to fuse or not to fuse alt to battery wire, that is the question

[na_rsx 10+ year member]

That's pretty much what everyone does. I've never seen anyone doing the big 3 that replaced the wires, they simply add on to the existing ones.

i replaced my grounds from battery to chassis, but everything else is added.

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

Are we talking a voltage spike or amperage???

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

why is that?

Cause I don't want to cut up the stock harness at all (which I would need to in order to put on proper battery terminals) so that I can just put it back in in the event I get rid of the car...

Also for looks...

If the fuse pops....then who cares if the alt puts out eleventy billion volts, how will it fry your cars electronics if the power has nowhere to go (the link to the battery had the fuse popped)

Very good point...

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

The main reason of fusing the power wire is so if it shorts out the live part of the wire is in the engine compartment.Its not so much protection for the amp as most have fuses built in.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

Cause I don't want to cut up the stock harness at all (which I would need to in order to put on proper battery terminals) so that I can just put it back in in the event I get rid of the car...
Also for looks...

how do you plan to REPLACE wires WITHOUT cutting up a stock harness?

what car is this?

 

[Zakerid 10+ year member]

only bad part is, even if you fuse and get a short your going to have one side of the wire still hot, either from the batt or the alt...so it is kind of pointless in some respects

that is why I have wondered, why you wouldn't you fuse at the batt and the alt... I think I asked this question in the big 3 thread a while ago and nobody read it... at least someone else is on the same page as I am.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

The main reason of fusing the power wire is so if it shorts out the live part of the wire is in the engine compartment.Its not so much protection for the amp as most have fuses built in.

um, no.

the fuse is to protect the wire from catching fire.

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

how do you plan to REPLACE wires WITHOUT cutting up a stock harness?
what car is this?

2007 MGM

If I disconnect the terminals at the battery, body, block, alt, starter, and fuse box the harness will come out as one peice. Then I can run all new wire (1/0 bat to body, block, alt, starter, fuse box, and a ground to alt casing).

 

[Ali1 10+ year member]

Fuses are NOT necessary. Fusing the power wire is pointless because power flows from both ends (either battery positive terminal or the alternator)

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

why not just go on top? i dont understand the method to pulling the stock wires.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

Fuses are NOT necessary. Fusing the power wire is pointless because power flows from both ends (either battery positive terminal or the alternator)

in laments terms.

fuse blows. both sides are still hot. what did you do? waste $5 on a fuse

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

Fuses are NOT necessary. Fusing the power wire is pointless because power flows from both ends (either battery positive terminal or the alternator)

yup...yet I still fused anyway //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[Bun-Bun 10+ year member]

why not just go on top? i dont understand the method to pulling the stock wires.

They don't look as nice and take up space. In order to put on proper terminals on the batt to use 1/0 I would have to cut the stock wires to put ring terminals on them to use the new terminals which I don't want to do... so I either leave them dangly there (bad idea) or pull them out which is stupid easy in this car. Would honeslty take me 5 min's.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

oh, so it's a resale thing.

don't want to ugly up stock parts. i got ya

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

um, no.
the fuse is to protect the wire from catching fire.

I have to dis agree.The wire won't catch fire it will simply melt the plastic coating, which in turn causes the short.The fire comes from the short arcing and catching something else that is flammable on fire.Not the wire:fyi:

As I said its to protect the inside passenger compartment where there ARE things that will burn and catch fire.