Fuse options?

[JayWheezy 10+ year member]

Got kind of curious when looking at some fuses I'm going to use, and figured I would ask around. What fuses do you guys use? As I'm looking, I'm seeing Hitron gold, xscorpion gold, xscorpion platinum, and stinger shok krome fuses. My question is are these merely just for cosmetics, or do any of you prefer one or the other as being better?

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[argenis69 10+ year member]

Interesting question.

 

[JayWheezy 10+ year member]

Good interesting or bad interesting? Lol

 

[argenis69 10+ year member]

i'm also interested in this.

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

if ur talking anl fuses ive always used the cheap ones from ebay and never had a issue ..u can get like a 5 pack for what most places charge for a single fuse

 

[CrossoverOre 10+ year member]

when it comes to agu fuses there is a difference in manufacturing. I have had some of the cheaper fuses fail from the contact points inside the fuse itself. The fuse looks just fine but the solder joints will sometimes fail on the cheap ones. buy the nicer ones, or just get a circuit breaker and never have to worry about fuses.

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

I've had a couple super junky AGU fuses, now my whole setup is cheapo eBay ANL fuses and they work great.

 

[JayWheezy 10+ year member]

I actually really like those circuit breakers, and may use it for my sub amp, but I haven't really seen one for my speakers, to take 8ga and 40amps

 

[jrdnhsnbrg 10+ year member]

I actually really like those circuit breakers, and may use it for my sub amp, but I haven't really seen one for my speakers, to take 8ga and 40amps

I've heard circuit breakers wear out and weaken over time... Fuses are easier and cheaper

 

[bbeljefe]

Circuit breakers do not trip as quickly as fuses blow and when they do trip, they arc and are never the same rating afterward. Not to mention, when placed under the hood of a vehicle, their mechanical parts are subject to extreme heat and moisture, which is never a good thing for moving parts.

I would never risk my investment in car audio equipment on an unnecessary, perceived convenience... even if it were the less expensive option.

As for fuses, they are like most anything these days. Most are made in the same factories and just labeled differently. Some are made in the same factories but are made from slightly higher quality components, too.

I don't recommend AGU fuses, as they're subject to weakening of the soldier joints regardless of who made them. Mini ANL and ANL fuses are stamped from a solid piece of stock and are the most reliable fuse you can install in a car audio system, in my opinion.

As far as gold, platinum and chrome are concerned, they are not just for cosmetics. All three resist corrosion and that's a plus in any electrical application. However, an extremely thin and weak layer of gold over steel is still likely to rust so I would avoid the cheapest gold fuse and opt for either chrome or a higher quality gold plated model. But in the end, the holder you use also plays a roll and for under hood applications, any fuse will resist corrosion better in a more expensive but weather sealed holder.