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Old 02-28-2013, 02:26 AM   #1
H. John Kohl
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Terminal Fuse on battery post

I have learned a lot with my solar install and adding the extra batteries. My latest reality check was the positive battery post terminal fuse. The battery bolt goes through the hole on the left and the wire lug on the top above the fuse. There is a cone shaped insulator that is not shown well. It is under the nut. A great $30 insurance policy. Since I am now running an inverter I went with the 300 amp fuse. They recommend a minimum of 50% above your calculated battery draw.

I remember hearing about a few Montana's having fires because 12 volt cables chaffed going through the frame. The terminal fuse would be a great safety feature to prevent that. I have them on my batteries now. If you intend to install one I suggest a single wire from the battery bank to a connection post or buss strip so a single terminal is connected on the terminal fuse.
 
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Old 03-01-2013, 06:56 AM   #2
Tom S.
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John, good idea! Is the fuse resettable, or does it need to be replaced if blown? A manually resettable circuit breaker would be perfect! Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/300-HIGH-POWER...xp_grid_pt_1_1
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Old 03-01-2013, 07:34 AM   #3
Gkerlin
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I really be careful in your selection of a circuit breaker for dc use - especially when talking about 300 amps.

A true DC circuit breaker must have a built in "arc quencher" so that when the breaker trips - or is shut off - the arc is physically blocked and snuffed (quenched)

This is not needed on an AC breaker as the current reverses flow 60x per second so at midpoint in the cycle the electromotive potential is zero - and there is no arc - so the circuit is broken.

An arc that has been established can bridge a much larger gap than it can initiate. Arc welding is an example of this. You must strike the rod to establish the arc but then hold it off of the material to weld.

Without an arc quencher - the circuit could not only remain open, but the resulting arc in the circuit breaker will start a fire.

I know a lot of people who have used these audio type breakers and I know just as many who have had failures of those breakers. I'd want to know about the construction of that breaker before I'd take a chance on a 300amp circuit with it.

I have a Blue Sea ANL fuse holder within 18" of my battery terminal and a 300 amp fuse like John.

I even like Johns fuse better as it is fused right at the source. Even though mine is code the closer to the source - the better.

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Old 03-01-2013, 09:40 AM   #4
Tom S.
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Greg, just so you know, the breaker I linked to is a DC breaker. I'm not sure if it has a shield or not, but being DC and rated at 300 amps, it should.
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