Fuse or circuit breaker or both?

[ozzietj]

Howdy... after the suggestion based on my amps and such, i'll be upgrading to 4AWG for the +ve to the amp

now, i spoke to a friend of mine who is a car audio installer (not a strathfield or back yarder... serious professional)... and he was talking about using circuit breakers as opposed to using fuses.

I wondered why i didnt think of this before.... seeing as if you blow a fuse, you then have to go a chase one down which can be quite troublesome compared to resetting a circuit breaker.

Are circuit breakers different to fuses in that, breakers will allow slow blows, or are they an immediate cut off @ the rated amperage?

And yes, i know... if im blowing fuses / circuit breakers repeatedly, find the reason why... im just curious, as to install only a circuit breaker would save having to carry spare fuses, or track them down, compared to "flipping the switch" or is there a level of protection that fuses offer breakers do not???

if theres no difference, im assuming all audio equipmnt sold uses fuses due to it being cheaper to replace fuses, than install a breaker on every item, increasing cost for consumers. (bad in this world of competition)

however, if it were viable to have all things using breakers only, i'd be glad, no need to carry spares!!!

thnx for the help guys and gals!!!

[StoneX]

If you install properly, you won't ever blow fuses

I stick to fuses for reliability.

See here.

[1991_Vn2nV]

I use a circuit breaker on my system for the efficiency. Yes you dont have to replace them like you do a fuse but most people dont blow many fuses anyway.

Its best advantage in my opinion is when i want to fiddle with my amps or speakers, i just flick the switch on the circuit breaker....much easier than disconnecting the battery. Plus it looks good. I use an Aerpro circuit breaker on my system, because I like the voltmeter as well, mind you its not worth the RRP in my opinion but i got mine cheap through a m8 at Motoquipe.

http://www.aerpro.com.au/p.php?pcode=AP4842&cat_no=07

[VS CALAIS]

Curcuit breaker and if everything is wired up like it should then you will never need to reset it,

[VS CALAIS]

Oh should have mentioned ive been running one now for over a year never triped out (Yet)...

[calais_cruzin]

Curcuit Breakers are the way to go....For the simple fact that 1991_Vn2nv said that if u ever need to dissconect ur amp all u do is hit the switch n it cuts the power..... and Yeah ppl always ask wat the f@rk is the that thing under ur bonnet thats not a fuse is it.....
so spend the extra $20 n get a breaker they are worth it

[Bax]

The only problem I can see with a CB compared to a fuse.

If a fuse blows, you put a new fuse in and a little while later it blows again, you look for a problem.

If a CB trips, you reset it and you don't really pay attention to faults.

If you remember that when it trips - its for a reason and fix that problem - then I don't have a problem with them.

[ozzietj]

yeh, of course, no point not fixing the underlying problem...
well, im getting a cb (90amps) on the way wih my new 4AWG wire sent here to adelaide....

[HoZy]

Hmmmm I might look into a circuit braker for my new setup... Nice info guys.

Cheers
MaT

[Tasmaniak]

I can't say that I'm a fan of circuit breakers.... I know when they first hit the market aimed at car audio applications they sucked .5Volts out of the system through a high resistance joint from where the contacts met. Even still they suck a little out.

Personally, when I have been asked to use a circuit breaker I use ones that are designated for a house. Mind you they are not cheap. It equates to about $1 per amp.

As to that link that StoneX put up then yes they DO get affected by heat. I ran one of those aerpros ones in an old car of mine and I developed an overheating issue with the motor but the guage had broken. The CB was a good indicator for when I was overheating....it would shut the stereo off. I later thought I had fixed the issue and replaced it with a fuse. I drove it the next day and pulled into work with a warped head.

If you want something that looks cool then use an ANL Wafer fuse. They are huge and look just plain RUDE

[StoneX]

I've just noticed that the pro installers/tech all recommend fuses... I think that is saying something