws above the gas pedal but nothing else? i'm guessing these are on pretty tight and might be hard to sneak one of those "c" clamps onto right? Also, anyone know what size "c" clamp if I'm even calling it that correct these would be?

Honda Civic 10th gen How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box? GROUND1


Honda Civic 10th gen How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box? GROUND2
 

boosted180sx

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Progress (thank you).

I just need to find a ground location in the driver sider footwell area. Any recommendations. I saw these two screws above the gas pedal but nothing else? i'm guessing these are on pretty tight and might be hard to sneak one of those "c" clamps onto right? Also, anyone know what size "c" clamp if I'm even calling it that correct these would be?
Use the bolt by the fuse box.
the 10mm bolt that you see on the middle right of this picture. (too lazy to circle it in mspaint, sorry) not my picture but you can see it.
Honda Civic 10th gen How To Use 'Add A Fuse' On Interior Fuse Box? aUb9esm
 
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jvivlemore

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Use the bolt by the fuse box.
the 10mm bolt that you see on the middle right of this picture. (too lazy to circle it in mspaint, sorry) not my picture but you can see it.
aUb9esm.png
I didn't even see that screw. Good eye. When you say 10mm is that the nut (top part) or the barrel (skinnier section)? I'm going into the auto-parts store on the way home and don't trust the employees because they gave me the wrong add a fuse yesterday. Any tips for knowing which size connector I'm actually buying? It's called a spade lug right?
 

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The head of the bolt is 10mm

Not sure what you are trying to buy but the connector your referring to I believe is the spade terminal? The size you need depends on the gauge if the wire so I can’t tell you from here.
 


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jvivlemore

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The head of the bolt is 10mm

Not sure what you are trying to buy but the connector your referring to I believe is the spade terminal? The size you need depends on the gauge if the wire so I can’t tell you from here.
You are the most patient person in a forum ever btw. Thank you for helping. The gauge appears to be 18. I see AWG18 written on it. It looks like it's speaker cable too. Space Lug and Spade Terminal both brought up the same google images so I guess they could be called both? That gives me a starting point in case I need to ask for help. Knowing it's 18 Gauge does that help determine the size knowing the head of the bolt is 10mm?
 

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Lol. I’m usually a pretty impatient guy so that’s nice to know you feel that way haha.

You can’t buy the spade terminal based on the size of the bolt you are trying to ground it on.

If the wire is a 18 gauge wire, you have to get a 18 gauge spade terminal or else you will not be able to crimp it correctly and might have a loose connection. If the bolt is too big for the spade terminal, you can open it up slightly.
 
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jvivlemore

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Lol. I’m usually a pretty impatient guy so that’s nice to know you feel that way haha.

You can’t buy the spade terminal based on the size of the bolt you are trying to ground it on.

If the wire is a 18 gauge wire, you have to get a 18 gauge spade terminal or else you will not be able to crimp it correctly and might have a loose connection. If the bolt is too big for the spade terminal, you can open it up slightly.
Great, thanks. Is there where you grounded your install I assume? Were you able to find one that fit easily or did you have to manually open yours? I assume they can only open so much right?
 

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yeah it's what i used when i grounded my dash cam.
i don't remember what i did terminal wise. I've been dealing with electrical work for years so it wasn't anything new to me.
 
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jvivlemore

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yeah it's what i used when i grounded my dash cam.
i don't remember what i did terminal wise. I've been dealing with electrical work for years so it wasn't anything new to me.
Thanks for your help! It's working. I'm paranoid it's going to catch on fire or fry my car but it's working haha. My only concern now is the LED strips are getting pretty hot after they've been on for as little as 5 minutes and I need to figure out if that was normal before I start zip-tying to the firewall carpet stuff, 3m to the underside of the glove box and zip tie to the underneath of the front seats.
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