Distro Block

[Mikey7047]

Okay I bought a distribution block yesterday to run my amp and power inverter in my trunk. Just a couple questions:

If the line into the block is fused, do the lines after it have to be fused?

If yes, does the line into it have to be fused? Or can just the lines out be fused?

[projectx515]

when i had had mine set up i ran one fuse to the distrabution block and nothing after that never had blow i dont see the need to have so many fuses along your line . if you have one main one and it blowsthen it stops the flow of electricty so only one fuse should be needed. just make sure you have the right amperage for your fuse.

[Mikey7047]

Okay yeah, that's what I figured, just not what the guy at Best Buy told me for some reason...I just didn't see his logic.

He kept saying "No, nothing after the block will be fused if you do it that way."

[ricerrx7]

You need to have it fused before and after. You are going to need a larger fuse going to the block, but as close to the battery as you can get it. This makes sure that if there is a short before the block, the fuse will blow and nothing will get damaged. It also needs to be somewhat large so that the regular amp draw from the accessories doesn't keep blowing it. Then you need to have each circuit coming from the block fused so it protects each individual circuit. Let's say that one of the accessory circuits needs a 5amp fuse protecting it, and you have a 30 amp fuse for the block. If you suddenly have a problem causing 25 amps to go through that accessory, it won't blow the fuse even though there is something wrong with that individual circuit. And that can cause some major problems.

[Mikey7047]

Well I've had just the one power cord going to my amp with a 30 amp fuse on it, and that is what is going to be going into the distro block now...so that should protect the amp the same then right? And the inverter doesn't need a fuse in line...the cables to connect it didn't come with one in line either...it is built into the inverter...

[ricerrx7]

That should be fine then.

[chaos GT]

here's the common answer: if you're going from a larger gauge wire to a smaller gauge, use fuses. remember, you're protecting the wire, not the stuff they're attached to.

for example, if you have a 4 gauge going into 2 8s: if one of those 8 gauge wires short out, it may not be enough to blow the fuse on the 4 gauge, but it could be enough to set the 8 gauge ablaze.