Fused Distribution blocks

[Ctesibius 10+ year member]

Your mom likes my narcissistic tendencies.

Making fun of the deceased is indeed great tact. Perhaps you and Ant should start hanging out?

 

[1hawaii50 10+ year member]

Didn't the "your mom" derogatory comments go out in the early 80's? As far as the OP goes, maybe he should do some reading over at http://www.bcae1.com/

Or at least get your stuff installed by somebody that knows what they are doing.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Making fun of the deceased is indeed great tact. Perhaps you and Ant should start hanging out?

And you will use your dead mother as just another way to try and make me look bad? I didn't know your mom's status, you do, what is your excuse? My mother died in '96, and I recently watched my father take his last breath. But I would never use that as a way to try and make some anonymous internet person feel bad as if they somehow knew, and were making fun of the dead. And yes, Ive received my fair share of mom jokes since.
Im sorry for your loss, for what its worth.

 

[cichlid_baby 10+ year member]

Ah.. now I understand.. during a power/ground short.. the current flows from the location of the short to the positive battery terminal and will blow those fuses that are in its path back.

So if the short happens on the main 2 gaugle power run then the battery fuse would blow, but if the short happens at the 8 gauge run then the fuse at the distribution block should blow first... at least in theory right?

Correct me if I'm wrong with this understanding.

 

[cichlid_baby 10+ year member]

... at least get your stuff installed by somebody that knows what they are doing.

I thought that is what these discussion forums were for. Anyways.. thanks for your help.. I think I got a grasp of it now.

FYI.. I think I've done a half-way decent job on my install "in progress"... I just wanted to fully understand why certain things were done a certain way.. and why others are done differently.. so things would make sense to me.. I can follow steps just like the next guy.. but sometimes.. I want to know why or why not? You shouldn't fault me for that.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Ah.. now I understand.. during a power/ground short.. the current flows from the location of the short to the positive battery terminal and will blow those fuses that are in its path back.
So if the short happens on the main 2 gaugle power run then the battery fuse would blow, but if the short happens at the 8 gauge run then the fuse at the distribution block should blow first... at least in theory right?

Correct me if I'm wrong with this understanding.

Close. Technically, the power provided to the short will flow from the battery to the short. So yes, if the short is in the main power cable, the fuse at the batt will blow. If the short occurs after the distro block, either may blow depending on the situation. If the short causes enough current flow to blow the fuse at the batt, its closest to the power source, and would blow first.

 

[cichlid_baby 10+ year member]

Does anyone want to comment on my fuse size selections?

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

personally, I use a magnetic circuit breaker at the battery to protect the car's electrical system and let the amp fuses protect the amps. I will GAURANTEE you if you take a run of even 8 Ga wire and ground it straight out, that 200 amp fuse will blow IMMEDIATELY.

To the OP ... the reason you see people doing the fusing thing so many different ways is that there is so much misinformation out there.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

personally, I use a magnetic circuit breaker at the battery to protect the car's electrical system and let the amp fuses protect the amps. I will GAURANTEE you if you take a run of even 8 Ga wire and ground it straight out, that 200 amp fuse will blow IMMEDIATELY.
To the OP ... the reason you see people doing the fusing thing so many different ways is that there is so much misinformation out there.

A circuit breaker under the hood is a bad idea. Under the hood is a corrosive atmosphere, and corrosion (rust) will alter the trip point of a circuit breaker, even prevent it from tripping altogether at some point. I recommend a fuse under the hood, as no amount of corrosion will alter is performance and/or trip point. CB's are fine for rear mounted situations out of the weather, fumes, etc... such as in the trunk.
A dead short of an 8 gauge wire will certainly blow a 200 amp fuse, providing the supply is great enough of course. But, the uncertainly comes from how significant of a short your system may develop. Not all shorts are dead shorts that allow the entire wire to come into contact with a ground point.

 

[1hawaii50 10+ year member]

I thought that is what these discussion forums were for. Anyways.. thanks for your help.. I think I got a grasp of it now.
FYI.. I think I've done a half-way decent job on my install "in progress"... I just wanted to fully understand why certain things were done a certain way.. and why others are done differently.. so things would make sense to me.. I can follow steps just like the next guy.. but sometimes.. I want to know why or why not? You shouldn't fault me for that.

I wasn't faulting you at all. I just don't want to see you burn your car to the ground. I apologize if you took it the wrong way. We are all here to learn //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif!

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

I am using special CB's that are DESIGNED for underhood use (meaning completely selaed). Dang, somebody's got the "I am god" complex lately.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I am using special CB's that are DESIGNED for underhood use (meaning completely selaed). Dang, somebody's got the "I am god" complex lately.

Uhm... okay. lol You even acknowledge my information is valid as you state you have special sealed CB's, and then go on to make your little sarcastic God comment. How does that make any sense? Would it be so hard to have simply said "good point on normal CB's, but I have a special sealed unit"...?
Some serious whiners around here lately.

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

actually what's special about mine is that it's magnetic operated, I think if you bother to look - all of the circuit breakers sold for car stereo use are sealed

Apparently you must have assumed that guys using CB's in cars just grabbed one of the spares from the CB box in the utility room. Unfortunately, home ones are typically only 20-30 amps and definitely NOT made for underhodd use.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

actually what's special about mine is that it's magnetic operated, I think if you bother to look - all of the circuit breakers sold for car stereo use are sealed
Apparently you must have assumed that guys using CB's in cars just grabbed one of the spares from the CB box in the utility room. Unfortunately, home ones are typically only 20-30 amps and definitely NOT made for underhodd use.

Uhm, bothered to look? Ive owner plenty of car audio CB's... like this one... http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=257

Not sealed.

However they do make 'marine grade' units like this one... http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/3140563/vpcsid/0/SFV/30046

Are sealed. But not standard for automotive. Marine applications, and what I assumed you meant when you said you had a "special" one.

Again I fail to understand your attitude. Especially when you clearly dont know the topic as well as you act like you do.

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

Uhm, bothered to look? Ive owner plenty of car audio CB's... like this one... http://www.discountcarstereo.com/detail.aspx?ID=257

If they are so bad, why did you buy so many of them ? I think this falls under the old proverb - "A wise man learns from other people's mistakes but the fools only school of knowledge is experience."

You really need to get off your high horse, you are not the end all be all of car audio knowledge. I see I have another idiot I need to put on iggy.