circuit breakers vs fuses

[dlovescaraudio 10+ year member]

i was told that the use of circuit breakers is better than useing fuses because fuses handel the heat better than fuses is this true they look better than fuse holders and i save money on fuses

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[avistar23 10+ year member]

the number one advantage is if somthing happens and it trips you can reset it verses with a fuse you have to replae it thas the only real advantag that i see

 

[violator5spd 10+ year member]

fuses blow easier, keeping your system a little bit safer...i'm pretty sure it takes more to set off a circuit breaker, but i could be wrong

 

[dlovescaraudio 10+ year member]

i think if you get the right size breaker that souldent be a prob

 

[avistar23 10+ year member]

a braeker should blow quickly but the fuses are on your amps to protect them the braker is really to protect the wire (so ive heard)

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

http://www.soundillusions.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=13

I'm very against circuit breakers in-car. I've had them fail before.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

Originally posted by jlaine http://www.soundillusions.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=13

 

I'm very against circuit breakers in-car. I've had them fail before.

Circuitbreakers are desireable where fuse replacement is extremely inconvenient. But good ones cost a lot more than fuses. That's why they aren't used in cars. As for reliability, I disagree with the general consensus... there are no fuses on the Space Shuttle, on any aircraft, or on any ship.

 

[Bumpin03 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar Circuitbreakers are desireable where fuse replacement is extremely inconvenient. But good ones cost a lot more than fuses. That's why they aren't used in cars. As for reliability, I disagree with the general consensus... there are no fuses on the Space Shuttle, on any aircraft, or on any ship.

circuit breakers on our houses too. wow that would be a pain in the *** if there were fuses instead. i probably blow the circuit in my bathroom once a week from the water hittin the circuit.

 

[jlaine 10+ year member]

Originally posted by maylar Circuitbreakers are desireable where fuse replacement is extremely inconvenient. But good ones cost a lot more than fuses. That's why they aren't used in cars. As for reliability, I disagree with the general consensus... there are no fuses on the Space Shuttle, on any aircraft, or on any ship.

Umm..

This is not an aircraft, not a ship, and it WILL NOT be in a controlled environment like the others will be. If you are installing this the way you are *supposed* to, it will be less than 18" from the battery. Subjected to ice, dirt, rain, slush, and every temperature variance possible.

Flat out reason fuses are used: THEY ARE SAFER. A circuit breaker has moving parts, that CAN fail. They have failed, and I still have the unit that chose to fail. It nearly started a fire in my car. It's hanging on my wall as a reminder to forget the pretty resetting garbage.

Your attempt at a comparison is completely inaccurate, carefully note how the circuit breakers are installed in ALL of these places. Outside they are all enclosed in a nema4x enclosure or the equivalent, inside they are still enclosed to protect from the environment.

If you want to get *really* technical, places with heavy power demands use a 400 amp fused panel to feed the separate circuit breaker panels. Want to know why, call up your local electrical inspector and ask some questions.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

My point is that there ARE INDEED circuitbreakers that can withstand environments WAY outside what you'll ever find in an automobile. I spent 17 years as a test engineer for a military electronics company, and I've seen circuitbreakers survive excelerated life testing in high vibration environments, at MIL-Spec temperature extremes, with 100% humidiy, 500 hours of salt spray (shipboard use) and whatever else we could throw at them. And they were NOT in sealed enclosures.

You wouldn't want to pay for them.

 

[ftgu 10+ year member]

Originally posted by jlaine http://www.soundillusions.net/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=13

 

I'm very against circuit breakers in-car. I've had them fail before.

I agree..I have had 2 bad experiences with circuit breakers. And have seen a car catch fire because of another one.

- - - - - - In all actuallity, Car Audio circuit breakers are not made as precise as circuit breakers for military use.Think about it.

 

[ftgu 10+ year member]

Originally posted by jlaine If you want to get *really* technical, places with heavy power demands use a 400 amp fused panel to feed the separate circuit breaker panels. Want to know why, call up your local electrical inspector and ask some questions.

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