I am a believer...fuses are my friends. But my new (and 1st) amplifier has instructions showing the use of 4 gauge wiring from the battery to the amp with an inline 70 amp fuse, nearest the battery. If I use two Amplifiers (I am), it says to add the power ratings together and get a bigger fuse. I have questions about all those requirements:
1. If the electrons are moving through the big fat 4 gauge wire doesn't the presence of a 70 amp filament create "bad" resistance?
These two questions may need to be answered together:
2. A fuse near the Battery or near the Amplifier, it makes a difference?
3. With two amplifiers, there could be a 140 amp fuse??? Doesn't it make more sense to put two 70 amp fuses near the amps, one in each power line?
Thanks Very Much...Dave
1) No
2) Fuses go on the battery end of the wire, as close to the battery terminal as possible. The fuse is to protect the WIRE, not the amplifier. The wire needs to be sized properly to supply the current your amps require.
3) The fuse size should be set depending on the current capacity of the wire. See the "Power and Ground" guide in the links on the left side of the forum.
If your amplifier does not include an internal fuse, then you need TWO fuses: one near the battery to protect the wire and a smaller one at the amplifier properly sized to protect the amplifier.
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The "water pipe analogy" does not always work with electricity. While some people claim sonic performance differences with different kinds of fuses, your concern is really not worth wasting any mental energy on. Look for ANL-type fuses. Or circuit breakers.
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