Miata Mailing List: March 1995, Message #209
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   From: a.mccombs3@genie.geis.com
Subject: Relay Advisable for Air Horns
   Date: Sun, 5 Mar 1995 13:24:09 -0500

As an added touch for those of you who use the fuse box on the right side of
the engine compt. for power for your horns (or whatever), if you have a car
with a blank spot in the box (like the earlier cars without fog lights, for
example), you can run the switched power for the horns from the cold side of
the bottom of the fuse box to the horn relay, and use a standard cartridge
type Miata fuse in the box.  The other side of the fused circuit is an
always hot, direct from battery buss bar.  The smallest cartridge fuse
available seems to be 30a, if you can live with a bit of extra capacity in
the fuse.  (Hopefully, the fuse will still go before the wiring!)  It looks
neater in the fuse box, since all the fuses in that box are cartridge type,
if you're into neatness and order inside your fuse box.
 
If this spot is already in use (fog lights or whatever), tough luck.  I used
it to wire an 8a underhood light.  A 30a cartridge fuse would be a bit of
overkill - the wiring would likely go before the fuse - so I used a couple
of female spade connectors on the connectors inside the fuse box, and
plugged a 2.5a blade fuse into the ends of the spade connectors projecting
upwardly from the fuse box connectors.  Looks a little strange to see the
different type fuse inside the box, but it works, and I like it better than
installing an inline fuse holder elsewhere when you already have a fuse box
under the hood for that sort of thing.  As noted above, though, if all your
fuse positions are already in use, well, Radio Shack or whoever can sell you
an inline fuse holder.
                                                --Jack M. & KANSEI--