Circuit Breakers vs. Inline Fuses

[evilsaint 10+ year member]

Simple question. Is it safe to use a circuit breaker in place of an inline fuse next to the battery? If so, would you use a breaker of the same amperage, or higher/lower? It'd be a lot easier and cheaper than replacing popped fuses, so i figured it would make sense.

Click to read more...

 

[Trixter 10+ year member]

Go ahead and get one the same size as the fuse. Mount it near the battery like you would a fuse.

 

[lamontjersey 10+ year member]

yeah, what he said, but, make sure you get the fast type, not the slow type. im so cheap, i took one of those outlet strips, and cracked it open and took the 15amp circuit breaker out of that. i also ripped open an old power wheels battery and took the breaker out of that. hahahah

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/list.pl?type_plural=Circuit+Breakers&sidebar_type=types&selected=Circuit+Breakers&x=34&y=12

 

[fantomas 10+ year member]

Originally posted by lamontjersey yeah, what he said, but, make sure you get the fast type, not the slow type. im so cheap, i took one of those outlet strips, and cracked it open and took the 15amp circuit breaker out of that. i also ripped open an old power wheels battery and took the breaker out of that. hahahah

you mean you took a 15 amp breaker from a 110 volt AC outlet strips? im not sure thats a good idea at all.

and look at this site and find the section about circuit breakers. hes totally against them and gives the reasons why....even though i use a 150 amp breaker for my sub amp...-scott

 

[lamontjersey 10+ year member]

look at what site?

yes , i took it out of a 110 v strip, i just use it for short circuit protection, i know what you are going to say, ....15amps at 110 volts dont mean 15amps at 12v, but my s ystem has one sub and i havent actually tested its actual trap current yet, i will be testing it soon.. i havent actually installed it yet, but i did rip the one out of the power wheel battery and that should trip at about 20amps.. i got a 100watt amp

 

[Geminidj2000 10+ year member]

I just got a 140amp circut breaker...... my alternator is gonna be 150 amps and my fuses combined when i get my new amp will be 150 amps is 140 close enough?

 

[fantomas 10+ year member]

well the site is in goddyd4me's sig

http://www.eatel.net/~amptech/elecdisc/caraudio.htm

he just says they are not as reliable as fuses

and i also read somewhere that sometimes if the current goes over 140 amps...it still might not break that circuit. im not sure if thats true. but i still wouldnt trust any thing rated for 115 volts ac and not 12 volts dc in my car....... -scott

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

It's perfectly acceptable to use a higher voltage rated fuse or circuitbreaker. The voltage rating has to do with the distance the contacts will separate when the device trips or blows. You can use 115V devices on 12 volts, but not the other way around. Most car fuses are actually rated 32 volts.

Good quality UL listed circuitbreakers will always fail open. The worst you could expect would be nuisance tripping.

 

[ftgu 10+ year member]

I would say not to use circuit breakers...I have seen 3 cars that got burned-up in the last year. Use 4 or 2 awg and a 200a wafer-style fuse, I promise you'll be happy with it.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

i'll post it again......here are circuit breakers designed for car audio use....

http://www.sounddomain.com/shop/list.pl?type_plural=Circuit+Breakers&sidebar_type=types&selected=Circuit+Breakers&x=34&y=12