Fuse for ARB Fridge
Submitted: Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:20
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TTTSA
Looking for some advice on fuses.
I just finished installing a twin 6 B&S loom to the rear of my Cruiser for the fridge, sick of the dramas the smaller cabling was causing me.
This loom came fitted with a maxi blade fuse holder which I have just discovered that 20A is the smallest fuse they make in Maxi fuses. Reading the instructions for my 78lt ARB fridge it says to use a !5A fuse.
Is a 20A "safe" to use or not?
Regards
Peter
Reply By: AlbyNSW - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:40
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:40
Have not had any experience with the ARB fridge but I am assuming the reference to a 5A fuse is for the internal fridge fuse ( or is it in the ciggy plug holder supplied?) not the exterior fuse on your supply cable. The fuse on your new loom is to protect the cable not your fridge.
AnswerID:
529936
Follow Up By: TTTSA - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:54
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:54
Hi Alby,
"ARB recommends that a dedicated wiring circuit be installed to power the fridge. This circuit should be as short as possible and be connected directly to the power supply via a 15 Amp fuse"
My previous loom had a 15Amp mini blade fuse at the battery.
Currently my fridge is hard wired with that 15Amp mini blade fuse at the battery. No other fuse in the circuit.
Cheers
Peter
FollowupID:
812760
Follow Up By: Ross M - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:54
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 13:54
Alby
I thinlk it is a 15 amp fuse he means as the ! is a 1 when you hit the shift in the key board.
I agree it is safety for the cable. \I wouldn't be using any ciggy plug devices if already having a good sized cable and would have a dedicated loom as mentioned with an Anderson plug at the fridge end.
That way the nice good loom can do it's job without having the resistance of any ciggy systems in the circuit.
The fridge will then give you a big kiss everytime you open the lid and will hand you the cold beer.
FollowupID:
812761
Follow Up By: TTTSA - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:05
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:05
Howdy
Ross
That's exactly what will be in place, Anderson plug at the fridge end.
So do I not need the 15Amp fuse? Just a 60Amp maxi at the battery end to protect the loom?
Peter
FollowupID:
812762
Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:06
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:06
Ross yes that makes more sense.
Peter, sorry but hard to answer with having to partly guess your situation. If that is the only fuse I would not go higher than what the manufacturer recommends otherwise you can
cook your whole fridge.
Like
Ross said I also have a fuse to protect my supply cable to my tray and then have cut the ciggy plug off my fridge and fitted an anderson plug with a seperate fuse in that lead of equal size to the one that was in the ciggy plug I removed
FollowupID:
812763
Follow Up By: cookie1 - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:11
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 14:11
"That's exactly what will be in place, Anderson plug at the fridge end.
So do I not need the 15Amp fuse? Just a 60Amp maxi at the battery end to protect the loom?"
I would use a 20A, if your load is only about 5A, then it wont cause nuisance tripping but it will prevent a small problem turning into a bigger one
cheers
FollowupID:
812764
Follow Up By: bluefella - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 15:14
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 15:14
Fuse both ends of your 6B&S cable.
FollowupID:
812768
Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Monday, Apr 07, 2014 at 07:16
Monday, Apr 07, 2014 at 07:16
That's an overkill. Just fuse the "source" end. If the fuse blows simply unplug the fridge and if the fuse blows again then you know it wasn't the fridge. Any connection whether it's a plug or fuse etc, is a possible source of problems. Minimise them.
Phil
FollowupID:
812817
Reply By: The Bantam - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 16:54
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 16:54
Let me explain the basic principles of fusing.
Where there is a single supply...we fuse to protect the down stream CABLING.
So as long as the fuse is larger than the current demanded and smaller then the current carrying capaity of the cable you are safe.
If an appliance requires a fuse, it should be either in the appliance or in the appliance connection cord..preferably in the appliance..and that fuse protects the down stream load.....that that is beyond the fuse.
You do not need to have a fuse both ends of a cable unless there is a source of supply both ends...like in a dual battey situation.
As for this need for a dedicated feed.....ahh take that with a grain of salt.....it may have been true if you where running 6mm automotive 4.5mm2 as a dedicated fridge feed........but if if you are running #6 that should support more than a fridge no problems...
#6 is about 13mm2, and rated at 125 amps.....over the length of the car you should be able to pull 40 or 50 amps out of that with little or no issue with voltage drop.
If you want a switchboard at the place where you have your fridge to deliver other loads as well ...that should not be a problem
cheers
AnswerID:
529949
Follow Up By: TTTSA - Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 17:09
Sunday, Apr 06, 2014 at 17:09
Thanks for that Bantam.
I understand That I don't "need" a dedicated feed with 6 B&S cable, just making sure that it fixes the problem.
I stuck with the 60Amp fuse at the battery end and I wired in a 15Amp fuse between the Anderson plug and the fridge at the fridge end.
Should be up to the task I think.
Regards
Peter
FollowupID:
812778