Fuze Block installation - advice for newbie

There are pros and cons to the Fuzeblock v Ezcan argument, and I started with a Fuzeblock on my GS and later replaced it with an Ezcan. If your Ezcan fails while away on a trip you are probably going to be without any of the accessories it powers until you can replace it, whereas the worst that will happen to the Fuzeblock is that one of your accessories may blow a fuse and you will need to get at the Fuzeblock to replace the fuse, assuming the accessory is still working or can be replaced. However, while a lot cheaper, the Fuzeblock is bulkier and difficult to fit in a location which is easily got at should a fuse need replacing - I ended up putting mine in the space under the rear bodywork, which is not so easily accessed.

The Ezcan is smaller, so easier to fit in a convenient under seat location, and gets its trigger voltage from its Canbus connector, whereas you have to find one for the Fuzeblock. The Ezcan also provides some moderately useful control functions especially if you are into fiddling with the brightness of your aux driving lights, though the ability to switch them on and off I find genuinely useful, as is the ability to drive a second higher powered horn without having to use a relay and tap into the existing horn for a trigger, as it detects the press of the horn button from the Canbus signal and activates the additional horn. You do have to be happy with the added complexity of hooking the Ezcan up to a laptop to configure it. It is not difficult, but if you are seriously computer averse then a Fuzeblock may be a better choice.
 
fred_jb said:
There are pros and cons to the Fuzeblock v Ezcan argument, and I started with a Fuzeblock on my GS and later replaced it with an Ezcan. If your Ezcan fails while away on a trip you are probably going to be without any of the accessories it powers until you can replace it, whereas the worst that will happen to the Fuzeblock is that one of your accessories may blow a fuse and you will need to get at the Fuzeblock to replace the fuse, assuming the accessory is still working or can be replaced. However, while a lot cheaper, the Fuzeblock is bulkier and difficult to fit in a location which is easily got at should a fuse need replacing - I ended up putting mine in the space under the rear bodywork, which is not so easily accessed.

The Ezcan is smaller, so easier to fit in a convenient under seat location, and gets its trigger voltage from its Canbus connector, whereas you have to find one for the Fuzeblock. The Ezcan also provides some moderately useful control functions especially if you are into fiddling with the brightness of your aux driving lights, though the ability to switch them on and off I find genuinely useful, as is the ability to drive a second higher powered horn without having to use a relay and tap into the existing horn for a trigger, as it detects the press of the horn button from the Canbus signal and activates the additional horn. You do have to be happy with the added complexity of hooking the Ezcan up to a laptop to configure it. It is not difficult, but if you are seriously computer averse then a Fuzeblock may be a better choice.
Click to expand...

The relay could fail on the Fuzeblock too so it's not like there isn't a chance it wont fail on a trip.
 
fredaroony said:
The relay could fail on the Fuzeblock too so it's not like there isn't a chance it wont fail on a trip.
Click to expand...

Yes - good point, and possibly more likely than the electronics in the Ezcan failing, though still unlikely, and crucially, unlike the Ezcan, would not be too difficult for a DIY repair, simply by bypassing the failed internal relay with an external one. I know this would work because on one bike I fitted a Fuzeblock to, the only space it would go into it was too tall to fit, so I ripped the tall relay out, bent the fuses over at a 45 degree angle, cut down the top of the case and got it to fit. I powered the now relay-less Fuzeblock with a specially chosen very high quality external relay tucked away nearby, and it worked fine.
 
Doesn't it depend on what you're looking for? For example, I have a requirement (not necessarily all at the same time) for connections to:

1) A standard ciggie lighter power source for the Airman pump - 5 punctures in the first 9 months of last year, mainly through filtering in the shite!
2) Power sources for the wife and my heated Keiss jackets
3) A USB flylead for powering phones and intercoms
4) An external power source for the GoPro

That's 5 requirements that the Fuzeblock accommodates, with one to spare. I suppose I could buy two EZCan's....

I have no desire for flashing brake or controls for driving lights (don't have on this bike), hence why the Fuzeblock suits my needs.
 
