Electrical question

[smiley_doobinator]

Hi Guys

not sure if this is the right place to post this or not but here goes. I am rewiring a halfcab I am getting ready and i am about do do the electirics. I am looking at fuse boxes for the different circuits and was wondering what size fuses to use for each circuit e.g. lights bait tank pump etc. Is there a formula that would be used to work this out of do you simply use a fuse rated at the same amps as the device in the circuit. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

[Oog.]

Hi Smiley, do not exceed the current rating of your circuit cabling, and I would myself use a fuse of about 150%-200% of what the load of the connected equipment requires(without exceeding the current carring capacity of the cable of course)
ie for a pump using 3 amps i would use a 5 -7.5 amp fuse
There are no formulas for this as such except for the current carring capacities of the different size cables
Hope this helps
oog.

[smiley_doobinator]

Thanks champ thast awesome and man what a fast response now I can get on with my my wiring diagram. What a champion

[Simmo2]

Also, whilst running the wires, take note of where you think they may rub, get caught, get wet, etc etc.... putting a little extra care into these areas will assist in those fuses never blowing....or anything else for that matter!

[smiley_doobinator]

thats great advice thanks heaps simmo i wouldnt have thought of that on my own you've just saved me a fortune in fuses and a life time of frustration

[oldboot]

Always view the fuse as a means of protecting the downstream wiring..... that is the wiring beyond the fuse.........what is connected to that wiring realy is irrelevent....... it the individual item requires protection there should be a fuse in it or an inline close to the item.

Don't forget to use heavy enough wire....... you only have 12 volts.......if one or two go missing in the wiring that IS a problem.

dont forget either a fusable link or a heavy breaker or fuse on the main feed from the battery.

Loom tube is a good thing too.... easy to use and protects the wirng from all sorts of stuff and makes things look neat too.

cheers

[finga]

Always view the fuse as a means of protecting the downstream wiring..... that is the wiring beyond the fuse.........what is connected to that wiring realy is irrelevent....... it the individual item requires protection there should be a fuse in it or an inline close to the item.

Don't forget to use heavy enough wire....... you only have 12 volts.......if one or two go missing in the wiring that IS a problem.

dont forget either a fusable link or a heavy breaker or fuse on the main feed from the battery.

Loom tube is a good thing too.... easy to use and protects the wiring from all sorts of stuff and makes things look neat too.

cheers
All great stuff but the only difference in the things I wire up is I put individual circuits in for each item (ie nav. light, anchor light, sounder, gps, deck lights etc) which has the entire circuit protected by the appropriately sized fuse for that particular item and then put all the fuses in the same spot that's easy to access (and you don't have to go searching for the fuse) just encase.

Use tinned wire, dual wall heat shrink, some form of coating on screws and fuses etc (ie Lanolin grease) and leave a bit of wire at each termination at each end just encase you need to re-terminate at some stage.
Most important thing to do is don't rush and don't scrimp on quality of wire, terminations and appliances and you'll have a job that'll last years.

If you get into strife give me a cooee. I live fairly close by.

Cheers then
Scott ;D

[PADDLES]

do it the way finga says for circuit security smiley. ie. if you get a fault in a nav light circuit and it's on a seperate circuit to your other devices it won't take all your other stuff with it.

[littlejim]

I operate differently to Oog.

If the equipment says 3 amp fuse I use a 3 amp fuse. Working on the premise that the bloke who makes the gear would have said use 150% more if that still stopped his gear burning out.

I'd rather replace a $2 fuse than a $1000 sounder.

Most of the clobber comes with an 'inline' fuse. Much easier to rewire things so that they are all in one spot with labels about what they are for and the size of fuse needed. The 'hip' guys are using circuit breakers which is better still.

[oldboot]

I certainly wouldn't recomend not putting a fuse in for each of the switched circuits like various lights and motors, and with those you are protecting wiring.

with electronics as I mentioned elsewhere I can see good arguments for leaving the inline fuses in place.......the first is waranty.

I can see good arguments for taking the radio "direct to battery" most of the two way radio boys will do that as a first chioce.

I dont see a problem with the gps & sounder working off the same circuit as they will have come with their own fusing and their own on of switch and neither are high demand units.

There are no hard and fast rules....... unless you are under survey.

What is most important is adequate size wiring and good workmanship.

cheers

[Feral]

I recently did mine, twin core 20amp costs about $70 a roll, dearer than running a separate power and earth, well worth the cost for the reduced effort and tidiness! (Yep used 20amp wire throughout, never know when you might decide to change the use of a circuit).

[smiley_doobinator]

Thanks heaps to everyone this is all really good advice. Alot of my fisho friends I have told about Ausfish dont believe you can get this sort of advice for free more fool them eh. You guys are awesome, at least now I know I have some experienced advice.

[PinHead]

finga is on the money..but remember to make sure you run all your circuits in parallel to each other..if in series you will run out of volts.

[Oog.]

I operate differently to Oog.

If the equipment says 3 amp fuse I use a 3 amp fuse. Working on the premise that the bloke who makes the gear would have said use 150% more if that still stopped his gear burning out.

I'd rather replace a $2 fuse than a $1000 sounder.

Most of the clobber comes with an 'inline' fuse. Much easier to rewire things so that they are all in one spot with labels about what they are for and the size of fuse needed. The 'hip' guys are using circuit breakers which is better still.

The fuse sizes I suggested are for at your fuse/switch panel only to protect your circuit wiring and unfused equipment ie pumps, lights etc
This will also protect cabling to your electronics etc
Most sounders, gps etc have inline fuses at the equipment itself and i did not suggest you exceed the manufacturer's recommended fuse rating
Oog.