Building/rebuilding an '82 CE from scratch?

[curtisr]

Hi everyone,

Wondering if anyone has built/rebuilt a replacement CE panel from scratch. I guess I'm getting tired of finding 7.5 volts at a relay socket or the need for the steady hand of a surgeon to replace a fuse. For that matter, I envision bladed fuses in their place.

The parts are inexpensive and it would still be a bird's nest rather than an IC but it should be an improvement. Anyways, as the show says: 'Winter is coming.'

Thanks.

[JK McDonald]

Hey Curtis - Completely rebuilding the CE panel from scratch would be quite the ambitious winter project. The back side of that thing is plumb scary. There are several write-ups around where all the rectangular plastic electrical sockets, jumper wires and relays were either cleaned or replaced in various stages and there are some specialty kits available to update the main fuses to the newer spade style assemblies. But I think this can get fairly expensive and time consuming depending on the condition of your electrics.

Although it would probably be much simpler to just replace your CE Panel with a good used one, you might take a look at a couple of the "How To Recondition a Fuse Panel" comments on this and other 928 sites. Here is one that came out looking good ......

Restoring Your CE - Fuse/Relay Block

Good Luck, Michael

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by JK McDonald

Although it would probably be much simpler to just replace your CE Panel with a good used one, you might take a look at a couple of the "How To Recondition a Fuse Panel" comments on this and other 928 sites. Here is one that came out looking good ......

Restoring Your CE - Fuse/Relay Block

Good Luck, Michael

Thank you, Michael.

There is also a great write up at http://members.rennlist.com/sharkskin/Pages_SA_R04-Bzzzzzt.htm It, too, stops shy of relay receptacle and fuse holder replacement.

[curtisr]

And so it begins.

I have purchased a used CE panel from ebay.co.uk.

Next it's some bussman blade fuse holders and relay sockets.

My eta? Next spring. C'mon winter!

[stepson]

Curtis, is the used CE panel you bought from an '82?

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by stepson

Curtis, is the used CE panel you bought from an '82?

Presumably as the numbers match. Although that might really not matter as the plan is to use Bussman ATC blocks along with new relay receptacles and wires.

[stepson]

Originally Posted by curtisr

Presumably as the numbers match. Although that might really not matter as the plan is to use Bussman ATC blocks along with new relay receptacles and wires.

It WILL matter since you will not have to rewire the back of the CE panel just because you are replacing the fuse blocks and are just replacing the relay receptacles. That means just moving wires to the new receptacles and not re-wiring.

I really like the idea of replacing the fuse blocks with more modern plug-in fuse blocks

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by stepson

It WILL matter since you will not have to rewire the back of the CE panel just because you are replacing the fuse blocks and are just replacing the relay receptacles. That means just moving wires to the new receptacles and not re-wiring.

+1

Originally Posted by stepson

I really like the idea of replacing the fuse blocks with more modern plug-in fuse blocks

Roger that!

[curtisr]

It's been almost six months since I began this thread/idea and it's been a rather slow process but I am kinda making progress. So far I have:

1. purchased new-to-me CE panel
2. purchased bussman fuse receptacles
3. purchased new relay sockets
4. soaked the panel in CLR for a number of days

I hope it doesn't take another six months to get to the next step but life is what happens to us while making other plans...

[Danglerb]

Rational people change to accommodate the world. Irrational people change the world and are responsible for all progress.

How exactly do you plan to proceed?

[Mal81]

I was browsing ebay.uk a few months back, and noticed that someone was selling a CE panel that already had blade fuses in it. Clearly, there would be some re-wiring involved, but wouldn't there be an identical number of fuses, relay receptacles, and etc? The panels I was looking at were already wired... It seems to me that with the old panel, some patience and careful observation, a person might be able to convert over.

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by Danglerb

Rational people change to accommodate the world. Irrational people change the world and are responsible for all progress.

How exactly do you plan to proceed?

Ouch! But you have asked a good question. Part of me wants to tackle this for the academics of it all while another considers it entirely necessary. The latter is a result of discovering only 7 volts at one fuse location, finding some burnt marks on a couple of relay plug-ins and the general difficulty of working with torpedo fuses.

Anyways, I am struggling with what to do about the board. I have an extra one but I might be better off starting from scratch with some plastic or wood. I could, of course, see about getting something printed and will investigate the possibility.

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by mal81

i was browsing ebay.uk a few months back, and noticed that someone was selling a ce panel that already had blade fuses in it. Clearly, there would be some re-wiring involved, but wouldn't there be an identical number of fuses, relay receptacles, and etc? The panels i was looking at were already wired... It seems to me that with the old panel, some patience and careful observation, a person might be able to convert over.

+1

[Danglerb]

Each version of the CE panel has differences, many like the distribution buss's not easy to see. Can you rewire one to work in a different model year, sure, but the number of hours needed to document and rearrange all the connections might be much larger than guessed.

The stock CE panel once cleaned and some kind of protective goop applied should be fine for a good 5 or 10 years. This is maybe a weekends work including doing all the ground points. Adapting one year to another, specifically getting a blade ATC style CE to work in an early car is maybe 10x as much work.

Using aftermarket fuse or relay holders I don't think is a good idea.

[AirtekHVAC]

Carl is selling a kit, for individual circuits....at 928 motorsports...I thought of doing something similar. Sta-Kon ends, on a blade fuse holder. You can find it on his site under electrical.

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by Danglerb

Each version of the CE panel has differences, many like the distribution buss's not easy to see. Can you rewire one to work in a different model year, sure, but the number of hours needed to document and rearrange all the connections might be much larger than guessed.

The stock CE panel once cleaned and some kind of protective goop applied should be fine for a good 5 or 10 years. This is maybe a weekends work including doing all the ground points. Adapting one year to another, specifically getting a blade ATC style CE to work in an early car is maybe 10x as much work.

Using aftermarket fuse or relay holders I don't think is a good idea.

The wiring is a bird's nest if I've ever seen one! And so you are correct that this sort of endeavour is for those with time on their hands. While I cannot as yet say this is the case that point may not be more than a year and a half away.

In the meantime, the ceramic fuses will be replaced. I plan to use the male and female connectors that surround the holders. This will probably mean an elevated but attached tier to hold the bussmans.

[curtisr]

Originally Posted by AirtekHVAC

Carl is selling a kit, for individual circuits....at 928 motorsports...I thought of doing something similar. Sta-Kon ends, on a blade fuse holder. You can find it on his site under electrical.

Thank you! Had a look. That's the plan for wiring up the bussmans.



I appreciate that a good cleaning can solve some of the contact problems and, after all, how often does one need to pull a fuse? For that matter, I threw some of the fuses into the CLR bath along with the panel and they came out rather shiny as well.

Still others must view this as blasphemy. The finished product sure won't be original. For me, however, that's of little concern. When done no one will see it.

[curtisr]

Perhaps I'm on to something...

Saw this ad in 911 & Porsche World May issue and immediately felt somewhat less-alone in my pursuit of an electrical-gremlinless life.