Inverter AGM questions
I have been thinking about installing a inverter in my truck, either a 2000-3000 watt. I would use it to run small power tools, air compressor, an electric blanket when on the ferry system as you can'...
Forum Discussion
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
FUSES are EXACT and almost instantaneous. They are also a pain-in-the-ass to have to change. Fuses are wonderful to protect sensitive electronics, the inverter, converter, stereos, computers etc.
Circuit breakers are sloppy. Not exact. React instantly only when badly overloaded, are forgiving and heal themselves quickly and automatically.
BREAKERS are perfect to protect main line trunk power cables. FUSES will blow if a power source is hooked up backward. But small appliances will still burn out with reversed polarity.
The actual only NEGATIVE with using 400-amp T class fuses on main battery cables is you'd better carry spare(s), and the fusing block should be in a very easy to get to place. If a fuse fails what do you do? Try another fus...****! ?
That's why I prefer breakers. Class T fuses are not cheap and an inadvertent "OH NO!" does not become an exercise of feeding more fuses by trail and error until the problem is found.
There is nothing wrong with using a ultimate limit fuse ahead of a circuit breaker. An example by toad has a 30-amp fuse, then a 20 amp breaker protecting the radiator fan motor. When the fan motor shorted, it blew the fuse -- telling me the 20-amp breaker reacted slowly. Then the circuit went "open circuit". Diagnostics were a snap. The motor is now open circuit but before that it had shorted. No sense in troubleshooting further. Motor bad. Bad motor. Recycle motor.
Ok thanks, so what size breakers should I get for each battery?
