Main Fuse Size

[buckeyebrewer]

What size fuse do you recommend between your main battery and switch panel? Switch panel is wired into a fusebox, but manufacturer still recommends wiring it this way.

Thoughts?

 

[gillhunter]

What size wire and how long is the run?

 

[buckeyebrewer]

Thats a good question. I'm not sure on what size wire to use. The wire coming off the switch plate looks to be 14. The run from the battery to the switch plate won't be more than a couple of feet.

 

[gillhunter]

If it's a 14 guage wire I would use a 15 amp fuse, close to the battery.

 

[buckeyebrewer]

Could be 16, I'll have to look at it more closely.

 

[DaleH]

To calculate it properly, you need your maximum worst case amp load and the length of the run both ways (even though there is a separate wire for each leg).

Then you can factor in your maximum allowable voltage drop, i.w., 3% for critical items (nav lights, VHF radio, etc.) or 10% for house items (accessory power socket, livewell, etc.).

Most voltage drop charts, once you know your total amp load and total length of the run, gives you both the 3% and 10% values.

Here's link to a free wire/ampacity download for your own use: https://www.midcoast.com/~aft/wiresz32.html