Question about fusing my amps.

[Ninesvnsicks 10+ year member]

Ok so right now I have a 200 amp circuit breaker on my #1 welding cable under the hood which goes to the rear to 2x 4 gauge distro block. My AudioQue AQ1200D has it's own fuses on the amp and I want to install my 4 channel alpine on the other 4 gauge my question is if the amps have their own fuses do I need a fused distro block or can I just use the one I have now?

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[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

You want to fuse every time you reduce wire size. The fuse holder protects the wire. You need a distro block anyway. The fuse holder is also an easy location to disconnect an amp of you make wiring changes.

You could use a non-fused distro block and still be ok with the amp fuses providing over current protection and the large fuse providing short circuit protection,

 

[Ninesvnsicks 10+ year member]

You want to fuse every time you reduce wire size. The fuse holder protects the wire. You need a distro block anyway. The fuse holder is also an easy location to disconnect an amp of you make wiring changes.
You could use a non-fused distro block and still be ok with the amp fuses providing over current protection and the large fuse providing short circuit protection,

Yea I have a non-fused distro block 0 gauge to 2x 4 gauge now but I'm only using one amp on it so far.

I have a circuit breaker so when i need to do wiring changes i usually just switch it off.

So I should be ok as long as the amps have their protection fuses?

I am looking to upgrade my sub amp to something around the 2000 watt area so I might need a new distro block and CB anyways if it requires a 2 gauge wire and more amps if that ends up being the case then I'll get a fused distroblock.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

Yea, you should be fine. Take care with wire routing, wire protection, grommets, and securing wires so a fault is highly unlikely.

 

[Ninesvnsicks 10+ year member]

Yea, you should be fine. Take care with wire routing, wire protection, grommets, and securing wires so a fault is highly unlikely.

Yup so far so good I have the main wire run under the carpet, I didn't have any grommets but I did use silicone to put around the wire where it goes thru the firewall.

 

[dipitydoo 10+ year member]

if your amp already has a fuse, it is not necessary to fuse when you reduce wire size at the distribution block. believe it or not, the fuses on the amp protects the wire. if you have a short somewhere and have excess draw on a down link wire, the fuse on the amp will blow before it heats up the wire.

 

[i2ain2thunder 10+ year member]

There are a couple general rules of thumb for fusing wire. One is that you fuse to protect the wire (wire fire or overheating or shorting) However many of us also try to use fuse ratings that coincide with our amps' fuse ratings in an effort to protect them even further. Fusing the wire is not necessary for operation, however it is always a good idea, and as Hope mentioned it makes for a very easy disconnect point for messing with your equipment in the future. I am really thankful that I have a fused distro block, there have been a few times now where I wanted to disconnect power to just one of the amps and simply removing a fuse makes that process safe and easy.

 

[Ninesvnsicks 10+ year member]

There are a couple general rules of thumb for fusing wire. One is that you fuse to protect the wire (wire fire or overheating or shorting) However many of us also try to use fuse ratings that coincide with our amps' fuse ratings in an effort to protect them even further. Fusing the wire is not necessary for operation, however it is always a good idea, and as Hope mentioned it makes for a very easy disconnect point for messing with your equipment in the future. I am really thankful that I have a fused distro block, there have been a few times now where I wanted to disconnect power to just one of the amps and simply removing a fuse makes that process safe and easy.

I like my circuit breaker its a littler faster then removing a fuse and i can reset it if it trips //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif