Vintage Air Gen IV install

[RICH MUISE]

Or, more accuratly, the Gen IV evaporator install...I'm not going to have a lot to post at this point, but a few things before I forget...I know some of you are prepping your cars for the Gen IV system (I know Raven Rider is), so a few things that might help...
If you are installing a 4 position bulkhead in your sidewall, the round flat area is a good spot, however when I installed mine I had no idea where the fittings were exiting on the evaporator unit, so I wasn't concerned with the orientation of the individual fittings (there are 3 large and one small). After I got the evaporator unit bolted up in place, I had so little room to work with that the orientation of the fittings within the bulkhead became important, and of course different than the way I installed it, so I had to rotate it 90 degrees.
On the evaporator, the two heater hose fittings are verticle to one another (one over the other), approximately the same distance apart as my bulkhead fittings. There is very little space to work with for the hoses, so If you are using a diamond shapped bulkhed, install it with the small fitting on the side...that will make two of the remaining large fittings one over the other, and match up better with the fittings on the evaporator.
I shortened the two long heater hose fittings supplied with the kit that attach to the evaporator, and flared the ends to act as a barb for the hoses. I also had to actually remove the two bulkhead heater hose fittings so I could just run the 5/8 rubber hose thru the bulkhead without fittings(no room for the additional fittings). I did get some hose splices that had a collar in the center and used the splices to replace the threaded fittings. Using the splices allowed me to have the collar positioned where it passes thru the bulkhead/sidewall so the hose itself wouldn't rub against the holes.
I have a bit of a unique installation that will vary from what most of you guys will be doing because I had to mount the evaporator all the way to the right sidewall and as far back(away from the firewall) as posible to allow access to a inside-the-cowl installed wiper motor. When you are fabricating mounting brackets for your install, I would try to move the evaporator  away from the sidewall as much as posible..I'm guessing 3 or 4 inches between the motor and the dash support bracket that is mounted on the sidewall. Doing that will give you more room to install the 4 hoses. My install required me to actually trim that dash bracket.
I had to leave the project for a while...I haven't installed the two A/C hoses yet, but I'm not anticipating any problems as I'm hoping to use Vintage Air's bend-it-yourself hard lines, and I don't think the space to work with is as tight as it was with the heater hoses.
I don't have any photos of the evaporator in place yet..space is tight so hard to get photos.
BTW, my brackets were made and installed under the dash a few years ago, so bolting up the evaporator was a quick job. Also my defroster ducts were previously modified (same wiper motor access problem), and already have a 2" inlet on each side for the defroster ducting. Most guys are going to have to figure out how to/what to modify to connect the defrost ducts.
More to follow when I get back to it.

[RICH MUISE]

Been working on the A/C refrigerant lines from the evaporator to the bulkhead...man I've got next to no space to work with. I have to rotate the bulhead once more 180 degrees tommorrow...just couldn't get past everything with the barrier hose I'm working with, but I think the rotating of the bulkhead will get me better positioning. I had a local A/C shop make me some hoses with fittings just on one end so I could see where I had to go from there. Tommorrow I'll have them put the necessary fittings on the other end the length I need.
I did get my defroster ducting almost done. I had to loosen the evaporator from the brackets to get me enough room to get my hands in there. I'll try and get pics once I get the hoses and ducting done.

[RICH MUISE]

Had a better day, or afternoon, today. I got the bulkhead (square 4 position mounted as a diamond)rotated so the small #6 A/C fitting was towards the front of the car. The two heater hoses are top/bottom/center position, and the #10 A/C fitting towards the back. That did the trick...an hour or so later, and a few scrapped knuckles, I had the 2 heater hoses and the 2 A/C hoses connected. I finished up the 2" ducting to the defroster plenums as well. Now on to the wiring, rereading the instructions to make sure I didn't miss anything. I did go online to the vintage air website and found some wiring instructions, in adition to the supplied wiring diagram, which helped figure out things. Tommorrow I'll get the wiring harnesses run and then i'll be on to the next project.
I do have an unavoidable issue I discovered...I've mentioned numerous times I had to position my evaporator unit in such a manner to allow access to my inside-the-cowl mounted wiper motor...I started playing with the dash/floor vent ducting and quickly realized the ducts are exiting the unit right in front of the wiper motor access door. #@%$$!! Hopefully, I'll never have to access the wiper motor for removal, but if I do, I'll have to undo at least some of the ducting to open/close the access door.

