What size wire and inline fuse?

[mike2587]

Hello!

I'm adding a 16' LED light strip to my bimini top that will run through a bluetooth controller unit as well as a voltage reducer to a simple rocker switch off of my dash with a run to my battery. I found a tutorial online for the 3 items listed below that they used but they did never go into any detail about the wiring or fuse. I'm trying to figure out what gauge wire I should go with for the part that goes from the battery to the voltage reducer and then from there to the bluetooth controller. I also think that I should probably add an inline fuse near the terminal that connects to the battery. For this light strip and all things considered, what would you suggest I use for a gauge wire for this run to be safe? Also, what size inline fuse should I get as well? My electronics dash is about 8-10 feet from my battery and the light strip is being run about 4' from my electronics dash and 4' from the battery which is exactly in the middle of my dash and battery basically.

I just want to make sure I do this correctly to avoid any issues. I realize the light strip will not draw much to work it, but still.

Here is the light strip I'm using - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZHB9M6A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=AA0YO4F2UD50F&psc=1

Here is the voltage reducer I'm using - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J3MHTYG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=AYOMIWFVJV81A&psc=1

Here is the bluetooth controller I'm using - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LW1J10W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=AA0YO4F2UD50F&psc=1

Any insight would be great.

Thanks!
Mike

 

[82rude]

The power req for that lightstrip are so minimal its sickening.light wiring and a light fuse plus no stepdown needed.I have similar to that and a light bar (led)that lights up the eastern seaboard and it uses light factory wiring and no fuse .If left on accidently it would take a very very long time to wear a big battery down.

 

[mike2587]

Sounds good. In order to protect the wiring and the lights themselves, I'm using 18 AWG wiring and I did buy an inline fuse that I'm going to connect close to the battery terminal. Any thoughts on what size fuse I should get? I was going to get a 5A fuse, but maybe that's too much? Thoughts?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Lowlysubaruguy]

5 amp is probably fine it will blow with just about any failure personally I never go smaller than 14 gauge several reasons when you cut and crimp there is almost always damage to several strands and crimped connections are the cause of many failures the smaller the wire the more important the crimp is next is durability smaller wires-break from vibration and flex so run 14 gauge as your smallest wire in anything that moves. If this was not on a car or boat 18 gauge is fine. If I’m making my own battery cables they are 0 or 00 in a boat mine never need replaced have some that are 25 years old in marine use. Bigger is almos always better than smaller.

 

[superbenk]

Rather than running another wire all the way back to the battery, check to see if you have any open fuse sockets that are already powered. Might even have something that’s tied into the ignition switch already. My boat even has an unused dash switch for adding accessories that would work fine for this. I’d even consider just splicing into the existing dash/courtesy lighting circuit that is already there. As said previously, the power draw for this is likely extremely low - guessing 10-15 watts.

 

[high&dry]

When installing a circuit the fuse is to protect that circuit, not the device. Like the weak link in a chain. Typically 16 gauge wire is a 7.5 amp fuse for example.

 

[MTboatguy]

Looking at the specs on those lights, they draw 9 watts at 5V so that is a very light load, there is a warning not to use over 6V DC or you risked damaging the lights. So don't run directly to the battery, you will need to drop the voltage down or get a small 6V battery as far as a fuse, I would run a 5 amp fuse and 16 gauge wire on it which would be more than enough on a 9 watt draw.