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Wetzel 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: July 31, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 1:38 AM / IP Logged  

I just blew my first fuse and I am not quite sure why. 

I have 2 amps.  One has 2 fuses rated at 30 amps each. The other has one fuse rated at 30 amps.   I know the battery fuse should be the sum of the amp fuses......soooo.......does that mean I add ALL 3 FUSES being 30+30+30, or just 30+30 (since the 2 fuses on one amp are rated the same) ?????

I also installed an LED light that I am running on that power supply (after 2 fuses and a cap).  The fuse blew after I installed the light tonight.  The fuse i had was rated at 50 amps, which is obviously too small. 

WHAT SIZE FUSE SHOULD I GET TO SUSTAIN MY SYSTEM AND LIGHT?   

Collins Wetzel
stevdart 
Platinum - Posts: 5,816
Platinum spaceThis member has made a donation to the12volt.com. Click here for more info.spaceThis member has been recognized as an authority in Mobile Audio and Video. Click here for more info.spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: January 24, 2004
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 9:13 AM / IP Logged  

What is the amperage draw of the LED light?  And does it have its own in-line fuse too?  The general rule is:  every appliance should have its own fuse, every wire that supplies current should have its own fuse, and the wiring must be capable of supplying the power without overheating.  Your system should have a 4 gauge wire from the battery, fused with up to 150 amps to protect that wire (or the combination of every fuse rating in the system it is supplying).  It should run to the capacitor, then on to a distro block.  The block should split to 8 gauge wires to each amp.  Those wires should be fused at up to 100 amps each to protect those wires, or at the highest rating of each amp (in your case one is 60 and the other is 30).  A separate wire from the distro should supply the LED, and a fuse on that wire, too.  That will probably take a 20 amp fuse, but look at the LED and see what amperage it draws.

A fuse blowing is most often an indication of a wiring short.   Get all the wiring and fusing done as shown here, and when a fuse blows next time you will know what caused it.  The closest fuse to the problem will blow.

fuses blowing -- posted image.

Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
customsuburb 
Gold - Posts: 1,813
Gold spacespace
Joined: January 17, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 9:30 AM / IP Logged  
LED's draw very little power. These are the specs for a Varad 12" and 6" LED tube: Current Draw: 12" Models draw 100 to 120 mA, 6" Models draw 50 to 60 mA
Wetzel 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: July 31, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 4:05 PM / IP Logged  

Ok, i took ya'll's advice and got bigger fuses. I got 80 amp after talking to some more people. That is the best way to do it without spending 60 bucks for the ANL fuse and holder.  

Anyway, the 80's work great except when I plug in my LED light, they blow. I'm not talking after a while, or when I turn the system up. They blow right away, and when I connect the fuse and the housing a lot of sparks fly.   

Why is this little LED light being such a pain in my butt?  Why would one single LED light blow 2 fuses. I have it grounded very well (same as an amp) so that is not an issue.  The only other possibility would be the inline switch. Maybe that is not big enough? 

So HEEEELLLPPP!!!! WHAT IS WRONG??

Collins Wetzel
kgerry 
Platinum - Posts: 3,455
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: February 07, 2004
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 4:44 PM / IP Logged  
sounds to me like you've got something hooked up wrong...it is wired in such a way to be a dead short...recheck your wiring or scratch that LED from the equation.....
Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
stevdart 
Platinum - Posts: 5,816
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Joined: January 24, 2004
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Posted: July 31, 2004 at 6:04 PM / IP Logged  
I can't believe you...I drew you a wiring diagram ( This post from earlier today), and told you that almost all blown fuses are caused by a short in the wiring, and customsuburb came on and told you that the amperage you're pulling with that light is less than 1 amp....and all you got out of that was to put in bigger fuses???  Take the advice you are given on here before you come back screaming for more help.  Sheeeesh.
Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Wetzel 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: July 31, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: August 02, 2004 at 12:25 PM / IP Logged  

I checked all my wiring and everything is hooked up correctly. I have the power lead coming off the distribution block. I have the light grounded on a chassis bolt.  

So I already checked the wiring when I went to get a bigger fuse, because that seems to be the only thing left. I have it hooked up like your nice little diagram you gave me bud!  Any other bright ideas? 

Obviously it is something with the wiring, however I am not as enlightened as you in this matter, so you could really help me out instead of berating. 

Anyone else have any ideas about why this light is blowing my fuse? 

Collins Wetzel
robbyrob717 
Copper - Posts: 53
Copper spacespace
Joined: August 02, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: August 02, 2004 at 1:33 PM / IP Logged  
it has to be your wiring. something is creating a wire short. there is no other reason. try just hooking up your led with a 15 amp fuse to the battery and see if it blows. if not its one of your amps if so then you either have the ground hitting a power some how or the power hitting a ground. or you could have the ground wire(black) going to the battery and the power wire(red) going to the battery. you can also try hooking the led up to the fuse box. hook it up to the empty spot with the label ignition if you only want it to be able to turn on when the key is at run or battery if you want it able to be on all the time.
94 Pontiac Sunbird 3.1 V6
alpine deck
audiobahn 3.5 fronts w/ tweeters
audiobahn 6.5 rears w/ tweeters
* sold rest of system to save up towards new car. $3000 spent on it.
Wetzel 
Member - Posts: 4
Member spacespace
Joined: July 31, 2004
Location: United States
Posted: August 07, 2004 at 9:52 PM / IP Logged  

i got it. it was a bad switch and wiring.  Some pro guy did it for me... made it look real nice.

I'll have new pics up on car domain soon.  look for a red dodge stratus 2001. C-Dub is the name. 

thanks ya'll PEACE!

Collins Wetzel

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