Inline fuse or circut breaker
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Inline fuse or circut breaker
I am going to have either a 200 amp fuse or circut breaker at my battery for my system, and i want to know which would be better.
I also am already going to have a dist block by the amps that has a 120 amp, 80 amp, and 50 amp fuses in it the my amps
I also am already going to have a dist block by the amps that has a 120 amp, 80 amp, and 50 amp fuses in it the my amps
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Breaker is same install pretty much as a fuse. Im kind of partial to breakers. 
Breaker
Pros:
NEVER have to buy replacement fuse if it blows
Easy to disconnect system power
Been using the same breaker for going on 5 years and it hasnt failed me or worn out yet
Cons:
Can wear out over use

Breaker
Pros:
NEVER have to buy replacement fuse if it blows
Easy to disconnect system power
Been using the same breaker for going on 5 years and it hasnt failed me or worn out yet
Cons:
Can wear out over use
inline. Some breakers can actually almost act as a regulator and slow down power delivery. If you are going to have more than a 1000 watts i suggest you go with a inline fuse and upgrade the stock battery its puny and only cranks 400watts if i remeber correctly.
I would go with a circuit breaker. Most pro installers prefer them if you are going to push a lot of watts. The pros are never have to be replaced, work nicely when wanting to cut power to the amp. I would upgrade the alternator though, because our civics don't push enough amps. I know this because I have a 1 farad capacitor as well, and when my bass hits full it will still cut the power to the amp because the alternator can't charge the battery fast enough. But definitely the breaker, just think about it, that is why we have them in our houses, because they are more dependable.
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To be honest i dont think that its possible to have enough capacitors. I'm by no means an electrical engineer but i recall reading some where that about the only capcitors that REALLY benifit audio systems are those HUGE block capcitors think they are like 25-100 farad correct me if im wrong please on the size
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audioefx3
inline. Some breakers can actually almost act as a regulator and slow down power delivery. If you are going to have more than a 1000 watts i suggest you go with a inline fuse and upgrade the stock battery its puny and only cranks 400watts if i remeber correctly.
inline. Some breakers can actually almost act as a regulator and slow down power delivery. If you are going to have more than a 1000 watts i suggest you go with a inline fuse and upgrade the stock battery its puny and only cranks 400watts if i remeber correctly.
There is actually a standard for capapcitors. You are supposed to use 1 farad for every 500 watts. However I am only using 1 farad because my old system was only 400 Watts, now it is 1200 Watts. But yes the best way to go is buy a power core that has 14-20 Farads of capacitance.
Why in gods name would you need a charging system capable of delivering more than 400 amps of current? Hell, 1/0 AWG wire can only handle 195 amps, and the largest wire; 4/0 AWG is rated at 300 amps before you start melting wires.
I've run 4 amplifiers with 4 subs, and 3 component sets in my car for 3 months, and I never drew more than 150 amps.
Wattage doesnt dictate fuse or breaker, it's all personal preference, I use fuses, but to be honest, it doesnt really matter, i've only blown a fuse once in the 4 years i've had a system, and that was from grounding out my + wire on the strut tower while the other end was connected to the battery. (stupid move on my part at 4am)
Generally a breaker IS easier to install though...two ring terminals.
I've run 4 amplifiers with 4 subs, and 3 component sets in my car for 3 months, and I never drew more than 150 amps.
Wattage doesnt dictate fuse or breaker, it's all personal preference, I use fuses, but to be honest, it doesnt really matter, i've only blown a fuse once in the 4 years i've had a system, and that was from grounding out my + wire on the strut tower while the other end was connected to the battery. (stupid move on my part at 4am)
Generally a breaker IS easier to install though...two ring terminals.
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lol now there is a rule about capacitors...
a 1F cap holds about enough juice to give you 50W at a musical peak. so hardly a damn thing. after that it becomes a drain on the system while it recharges.
back to the question i use inlines and have never blown one. if i have a larger system in the future (or smaller) i can change the fuse for a couple bux and be fine. with a breaker i gotta spend a little more.
but breakers can be cheaper for high wattage equipment.
a 1F cap holds about enough juice to give you 50W at a musical peak. so hardly a damn thing. after that it becomes a drain on the system while it recharges.
back to the question i use inlines and have never blown one. if i have a larger system in the future (or smaller) i can change the fuse for a couple bux and be fine. with a breaker i gotta spend a little more.
but breakers can be cheaper for high wattage equipment.
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