fuse question

[collin.k 10+ year member]

when i ordered all my knu stuff i got a fuse holder and i had to pick what size fuse i wanted and i just kinda guessed and went with an 80amp anl. now, reading through my amp manual, apparently i should be using a 200amp fuse. when it comes time to hook it up, is the fuse just going to blow when i start playing? the fuse holder doesnt matter right, just the fuse?

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[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

if the amp tries to draw more than 80a it will blow. fuse holder doesnt matter

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

the fuse holder does matter. a cheap fuse holder can melt from excessive current draw and be unreliable, even dangerous. Any well made fuse holder that accepts 1/0 wire should be able to handle the current associated with a 200A ANL fuse.

usually, when fuse holders fail, it's because of poor connections and arcing that creates heat... or they fail from water ingress because they are too cheap to use decent seals.

mounting the fuse holder properly, securing and protecting the power wiring, using quality connectors, and ensuring good electrical contacts (i.e. low resistance) is key to a safe and proper electrical system. take the time to ensure your connections are perfect.

the 80A fuse may be enough, it totally depends on the amp, the impedance load, the gain setting, and the volume knob. if you expect to get rated power out of the amp, you should fuse per the amp manual and run 1/0 wire. with the smaller fuse you're saying that you only expect to get 1/3rd the rated RMS power.

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

So my question is this in responce to the fuse question and answers here (I had a similar question) I know each amp is different but on **Average** what is the typical amperage draw for an amp pushing 1200RMS.... ?

 

[The HACKER 10+ year member]

1200watts / 12Volts = 100Amps but you always fuse to the wire, not the amp. Unless the amp tells you it doesnt have any fusing.

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

The manf. calls for 160A minimum on the fuse... with a 4ga wire.. the fuse holder I have came with a 100A so i guess i need to step up to a better fuse holder and better power cable i presume.

 

[The HACKER 10+ year member]

The manf. calls for 160A minimum on the fuse... with a 4ga wire.. the fuse holder I have came with a 100A so i guess i need to step up to a better fuse holder and better power cable i presume.

With a 4guage i wouldnt push it too much further then 160amps to be honest overkill on wire size is always better, gives you more headroom.

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

I think i will do just that when i upgrade the bat, Ill put in bigger wire and fuse holder and fuse..

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

So my question is this in responce to the fuse question and answers here (I had a similar question) I know each amp is different but on **Average** what is the typical amperage draw for an amp pushing 1200RMS.... ?

this question can't be answered. it depends on so many factors. are you listening to music or playing consistent tones? with music you'll have much less than 1200W on average. even if you set your gains with a DMM to get 1200W RMS when playing a 0dB 50Hz tone, your current draw will peak for bass notes, then remain very low during quiet passages. each song has a different average power draw or level.

as stated above - fuse for the wire.

 

[LiveAudio911 10+ year member]

this question can't be answered. it depends on so many factors. are you listening to music or playing consistent tones? with music you'll have much less than 1200W on average. even if you set your gains with a DMM to get 1200W RMS when playing a 0dB 50Hz tone, your current draw will peak for bass notes, then remain very low during quiet passages. each song has a different average power draw or level.
as stated above - fuse for the wire.

when i get my new bat, i'll run a new wire and fuse holder and all that.. if i dont blow this **** car up.. ive never had so many problems with the electrical before this POS car.. might just wait till i get my truck to do all this...