[gasman826]

Wiring the Gen IV FYI...when instructed to run a 'home run' wire to the battery, do it.  Don't cheat and use a combined 12V power source.  Gen IV uses a micro processor (computer board) and will not tolerate a dirty 12V source.  Did a mockup on mine and used some handy 12V source.  Got some really strange results.  Ran a dedicated wire to the battery (as instructed) and every thing worked fine.  Following instructions...strange how that works!

[RICH MUISE]

That's one of the things I was trying to figure out last night...I did take note of the emphases VA was putting on the power source. My question is what qualifies as a clean connection. I was hoping to run a terminal strip right next to the battery to avoid the clutter of trying to attach all those "home run" requirements directly to the battery clamp...and how do you do that neatly anyways..is it posible? I've only seen one type of battery cable ends that had the multiple connection points... they use set screws to hold the wires rather than a crimped connection, and I wasn't too thrilled about that.

[Raven Rider]

Rich I think as long as there is a direct connection to the battery your term strip should be ok (In my mind it should be) but wait for others to chime in.

[RICH MUISE]

I should have mentioned also, I'm using an Optima battery with both the top and side posts. I'm planning on the side posts being run to the starter/block ground, and the top posts for all the other power/ground supplies...so that strip terminal will be at least seperated from the starter post.

[gasman826]

I had a rear mounted battery using the common Ford style setup with a starter relay mounted next to the battery.  The positive side of the starter relay is the traditional (old cars...'57-'90s) Ford terminal source for all main power leads and alternator junction.  I had problems with Gen IV performance when I used a under dash power source that was shared with everything under the dash.  I ran a dedicated Gen IV power wire to the rear mounted starter relay and had no problems after the change.  Your terminal setup sounds OK but if not, you will know.  Your concern over set screws should be with the same caution as with the terminal strip...use a good quality piece and dielectric.

[RICH MUISE]

OK...so I need to get some sort of a distribution block to mount next to the battery for the "home run" lines. I got to wondering... running those direct to the battery means they won't be fuse protected?? Should I be looking for a fused distribution block? I know the Vintage Air power feed requires the direct battery feed, but it has an in-line circuit breaker...I just don't know at this point what else I may run into.

[gasman826]

Since you only need to protect the wire, fuse link it.  Another way is to use a short section of one size smaller wire at the battery to create a fuse link at a serviceable location.

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich an 8" chunk of 16 GA. will give you 50 Amp protection.  If your total load is less, say 25 Amps, go with a similar section of 18 GA. 

There is an alternative, Google electrical parts and find an outfit that sells "gang" hooked fuse panels.  I saw these a couple of years ago.  They mount to each other with the "hot" side being the common connector and the part that holds them together.  A small tab with a hole fits into the next fuse block and is secured with a small screw.  They take the standard long tube type fuses from days gone bye.

[RICH MUISE]

That sounds similar to one I've got already, except the one I have uses the modern type fuses. It doesn't have a cover though..something I really wanted, particularly for the positive side. I saw one a friend had last week that his customer brought in and I'm trying to find out where he got it.
I found this on ebay..I think it would work as well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291303707652?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Typical EBAY..a dozen or so adds for the same part, even same part Number..prices range from 32. to 170.

[RICH MUISE]

I've been working on the wiring for the evaporator. I am less than pleased with the Vintage Air harness. Cheap connectors, way too much wire on some things. Annoying things like the harness has an in-line circuit breaker, with instructions to mount it as close to the battery as posible. Where did they install the breaker on the supply lines??......about 4 feet from where the harness plugs into the evaporator..with about 6 or 8 feet of lead left to go to the battery. I guess it would have been ok for a passenger side battery (in fact, I'm sure the harness was designed for a passenger side battery), I can't even get the breaker on the engine/driver's  side of the firewall, never mind "close as posible to the battery". (remember, my battery is now on the driver's side)....I know I'm doing alot of whinning....lol. I would have been happier if they just supplied the circuit breaker and terminals to install it it the best place. It's a pretty simple harness...seems like it could have been designed better for flexiblity.

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich a couple you might look at.  The delcity has a couple of mini panels too.

http://www.wiringproducts.com/fuse-blocks

http://www.delcity.net/store/ATC-&-ATO-6-Ganged-Fuse-Block/p_10960

[RICH MUISE]

Thanks Bill. I like a few of the ganged panels on the wiringproducts site. That's where I buy my sxl wire from, btw. Can't find anything but made in china primary wire at the local stores. The sxl is nice stuff, even better grade than the gxl Ron Francis uses, but it's pricey. Made in usa also.
Anyway, I'm leaning towards the ebay VW unit I posted the link to. 5 unfused and 3 fused terminals. I like the fact that the connections are under cover. I'm thinking one for positive and one for negative.