fuses

[Luke M]

been installing my 0 guage kit and the negative distro block was broke so went bought another, but all i could get was one with a built in voltmeter. now when wired in, the voltmeter doesnt work, i assume its due to the current flowing the wrong way through the voltmeter.

now ive got a fuse by the battery and then a fused 1 to 2 distro block, 4 awg to the amp (soon to be two hence the distro's), 4 awg to the neg distro block then the 0 guage to the bulkhead.

question - can i switch the distros round? can i put the voltmeter distro on the possitive side to use the voltmeter and put the fused distro on the neg or is this dangerous?

 

[paulbfd]

No, you have to have the fuses before the amps.

 

[Luke M]

damnit! so i got a voltmeter that doesnt do nowt!

EDIT just thought, do i have to have a fused distro? could i not use the voltmeter one on the possitive and get a normal off the bay for the neg?

 

[chaos]

damnit! so i got a voltmeter that doesnt do nowt!

EDIT just thought, do i have to have a fused distro? could i not use the voltmeter one on the possitive and get a normal off the bay for the neg?

If you're stepping down in cable size, you'll need to fuse it.

 

[Luke M]

If you're stepping down in cable size, you'll need to fuse it.

yer i am stepping down from 0 to 4 guage. think im going to use the voltmeter distro with in line fuses after. dont really like the fused distro, really bulky and big

 

[chaos]

yer i am stepping down from 0 to 4 guage. think im going to use the voltmeter distro with in line fuses after. dont really like the fused distro, really bulky and big

Personally I wouldn't - that short run from block to amp is essentially unprotected - it is protected by a fuse (the fuse on the 0awg) but the rating is way too high to offer any protection.

 

[Luke M]

Personally I wouldn't - that short run from block to amp is essentially unprotected - it is protected by a fuse (the fuse on the 0awg) but the rating is way too high to offer any protection.

think youve missunderstood me chaos i mean put inline fuses after the voltmeter distro

so it runs

Battery>inline fuse>through car into boot>into voltmeter distro dropping gauge>straight into an inline fuse>amp

 

[chaos]

think youve missunderstood me chaos i mean put inline fuses after the voltmeter distro

so it runs

Battery>inline fuse>through car into boot>into voltmeter distro dropping gauge>straight into an inline fuse>amp

No, I meant the run from the block to the fuse You would still need a small run of only a couple of inches to go from block to fuse holder, but that (essentially unfused) run would still be there...you would have to put a fair few amps across it to make it over heat, but it's an unnecessary risk to take.

 

[Luke M]

but its fused by the fuse at the battery!

 

[chaos]

but its fused by the fuse at the battery!

Yes, but it would have an incorrectly rated fuse for that short cable run. It's a step down in gauge - it needs its own fuse.

 

[Luke M]

ah i see! well thats crap! whoever designed that distro block needs a booting!