Association Forum - Fuse size for lights

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Fuse size for lights

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Bortiquai
1st Mate

Member Avatar

88 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/11/2009 : 22:24:36

I am using a fuse panel instead of breakers. What Size fuse should I be using for lights, like the running lights, mast lights, etc. They are standard (not LED) bulbs. I think the steaming light is a Perko, the mast head is a Davis Mega light. The fuse panel came loaded with 15 AMP fuses. Should I be changing these out? It uses the ATO/ATC style fuses.

Thanks

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/11/2009 : 22:31:49

I would always replace with the same amp fuse whenever possible. If the replacement fuse blows immediately, you have a short somewhere in the circuit.

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3476 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 07:49:07

IMHO..
I think of most lamps (DC, non-led) on boats drawing about .6 amps average.
Most of the lighting circuits I've had on a boat might have at the most 10 lights on a circuit so I'd probably stay around a 6 amp fuse (.6x10=6).

I personally would not be that happy with a 15 amp fuse on a lighting circuit but it will still cut out pretty quickly if you have a short.

BUT IN GENERAL:
for me for boats, I'd rather have a 5-10 amp fuse on a lighting circuit.

It is not to difficult with the internet to find out how many amps the circuit should be drawing.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 13:34:11

Add up the wattage of all the lamps on the circuit and divide by 12 for total amps. Get a fuse of the larger size.

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2009 : 13:35:18

next larger size

Edited by - on

jlguthri
1st Mate

Members Avatar

USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 01/20/2009 : 20:27:00

One very important thing to keep in mind is to have a very clear picture of what specifically you wish to protect.

Typically, in a fuse panel, you are interested in protecting your boat wiring system (not the actual device). If you overload your boat's wiring, you burn down the boat. Besides, if you over amp a light bulb, it will simply burn out, opening the circuit.

When you look at your boat's electronics (items worth actually protecting), you typically see a fuse for the wiring, and a inline fuse for the device (which is less).

I'm a fan of putting your protection device as close to the device or wiring you are trying to protect.

In my mind, you should have a protection device between the battery and the panel to protect the wire from the battery to the panel. You should have a protection device (fuse, breaker) for each of you branching circuits, finally, you should have another protection device for any device you deem important, or that requires protection. The closer you put the protection for the actual device to the device the better for speed of action (it takes time for fuses to blow).

In your case, a fuse for the wiring, and perhaps another fuse for the actual lighting device. If it is a simple incandescent light bulb, i'd probably not protect the light bulb. If it is some sort of solid state device, I'd probably add an additional inline fuse to protect the device and size it for the actual lighting device. This way, if you wire things properly, you can very easily find the offending device, while ensure overall protection.

<b>Don't forget to protect the boat's wiring.</b> Don't be afraid to pad for safety.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.