The Point of Fuses
Fuses are to protect wiring, correct? If that is really so then I have a question posed as an example. Suppose I have a 55 amp converter. It is connected to a bank of batteries with 4 ft of #4 wire. ~...
Forum Discussion
One rule for cars to car audio amp is that the battery fuse must be within 18" of the battery on the pos line. That means the 18" of wire is unprotected, while the rest of the wire to the amp is.
Supposedly that 18" will be in the open , visible, not go into an RV's wall, where it could melt unseen.
There was some argy bargy a while ago about Xantrex's inverter installation instructions requiring fusing depending on the battery's short circuit amps ( IIRC) but nobody could find out what nntheir battery's spec was for that. it looked like Xantrex was way over the top on that requirement , since nobody else required that.
Meanwhile, Randy, at bestconverters.com says in his own write- up for a PowerMax Converter manual (since PowerMax itself doesn't seem to have such a thing :) ) that it does not need a battery fuse at all since it is a "current limited device." Mena seems to be zeroing in on that aspect.
Personally, I gave up on the whole business, and have 150a ANLs on my two #4 wires in parallel on my 2000w inverter (per spec) so I just keep adding any pos wires to the battery on the outer end of those. So whatever happens, if it reaches 150a the ANL on that line will blow. If something like 60a blows too bad I guess. Actually the slide and jacks have their own 30a fuses, the converter has a 50a, and the LP alarm/stereo has a 15a, so that leaves the solar with no fuses except the 150a.
So sue me! It is too complicated :)
Supposedly that 18" will be in the open , visible, not go into an RV's wall, where it could melt unseen.
There was some argy bargy a while ago about Xantrex's inverter installation instructions requiring fusing depending on the battery's short circuit amps ( IIRC) but nobody could find out what nntheir battery's spec was for that. it looked like Xantrex was way over the top on that requirement , since nobody else required that.
Meanwhile, Randy, at bestconverters.com says in his own write- up for a PowerMax Converter manual (since PowerMax itself doesn't seem to have such a thing :) ) that it does not need a battery fuse at all since it is a "current limited device." Mena seems to be zeroing in on that aspect.
Personally, I gave up on the whole business, and have 150a ANLs on my two #4 wires in parallel on my 2000w inverter (per spec) so I just keep adding any pos wires to the battery on the outer end of those. So whatever happens, if it reaches 150a the ANL on that line will blow. If something like 60a blows too bad I guess. Actually the slide and jacks have their own 30a fuses, the converter has a 50a, and the LP alarm/stereo has a 15a, so that leaves the solar with no fuses except the 150a.
So sue me! It is too complicated :)
