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

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

So I'm not a computer geek.At least I know the wire won't catch on fire!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

but it will! rubber/plastic/nylon = flammable //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

GO out and put a lighter on your power wire and tell me if it stays burning.It just goes out.They may melt but not catch fire.

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

so they make this for no reason?

http://cableorganizer.com/wire-loom/flame-retardant-wireloom.htm

i'm just yankin your chain

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

That is to block the heat from melting the plastic so it doesn't short out.The wire shorting is what causes the fire.

you sly bastard!

 

[jco1385 5,000+ posts]

lmao

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

The surgeon general says fusing is known to cause cancer in the state of California.

That's just what I have been told....

 

[MyFartsStink 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)

What happens if the wire gets pinched, now what you going to do? There is always the possibility to pinch the wire and short it. Believe me, I thought I was ok with an unfused wire ( I was in a hurry to hear it) I got lazy and never put a fuse on. Well out in the middle of no where I was driving and the lights dimmed and the engine lagged and died. I checked it out and sure enough the wire is fried. So I was stranded because I didnt want to spend 5 dollars and five minutes. So I always say fuse it or you will **** it.

 

[Ali1 10+ year member]

so they make this for no reason?http://cableorganizer.com/wire-loom/flame-retardant-wireloom.htm

i'm just yankin your chain

i had one of those wire looms for my big3 wiring. One day i decided to check on my engine bay ( i know, weird), and found it melted and working its way into my power wire

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

What happens if the wire gets pinched, now what you going to do? There is always the possibility to pinch the wire and short it. Believe me, I thought I was ok with an unfused wire ( I was in a hurry to hear it) I got lazy and never put a fuse on. Well out in the middle of no where I was driving and the lights dimmed and the engine lagged and died. I checked it out and sure enough the wire is fried. So I was stranded because I didnt want to spend 5 dollars and five minutes. So I always say fuse it or you will **** it.

But even if it was fused...the wire would still be hot from one side (either the battery or the alt) right? So either it would have been shorting the alt out, or the batt, even after the fuse blew.

Circles...I feel we are talking in them

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

What happens if the wire gets pinched, now what you going to do? There is always the possibility to pinch the wire and short it. Believe me, I thought I was ok with an unfused wire ( I was in a hurry to hear it) I got lazy and never put a fuse on. Well out in the middle of no where I was driving and the lights dimmed and the engine lagged and died. I checked it out and sure enough the wire is fried. So I was stranded because I didnt want to spend 5 dollars and five minutes. So I always say fuse it or you will **** it.

This may sound stupid but how did you end up pinching your power line from alt to battery?

IT's not like running through the car, the engine bay is a LOT more open than the inside of the car.

OF course you dont want the power wire just laying in plain view but even 4 minutes worth of running can find excellent places to loosely run wire without any problems.

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

But even if it was fused...the wire would still be hot from one side (either the battery or the alt) right? So either it would have been shorting the alt out, or the batt, even after the fuse blew.
Circles...I feel we are talking in them

when power hits ground, the fuse would blow and the car should only be running off the battery with the alt isolated from it.

Once the power touches ground, it should arc enough to blow the fuse. That's the whole point of A fuse, i still hold my opinion that fusing this particular power line is a worse idea than not fusing it.

How about this since we are oh so set on safety.

Guys who have at least 2 extra batteries in the back-

Do you put a fuse in between EVERY battery that is wired in parallel?

I hope not... HELLA resistance.

What if you had 10 batts? How do people run buss bars?

No fuses there.

There are some instances, just like this topic where a fuse isn't needed, in this alt topic, even required.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

when power hits ground, the fuse would blow and the car should only be running off the battery with the alt isolated from it.
Once the power touches ground, it should arc enough to blow the fuse. That's the whole point of A fuse, i still hold my opinion that fusing this particular power line is a worse idea than not fusing it.

Exactly so how would the alt running at 36v cause any problems in that scenario...how would it fry the cars electrical?

Also, the fuse will be blown but if the short was on the battery side of the fuse, that portion of the wire will still be hot even though the fuse blew.

I'm with you that the fuse is pointless, but for different reasons.

How about this since we are oh so set on safety.

Guys who have at least 2 extra batteries in the back-

Do you put a fuse in between EVERY battery that is wired in parallel?

I hope not... HELLA resistance.

What if you had 10 batts? How do people run buss bars?

No fuses there.

There are some instances, just like this topic where a fuse isn't needed, in this alt topic, even required.

When you start goin big everything has risk, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to go big...like bus bars.

 

[ssackett 10+ year member]

when power hits ground, the fuse would blow and the car should only be running off the battery with the alt isolated from it.
Once the power touches ground, it should arc enough to blow the fuse. That's the whole point of A fuse, i still hold my opinion that fusing this particular power line is a worse idea than not fusing it.

How about this since we are oh so set on safety.

Guys who have at least 2 extra batteries in the back-

Do you put a fuse in between EVERY battery that is wired in parallel?

I hope not... HELLA resistance.

What if you had 10 batts? How do people run buss bars?

No fuses there.

There are some instances, just like this topic where a fuse isn't needed, in this alt topic, even required.

good point..

 

[Ali1 10+ year member]

when power hits ground, the fuse would blow and the car should only be running off the battery with the alt isolated from it.
Once the power touches ground, it should arc enough to blow the fuse. That's the whole point of A fuse, i still hold my opinion that fusing this particular power line is a worse idea than not fusing it.

How about this since we are oh so set on safety.

Guys who have at least 2 extra batteries in the back-

Do you put a fuse in between EVERY battery that is wired in parallel?

I hope not... HELLA resistance.

What if you had 10 batts? How do people run buss bars?

No fuses there.

There are some instances, just like this topic where a fuse isn't needed, in this alt topic, even required.

which comes back to my point. Fuses aren't necessary because it contradicts its own safety measure...

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

duece212- You are 100% on your statement.

But to elaborate on your statement also goes back to my question to MyFartsStink's question.

IF your power wire has the probability to short out with 18" from the battery coming from the alt... you need not run wire in your car. If someone that runs wire has that much of a problem to possibly short out a wire that close to the battery, then they need to let someone else run their wire because seriously, there is tons of room in the engine bay. Run it right the first time, be done forever.