without the fusible link

[greantillgone78]

Yeah my question is how long would I be able to run a amp to the battery without the fusable link and has anybody ever experienced any type of fire or explosion without having the fusible link hooked up.. I guess my ultimate question would be do I really really need it everybody says yeah you really need it it's a good idea so if anything blows up you know it won't affect my stereo or my subs but is anybody ever witnessed or seen anything happen without having the fusible link connected.. and can I connect mine without the fusible link and will it work just fine?

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[some dude]

If your positive wire ever touched metal it would arc. If you aren't right there to grab it, fire is very possible.

If your amp has an internal short, fire is very possible.

Pretty sure many cars have burned to the ground because there was no fuse.

 

[Deiimos]

Like anything, you take the risk or you don't, that is up to you. I prefer using a decent fuse. Doesn't cost much money, and you can use it for years and or in different vehicles, so not like you're out much.

It may never short out, so likely won't ever have any issues. On the other hand, it could rub on something and eventually short out, spark or smoke a bit, or for an extreme, you get trapped in a car crash waiting to be cut out and it catches fire as the wire got pinched in the mangled wreckage. Is that last one likely? It's possible, perhaps not likely, but you can minimize the risk with a fuse.

If it is a trailer queen competition vehicle for all out SPL, then probably doesn't matter.

If it is a daily driven vehicle with a sound system, I would personally use one in the main long run.

I don't really care if you use one or not, just adding to the discussion.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

You don't need the fuse. That's up to you. I have seen wire fires. Not only is a fire a real risk, but a wire fire generally fries the electrical system if not the whole car. I've seen them burn down homes too. If it happened in your garage, hypothetically you could burn both down in one shot.

OTOH, a fuse holder plus fuse cost ~$25 after shipping, plus the time to install them and you may never need them. The other downside to having a fuse is if you're one of those lazy installers who doesn't bother disconnecting the ground when working on the system, then you could end up blowing fuses all the time costing you both money and time.

Personally, I do use a fuse holder, but I've had mine for years and it just follows me from car to car. As a new investment into the hobby, you'll have to make a decision if it's right for you. If your power wire ever gets pinched or shorted, you'll wish invested in a fuse.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

Nope, don't "need" a fuse at all. If you want to run the cable without the fuse be smart about it and double the size of the cable and make sure it is OFC. This will however cost a lot more than just installing a fuse. Or, a circuit breaker like I have. It is protection. Your gear, your car and yes you, are valuable. A fire is no joke. You won't regret the protection if you have it but you may regret not having it.

 

[huberoy123 10+ year member]

Yeah my question is how long would I be able to run a amp to the battery without the fusable link and has anybody ever experienced any type of fire or explosion without having the fusible link hooked up.. I guess my ultimate question would be do I really really need it everybody says yeah you really need it it's a good idea so if anything blows up you know it won't affect my stereo or my subs but is anybody ever witnessed or seen anything happen without having the fusible link connected.. and can I connect mine without the fusible link and will it work just fine?

There is an old saying "Better to be safe than sorry." I have a fuse near the battery and another near the distribution box in my trunk. If you search for images of cars damaged by electrical fires, I'm sure you can see the results. Running cable without a fuse is possible with a high grade wire and fire resistant cable wrap, but I wouldn't do it. Just my thoughts.

 

[hammerhead611]

You can get a cheap fuse block (Scosche brand) at Walmart for less than $15...why leave it to chance? Put a fuse block in and don't worry about whether your car (or house) will burn to the ground