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Soyboy · 04-25-2010, 05:52 PM

When installing my new Iota DLS 45, I discovered that there was no battery fuse. Is this typical of Airstreams to have an un-fused cable run from the battery to the charger? Also AS runs 6 wag cable from the battery to the charger (nothing wrong with that) but it makes it a bit harder to find a fuse holder that will fit that cable. I bought the charger from Randy and he has suggested a cnl type of fuse so I may go that route. But again, is this infused situation typical of Airstreams? Just curious.

Zeppelinium · 04-25-2010, 07:14 PM

No, I don't think so. Most have at least one fuse, and some have a fuse in both the pos and neg leads.

Your battery cable is too big. You're not starting a V-8 with that battery. If you pull (or charge) more than 60 amps at any time, you're not being kind to the battery. For the kind of use we put our batteries to, you never want to discharge at a rate higher than C/2 (C=capacity in amp hours). And if you're a boondocker, 15 amps is a big number. You can use #8 wire safely and can get away with #10 if the cable is on the order of 15' or less. If the cable can carry the current, you're only worried about the voltage drop. The #10 cable is essentially 0.001 ohm/foot, so at 25 amps and 15', you would have a voltage drop of about 0.4V across the positive lead (assuming the neg lead is grounded to the shell very near the battery). A #8 wire would have a voltage drop of 0.25V under the same conditions.

Others may disagree. IMHO, the heavy battery wires are a legacy of people looking at the battery wires in cars, which carry 500 amps for starting for very short durations.

Zep

Soyboy · 04-25-2010, 08:16 PM

Thanks and I would tend to agree with what you said, but this is a totally stock setup from what I can tell. It sure looks like it from what I saw with the wiring at the Magnatek that I took out. Plus it is what I have to deal with as I don't see any advantage to changing it. I just want to increase the safety of the system and put a fuse at the battery. Still don't understand why Airstream didn't do that (again the wires look stock to me).

Do others from the '90s have a simlar setup with such heavy gauge wires? My Jayco had about a 8/10 awg wire running from the Battery on the front to the Iota in the rear and it seemed to do fine. I must say that I don't think you can have too large of a wire, although it might be considered overkill.

Zeppelinium · 04-26-2010, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyboy

.. I must say that I don't think you can have too large of a wire, although it might be considered overkill.

Absolutely true. It makes it unnecessarily hard to work with when you're looking for a fuse block.

Zep

thecatsandi · 04-26-2010, 08:06 AM

My 06 Classic has a 50A self reseting fuse on each battery. Then Batteries are combined and on to the hot bus for the Break-a-way and Jack.

Soyboy · 04-26-2010, 10:30 AM

MIchelle, does the fuse mount on the battery terminal? Then does a regular "car battery" size cable 4/6 awg run to the charger? Any chance of a photo as this sounds like it might be what I am looking for.

Dennie

thecatsandi · 04-26-2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyboy

MIchelle, does the fuse mount on the battery terminal? Then does a regular "car battery" size cable 4/6 awg run to the charger? Any chance of a photo as this sounds like it might be what I am looking for.

Dennie

Dennis,
My self reseting circuit breaker (not fuse, correction) is mounted on my front wall within 6 inches of the cable exiting the battery box. It is a small thing. Right now a photo from me would prove nothing. I dismantled the power side of the 12V system. I am re-wiring the whole thing with 100A service from each battery, 100A maximum at the distribution panel. A third battery is being added as well. 4 awg runs from the charger however 6 awg would do. They kept it simple by using the same size wire.

Soyboy · 04-26-2010, 01:38 PM

Thanks Michelle for getting back to me. I think I have found and ordered something that will work great, a Marine Rated Terminal Fuse and holder that will fit right on the battery screw down terminal.

https://bluesea.com/application/2/12...e/overview/378

Should work out great. I will feel better having a fuse right at the battery.

Thanks again for your help.

Dennie

thecatsandi · 04-26-2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyboy

Thanks Michelle for getting back to me. I think I have found and ordered something that will work great, a Marine Rated Terminal Fuse and holder that will fit right on the battery screw down terminal.

https://bluesea.com/application/2/12...e/overview/378

Should work out great. I will feel better having a fuse right at the battery.

Thanks again for your help.

Dennie

Will that fit into the battery box? Any thing higher than my standard car "like" studs will not fit through the door.

Soyboy · 04-26-2010, 08:56 PM

Michelle:

Thanks for the warning, but my battery box is on the tongue of the trailer behind the tanks. The fuse is low profile and I would think it would fit into a standard box with no problems. However I am installing a Dyno dual 6V box with two Trojan T105s. That box will have even more room for the fuse (I know because I had a similar box on my SOB.

I had the side by side on the SOB, but I don't have enough room for that on the AS so I ordered an "end to end" box Box-Golf Cart 2-6V End to End ~ All Battery Sales and Service I will have some rails fab'd across the frame to hold the box above the stock position. Adds a bit to the tongue weight, but my truck can handle it with no problem. I gave up on "stock" "Deep Cycle' batteries several years ago as they always let me down and I was replacing them almost yearly. Since switching to the Trojans, no problems they can put up with the deep cycles etc.

Again, thanks for your concern about the fit.

I still would be curious to see if other folks have Airstreams that are not fused between the battery and the charger. It seemed strange to me to find that on my trailer.

68 Overlander · 04-27-2010, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soyboy

Thanks Michelle for getting back to me. I think I have found and ordered something that will work great, a Marine Rated Terminal Fuse and holder that will fit right on the battery screw down terminal.

https://bluesea.com/application/2/12...e/overview/378

Should work out great. I will feel better having a fuse right at the battery.

Thanks again for your help.

Dennie

Dennie,
That fuse is fine. I can tell you millions of RVs were not fused at the batteries, but rather the distro panel or that area. It is required now during OEM installations and its not a bad thing but they don't require ANL, CNL, circuit breaker, just protection.
Inverters is different, class T is required during OEM installations but others work too. Good luck.