Alternator main feed

[Slo-Sho]

The main power wire (blk/org) coming off of the alternator post has an 18 guage and a pair of 12 gauge fusible links in line to the underhood fusebox. My question is...can I eliminate this crap? Will the fuses provide enough protection w/o the fusible links???

I recently took my DMM and measured a .3x volt line drop on that wire and I want to replace it. TIA, Adam.

 

[SHOZ123]

Get two 60 A **** fuses and wire them in parallel.

 

[olympic]

I replaced mine with an 8ga cable and car stereo type fuse. Works great and no problems so far.

 

[SHOZ123]

When I make the VAK kits I use 6ga wire. www.waytekwire.com is a good place to get the fuse holders and flat high amp fuses. Be sure to get on that will match the current capabilities of the alternator.

 

[Dave Ladely]

alternator feed

Get a marine breaker of proper capacity. Fuses are dinosaur; car mfgs use them as they are cheap. Does your house still use fuses??

 

[SHOZ123]

Seen too many CBs get where they won't trip or are not accurate. If you want sure safe protection use fuses. They are no way dinosaur. Use then at work all the time.

 

[Dave Ladely]

alternator feed

Ah! Then airliners, which use breakers, should go back to fuses to save lives!
The automotive breakers are junk, and I never recommended them. Home breakers are more reliable than those breakers made for auto use! Marine breakers are very reliable as are aircraft; both are extremely safety/reliability conscious. Nether use fuses. I have seen fuses which only partly melted. Never seen a breaker partly open. No doubt breakers can and do fail, but how often? Even house breakers fail so rarely I doubt anyone can remember one failing. NASA uses breakers under extremely hostile and rigorous conditions and have had only one failure and that one was in a compartment outside the spacecraft. Maybe they should go back to fuses, wonder why they haven't?