Multiple gang fuse bar

[pwfish1]

going to purchase a combination fuse block with fuse clips and screws. also features seperate ground terminal bar. 6 block.

how do i know which size fuse to use? is it dependant upon what accessorie it is, gps,radio,fishfinder.

also getting perko battry switch, medium duty, systems under 50 volts, capacity 250 amps continious and 350 amps intermittant.

will these fit together to power and ground accessories?

boat is 17' cc mariner, gps, radio,fishfinder, adding stereo.

one battery at this time, dual purpose.

this should straighten out my electrical issues.

thank you

 

[rbh]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

we just replaced our old, 1985 sea ray fused with busbar and ground bar with a blue sea 5015 block (glass fused) so far so good.
remember the biggest draw is the ignition, we are using a 30 amp fuse for that, but an old starter could draw upwards of 40-50 amps.
use the old circuits to determin how many amp fuses they used before, and a 35 amp fuse for the horn or lights is overkill as well as if you find aluminum foil wrapped around a fuse, "find the problem" and fix it
rob

 

[pwfish1]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

needing to supply electrical for gps,fishfinder,radio, stereo later on.

going to purchase multiple gang fuse bar with fuse clips and screws. also features seperate ground bar.

how wil i know what size fuse to install for ea accessorie? and will this provide
the service i need? Can i install 1 pos wire to fuse bar from battery?

can someone explain the wiring between accessorie, fusbar, battery.

also getting a medium duty battery switch by perko for systems under 50 volts. capacity is 250amps continuation and 350 intermittant.

thanks

 

[rbh]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

you still have the old fuse block, right?
transfer over each circuit one at a time, and remember some of your extra
equipment may already have inline fuses.
rob

 

[pwfish1]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

i have the old block with the fuses. nothing is connected because i was redoing it all. even when i removed it from under console, it didn't have but one wire on it. the very top fuse has a extra flat conector to it. would this be for power, and then it would carry down to the others?

anyway i'm buying a new one that has seperate post for power to all.

thanks

 

[Big Keepers]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

Your VHF will need a 10 amp fuse. Most VHF radios use 1 amp to receive transmissions and 6 amps to transmit.

Bilge pumps usually draw about 3 amps and most recommend a 5 amp fuse.

A GPS I believe won't draw more than 10 amps and I think mine has a 10 amp fuse. I have a sonar/gps combo. The instructions will tell you exactly what kind of fuse to install for overcurrent protection.

Anchor lights, navigation lights, small led courtesy lights all can be fused with a 5 amp fuse (individually of course.) They shouldn't draw more than an amp or two. I have a 5 amp fuse for my nav light switch and don't blow it when both nav and anchor lights are on. LED lights draw milliamps so you can actually use a 3 amp fuse for them. I used them on my boat. They are actually very bright at night.

Regular am/fm/cd players like in your car usually have a 10 amp fuse in the back of the head unit itself. They don't draw much more than 5-6 amps I think. That pretty much covers all you'll need for a boat your size.

 

[flargin]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

Lets break this down a little: Battery to Fuse Box questions:

going to purchase multiple gang fuse bar with fuse clips and screws. also features seperate ground bar.

Can i install 1 pos wire to fuse bar from battery?

also getting a medium duty battery switch by perko for systems under 50 volts. capacity is 250amps continuation and 350 intermittant.

I would suggest you get 2 wires, one black, one Red, about 20' (measure to ensure) that is 10 Gauge wire. A Red wire from the battery, to an inline fuse, with a 30 amp fuse, to the back of your perko switch... what you described above would be perfect.

Then continue the Red wire from the switch to your fuse panel, mounted under your console.

Run the black wire parallel to the red wire, but not connected to your switch.

Fuse box questions:

going to purchase multiple gang fuse bar with fuse clips and screws. also features seperate ground bar.

I would suggest the following fuse bar:

Link

Now for the wiring from the fuse box to your accessories. Remember fuses protect the wire from getting hot and catching your boat on fire. The fuse to use is the smaller of "what the accessory needs" and "capacity of the wire"

Bee Keeper has a great suggestion for sizes, but make sure you use the correct size wires for the capacity. for your 5 amp circuits, I would suggest using 18-16awg wire, and for your 10 amp circuits, use 16 gauge.

Another key point. try to use different colors... it helps tracking down problems later...

great luck.

 

[pwfish1]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

does it matter how far away the from the switch the inline fuse is? also, when i connect the red to panel under console, will this be connceted to the main positive post for the panel?

will the black be connected to any neg post?

connecting the accessories to panel, both pos and neg will be connected.

getting the picture

thanks

 

[flargin]

Re: Multiple gang fuse bar

does it matter how far away the from the switch the inline fuse is? also, when i connect the red to panel under console, will this be connceted to the main positive post for the panel?

You should have the inline fuse/circuit breaker as close to the battery as fiesable, remember fuses protect wire from overheating, and catching fire. If your switch is close to the battery (few feet) than it can be connected to the "in" side of your switch. It does not matter where the switch is, it matters more where the fuse is.

Yes, than that line will go to the main positive post for the panel (On the bottom of the one pictured)

will the black be connected to any neg post?

connecting the accessories to panel, both pos and neg will be connected

All the 'ground" wires should be combined and all battery negatives should be connected. i.e. if you have more than one battery, somehow connect the negatives together.

The negative line will ultimately make it to the negative post on the fuse box (top one on the one shown)

Remember, you likely already have a ground wire going to the console, so you can re-use that if it is big enough.

Keep on pushing..