ATC Blade Fuse Question

[imported_Warren]

I'm installing a new Blue Sea Fuse Block to my boat....Do I need to buy the expensive Marine ATC Blade fuses for this fuse block??.....Or can I buy the ones made for a car??

I checked out the marine models today and they didn't seem to be tinned or stainless but were 3 times the price of the auto fuses......

I've been using a mix of both in my boat and have had to sand down the connections yearly to take off the light corrosion on the contact points of the fuse....

I spent $40 for this unit and want it to last as long as possible......

The unit is going in a little 13 foot boat that has no dry area like a pilothouse........Thanks in advance for any help.....

 

[Texasmark]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

Just off the top of my head, probably if you coated the blades with silicon grease you'd eliminate contact corrosion. Corrosion is oxidation of the metal and you have to have oxygen to do that. Only corrosion you'd have to worry about then would be the external wiring to the terminals. If you could get to all that and spray with a protective coating (to keep the oxygen away from it) it should work. Krylon makes a spray dielectric coating that will work; may be marketed under Clear Acrylic; check the label.

My 2c,

Mark

 

[wire2]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

Just off the top of my head, probably if you coated the blades with silicon grease you'd eliminate contact corrosion. Corrosion is oxidation of the metal and you have to have oxygen to do that. Only corrosion you'd have to worry about then would be the external wiring to the terminals. If you could get to all that and spray with a protective coating (to keep the oxygen away from it) it should work. Krylon makes a spray dielectric coating that will work; may be marketed under Clear Acrylic; check the label.

My 2?,

Mark

Right on, Mark. Synthetic (silicone based) grease does a great job of keeping oxygen off exposed metal. Lift the fuse (or light bulb) out of the socket, push a dab in with a finger, and replace the fuse (or lamp). Also works well in male/female connectors. It will typically withstand up to 500? F.

 

[imported_Warren]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

Very Cool.....Thanks for the tip on the silicone spray...I've been using the dielectric grease that comes in a tube and looks like vaseline and it dosen't seem to be working....I'm still getting corrosion under it....

If I use the Silicone spray do I have to worry about getting it on the actual contact points or is it fine???

If I understand it right Dielectric grease does not conduct electricity and will stop the flow if it gets in there thick enough......

 

[puddle jumper]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

So whats the difference between the marine fuses and the automotive fuses or did i miss something?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

The difference is in the way the fuse mounts into the receptacle. On Marine fuses, the receptacle is rubber and extends up to the top of the fuse. External wiring is molded into that rubber boot, hence waterproofed.

Some after market single fuses are like that too if you buy the receptacle and pigtail. Obviously OEM fuse panels from Detroit and elsewhere are wide open once you remove the cosmetic cover.

Silicon grease is silicon in grease form. General Electric Silicones, and Dow Corning are two major manufacturer's of it. It,s an excellent high voltage resistant dielectric and as mentioned is very tolerant of temperature extremes. It is opaque and clear and is a lubricant. Interesting that OEM ignition designers finally learned to use it in distributor caps and spark plug caps. Took them long enough.

Silicon spray is just that, a spray and it too is opaque but hard to see that it is, due to the thin film. Yes on the high temp resistance. That's what makes it better than petroleum (like vaseline) for the job; doesn't melt easily. Also you can use it on some rubbers that petroleum would attack. Works perfect where a rubber seal on a door wants to stick, help in the winter to keep rubber from sticking to glass, and makes aluminum framed windows (in your house) slide effortlessly.

It's only enemy, that I know of is silicon. I recollect having silicon insulated high voltage wiring swell when exposed to Dow Corning 300 Silicon Oil.

Sounds like you are using the right product (the grease). Maybe you need to look at how you are installing it, or if there is water getting on things that could be avoided; like building a cover or box over your fuses.

HTH

Mark

 

[imported_Warren]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

A box for my fuse box is next.....The Blue Sea model I bought has a plastic cover but its not air tight or water resistant.....

I took an old battery box and cut it down to fit under my deck and put it in there for now along with all the bundled up wire until I can figure something out.....I want to keep it accesable....

Also i'm using the auto blade fuses for now. I took off the corrosion with a dremel with wire wheel and some sandpaper and sprayed everything with silicone spray.......I still have no idea if the "Marine" atc fuses are tinned or made of a corrosion resistant material and don't have the extra $$ to spend right now to find out......

 

[dingbat]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

Sounds like you?re using the same fuse blocks I used to replace the terminals in the electronics enclosure and down in the cabin. The existing terminal where the old brass on phenolic type and they made it 10 years before they started to having issues.

All my wiring is tinned so I didn?t have any wire problems to speak of. Mainly the brass fuse contacts getting corroded and causing problems from time to time.

I?m using ?automotive? fuses and just used the same synthetic grease I used in my reels as a preventative against corrosion in the fuse sockets. I?m 3 years into it now and no sign of corrosion that I can tell.

 

[wire2]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

Very Cool.....Thanks for the tip on the silicone spray...I've been using the dielectric grease that comes in a tube and looks like vaseline and it dosen't seem to be working....I'm still getting corrosion under it....

If I use the Silicone spray do I have to worry about getting it on the actual contact points or is it fine???

If I understand it right Dielectric grease does not conduct electricity and will stop the flow if it gets in there thick enough......

If you're still getting corrosion after applying silicone grease or dielectric compound, it's because it was present before you coated it. Possibly on the strands of wire inside the plastic insulation.
Coated parts that are mechanically joined will force the stuff out and conduct fine. I coat battery posts completely, put the clamps on & tighten, it works perfectly.

 

[drewpster]

Re: ATC Blade Fuse Question

If my limited memory will serve I will ask the sales rep our parts dept. uses about the retail brand name of the terminal coating we use at work. It comes in a generic commercial can at work, but I am sure there is a retail version. We have been using it for about 6 years now and the stuff really does a good job. We use it on battery terminals as well as in weather-pac plugs and the like. The thing I like about it is that it is easy to spray on and it remains fluid without being sticky. We can use it inside a tight connection and still get it apart. Some paint on protector sprays bond like glue. It does a good job of protecting as well. Dielectric lubes and grease work ok too but you have to get the right stuff. The cheap stuff just looks like Vaseline to me and just makes a corroded mess.