The only real objection I have to the Fuzeblock is that it is too big and bulky for what it does, and also the cable management for tidying up the wires you connect is pretty non-existent. It could do with using either micro-fuses or low profile mini-fuses rather than the standard tall mini-fuses it uses, and should have an external relay. This would allow the box to be dramatically shrunk, making it much easier to fit on modern motorcycles where space is at a premium.
 
Mr Bean said:
Start to finish it took less than an hour to fit, including the removal of the seat fitting to place the Fuzeblock - in a waterproof setting. Not exactly labourious.

Out of curiosity, where does the 'ultimately less reliable' statement come from?
Click to expand...

The EZCAn, by contrast takes less than 2 minutes to plug in and locate with no need for removal of any of the rear topbox carrier, just a seat.

Common sense. The EZCAN is a solid state system whose internal workings are sealed in a tough resin and encased in aluminium. It's lso designed and built to take the punishment likely to be delivered to it. I would suggest that its waterproof credentials on an adventure bike which has no waterproof compartment in which to locate it would be reason enough to at least profer it a great deal more reliability than a system that is full of openings.

Even if said bike never fords rivers or the owner is a fair weather rider, atmospheric humidity alone will eventually corode the many open connections on a Fuzeblock unless it lives in a climate controlled bubble when not being used. However, if it does (ford rivers and go out in the rain) then the argument for EZCAN is stronger.

I can accept that a FB will ultimately be easier to repair but equally it can be easier to short circuit too. TBH, even were I to take mine to the Atacama desert, I think I would rather prefer to have a spare EZCAN either on me or on standby at home to be sent post restante to wherever I found civilisation. In reality, i wouldn't do either and just live without the accessories for a while but I'm pretty certain that I'd have the more reliable system fitted were I to venture out into the netherworld.
 
There is one more option to connect trigger voltage for the Fuze Block that I have forgotten to mention.

On the LC bike with GPS prep. the "GPS Connector" is not being used, so it is available to be used for such purpose. The cheapest way to get a plug that fits is actually the OEM plug from BMW. You will find it strapped to the frame on the left side, close to the forks. You will have to remove the tank covers on the left side.
 
knutk said:
There is one more option to connect trigger voltage for the Fuze Block that I have forgotten to mention.

On the LC bike with GPS prep. the "GPS Connector" is not being used, so it is available to be used for such purpose. The cheapest way to get a plug that fits is actually the OEM plug from BMW. You will find it strapped to the frame on the left side, close to the forks. You will have to remove the tank covers on the left side.
Click to expand...

Is that connector in addition to the GPS prep connector which is on the right hand side of the bike - at least it was on my GS? I did not notice it when taking off the tank covers on my 2017.5 model year bike, but it could be useful if it still exists on my new 1250 GS. I am already planning to use the connector for the Nav prep cradle to power an adapter for the phone I use as my satnav, as I will be removing the standard cradle, and have obtained the three pin BMW connector for this (I think the third pin is for the data feed from the bike which allows a Nav V/VI to display data from the bike's ECU).
 
fred_jb said:
Is that connector in addition to the GPS prep connector which is on the right hand side of the bike - at least it was on my GS?...…...
Click to expand...

This is what it looks like on my GSA.
32325100937_c6ea34d227_b.jpg


I suspect BMW will continue to use it also on the 1250. The plug provides a speed signal in the center pin, and my guess is that this signal is used by customers such as police department etc.
 
knutk said:
This is what it looks like on my GSA.

I suspect BMW will continue to use it also on the 1250. The plug provides a speed signal in the center pin, and my guess is that this signal is used by customers such as police department etc.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that - I will look out for that when I strip the plastics off the new bike to fit wiring for various stuff, like front/rear dashcam, extra horn, etc.
 
I have been reading this thread with interest. I was thinking of fitting a "fuzebox" on my 2008 GSA, I may still do that because I won't probably see the benefit of an EZCan on a GS that age cf. the newer ones that have all the gizmo's.
All this begs the question though, Why TF don't BMW fit several switchable power ports at either end of the bike?? If there was ever a bike that was potentially going to be loaded with elecktrickery bits and bobs its this one. :nenau:blast
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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