Fuse question

[TheJuggla1 10+ year member]

Besides the amp fuses I, and assuming most people do, have fuses from the power to the amp, now my 4 channel amp blew my 30A fuse when I put in a new set of speakers, so the stereo shop told to add up all the fuses on the amp and I shouldn't have a fuse bigger than that between the battery and the amp is that correct? The amp has 2 30A fuses in it so I put a 60A fuse between the power supply and the amp.

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[basscort2009 5,000+ posts]

Yes Put It Right After The Battery, Like A Foot To 2 Ft After, No More Than That

 

[TheJuggla1 10+ year member]

No I have a 150A fuse right after the battery, I'm talking about fuses from where the power splits to the amp, and that didn't answer my question on what size of fuse I should use.

 

[rumblebee2 10+ year member]

think he means he has 2 amps

1. 4 channel amp

2. 1 mono amp

 

[Einzee 10+ year member]

Fuses are installed to protect the wire. It is perfectly safe to install the highest rated fuse that your WIRE is rated for. Tell us the size of the wire and then someone here will be able to tell you what size fuse is appropriate.

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

more misinformation ...............

the fuse at the battery is to protect the CAR (or more accurately, it's electrical system). The Fuse should be rated for what the alternator or battery can supply.

 

[JeepBeats96JGC 10+ year member]

more misinformation ...............
the fuse at the battery is to protect the CAR (or more accurately, it's electrical system). The Fuse should be rated for what the alternator or battery can supply.

meh, this makes no sense.. the inline fuse is to protect the equipment at the other end. your fuse box is a bunch of in-line fuses rated for whatever your battery/alt is supplying power to. ideally you want your in-line fuse going to your amps to blow before the fuses in the amp itself. if the fuse was suppose to be rated for whatever the alt can supply every fuse in your fuse box would be the same size....

 

[Einzee 10+ year member]

more misinformation ...............
the fuse at the battery is to protect the CAR (or more accurately, it's electrical system). The Fuse should be rated for what the alternator or battery can supply.

#1 The main fuse is there to protect your battery. If a short occurs in the trunk and there is no fuse, there will be bright sparks and possibly a fire and your battery will almost certainly explode.

#2 To protect the wire from overload, (exceeding the capacity of the wire over a long period of time causing it to overheat) the rating of the fuse at the battery should not exceed the current carrying capacity of the wire that it is protecting.

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

#1 The main fuse is there to protect your battery. If a short occurs in the trunk and there is no fuse, there will be bright sparks and possibly a fire and your battery will almost certainly explode.
THIS IS CORRECT, BASICALLY A RESTATING OF WHAT I SAID

#2 To protect the wire from overload, (exceeding the capacity of the wire over a long period of time causing it to overheat) the rating of the fuse at the battery should not exceed the current carrying capacity of the wire that it is protecting.

FAIL

THE CURRENT CAPACITY OF EVEN A 4 GAUGE CABLE CAN BE ALMOST 200A (UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS). THE FUSE AT OR NEAR THE AMP PROTECTS THE AMP. WIRES DO NOT NEED "PROTECTING" WITH A FUSE SINCE THEY ARE NOT POWER PRODUCING DEVICES.

If you don't know what you're talking about, PLEASE don't misinform other people

 

[rumblebee2 10+ year member]

the fuse at the battery is to protect the CAR (or more accurately, it's electrical system). The Fuse should be rated for what the alternator or battery can supply.

?

what if i have say a kinetic 2400 under the hood. would be a much bigger fuse than a hc1400 under the hood right? you shouldn't need a different size fuse just b/c you change batt.'s. i always thought say the amp has 2x 30a fuses you would use a 1x 60a fuse after the battery.

 

[thaster 10+ year member]

the fuse from battery to amp should be rated by the combined fuses of the amp............

so if you have 2x 30A fused amp, the battery should be fused at 60A

 

[Goindef154 5,000+ posts]

Finally a good answer^^^^^. Just put a 60 or 80 amp inline fuse for the 4 channel and you'll be fine.

 

[JeepBeats96JGC 10+ year member]

also, if you're using fused distribution the same thing applies, say you have a distribution block that is 1 in - 2 out, you want each 12v line out to be fuse for the total each amp is using. then after the battery add up the fuses in the distribution block and use that size fuse right after the battery.

example: 4 channel amp 60A; mono amp 40A-----distribution block = 1 60A & 1 40A-----@battery 100A.

 

[dman4486 5,000+ posts]

Fuses are installed to protect the wire. It is perfectly safe to install the highest rated fuse that your WIRE is rated for. Tell us the size of the wire and then someone here will be able to tell you what size fuse is appropriate.

^^THIS IS CORRECT:fyi:

more misinformation ...............
the fuse at the battery is to protect the CAR (or more accurately, it's electrical system). The Fuse should be rated for what the alternator or battery can supply.

STFU you have no clue what you are talking about

#1 The main fuse is there to protect your battery. If a short occurs in the trunk and there is no fuse, there will be bright sparks and possibly a fire and your battery will almost certainly explode.
#2 To protect the wire from overload, (exceeding the capacity of the wire over a long period of time causing it to overheat) the rating of the fuse at the battery should not exceed the current carrying capacity of the wire that it is protecting.

YES

If you don't know what you're talking about, PLEASE don't misinform other people

TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE STFU

the fuse from battery to amp should be rated by the combined fuses of the amp............
so if you have 2x 30A fused amp, the battery should be fused at 60A

This is a completely legitimate way of fusing as you will never exceed the amp's max current(as protected by the on board fuses)

also, if you're using fused distribution the same thing applies, say you have a distribution block that is 1 in - 2 out, you want each 12v line out to be fuse for the total each amp is using. then after the battery add up the fuses in the distribution block and use that size fuse right after the battery.
example: 4 channel amp 60A; mono amp 40A-----distribution block = 1 60A & 1 40A-----@battery 100A.

Fusing for the Wire gauge is easier...do you really expect half the people in this thread to be able to perform simple math?//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

 

[Einzee 10+ year member]

If you don't know what you're talking about, PLEASE don't misinform other people

You are really starting to embarrass yourself. The equipment has its own fuses or internal circuit protection (Im sure you have seen the lil light go from green to RED) The fuse next to the battery or even the fuse at the distro block doesnt give a fu(k about protecting equipment. Its sole purpose is to protect the wiring by not allowing enough current to pass thru the wire and melt the insulation.

Maybe if I pretend for a second that someone has installed a 1000W rms amp and only used #10AWG for a main power run. Nah, lets make this interesting.... TWO 1000W rms amps with the same #10 wire. Are you now going to tell me that there should be a 100+Ampere fuse at the battery to protect the amps? I seriously hope not because any current flowing thru wire creates heat.

The fuse at the battery is determined by the size of the power wire (in this scenario above, the correct size would be 30A for the #10 wire)

I WILL REPEAT MYSELF: It is perfectly safe to install the LARGEST rated fuse as long as it DOES NOT EXCEED the capacity of the wire.

STFU & GTFO