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Old May 28th 05, 11:30 AM
Ron Hardin
 
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Lucky wrote:
Ron,

what capacity fuse should I buy for the usual wires that come with the power
adapter tips at Radio Shack if I want to "Hot Guard" the output wires to
power radios like you did? How can I find out it's carrying capacity? Is
1/4 A good?
I think they sell wires with fuse holdes on them right?


I fuse the individual device wires for the device's claimed needs, more or less
times two. If it says 500ma, use a 1a (quick blow) fuse.

I got a bunch of 6-fuse fuse blocks (automotive, I guess) and wire all of one
side to +12v, and attach the device + wires to the other side. Radio Shack has
4-fuse blocks. I'd really like 20-fuse blocks already wired together on one
side but haven't found any.

The 16ga zipcord is fused with an inline fuse (quick blow) at I think 7a.

Use quick-blow fuses because slow-blow fuses get very hot themselves without
blowing. If a device blows a fuse in normal use, just use the next size bigger
fuse.

Acc. to what I can find on the web, 16ga wire is good for 10a, or 13a, depending
on who you believe, and also that's an AC rating and who knows what that means
at DC. Anyway somebody believes that's acceptable heating. Every 3 wire gauges
thinner gives you 2x the heating.

--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.