Inline fuse questions

[braden]

I just bought a humminbird fishfinder that I want to hook up directly to my battery. The humminbird manual states that I needed to install a one amp inline fuse. I know nothing about this kind of stuff. I went to the local bass pro shop. The associate there said that all they had was an inline fuse holder that could accommodate up to a 30 amp fuse. I asked if that was just the max, and couldn't I just put a one amp fuse in it? He said he wasn't sure and that the smallest fuse that they had was a 3 amp fuse.

If humminbird is recommending a 1 amp fuse, would a 3 amp fuse work (or would it not be sensitive enough)?

Where can I get an inline fuse set up for my FF? I am assuming that I will need a waterproof version. How to I set it up?

Am I looking for the square fuses with the prongs or the cylinder glass type?

Sorry for all of the basic questions, this is all new to me.

 

[DaleH]

Just go to local auto parts store or even Wallyworld (Walmart) and get an inline fuse holder like shown. Cut the wire and splice using butt connectors into the positive side of the circuit, adding the 1-amp slo-blo glass fuse.

If not a waterproof rated holder, you can coat everything when hooked up with multiple thin coats of liquid electrical tape. There are more elegant options, of course, but that will work. Home Deport sells a bottle of liquid e-tape for $5 that is the best I have ever used. Just remember that a few thin coats applied and cured between coats, if preferable to one big, thick globbie (sp?) coat ...

A little dab of dielectric grease put into the butt connectors and onto the fuse connections sure doesn't hurt either. Buy at auto parts store, where you'll get 3X as much for 1/2 the price that a marine/boat store would sell it to you for ...

 

[richg99]

Dale's suggestion and picture of the in-line fuse holder is good advice.

Since I read your post and noted....."I know nothing about this kind of stuff."...please note that the wire that goes from one end of the fuse holder to the other end has to be cut in half. That makes up the two connections that you need to go from the battery side to the FF side.

First time I saw one of those setups, I wondered why the heck they made them that way. Must be cheaper. regards, richg99

 

[braden]

Thanks guys. Now for the silly questions.

1. So I cut the loop of the inline fuse holder. Now what. Do I then cut the positive lead going to the battery and then splice in the inline fuse holder with wire nuts?

2. There was a water proof inline fuse holder at bass pro that looked just like the one in the picture above, that was rated up to a 30 amp fuse. Can I just go to an auto parts store and pick up a 1 amp fuse and it will work?

 

[RivRunR]

Cut the fuse holder wire in the middle. Splice one end of that to the positive wire coming from the fish finder. Splice the other end to a wire that will be going to the positive post on the battery, add a terminal ring connector that will fit on your battery post. Unscrew the plastic piece in the middle and drop in your fuse.

The holder at Bass Pro would've worked, but as others here said, you'll get the same or better fuse holder at an auto parts store for less money, so just pick up one there along with a few 1A fuses so you have spares.

 

[richg99]

Wire nuts are not the best for boats, but they will work.

Inline crimp connectors are used more often.

I prefer to slip some heat shrink tubing on each line, solder the wires together, and then slide the heat shrink tube over my soldered joint and heat with a match. regards, richg99

p.s. it is best if the fuse is closest to the battery. This true for all fuses on boats.

 

[RivRunR]

Like this, only PLEASE do a neater job on the connection than this guy did !!! :LOL2:

 

[braden]

Great. The auto parts store is closer than bass pro anyway. I am trying to get my parts list together. So far, it looks like I will need:
inline fuse holder
1 amp slo-blo glass fuse
terminal ring connector
inline crimp connector x 2
heat shrink tubing
dielectric grease

Anything else?

 

[DaleH]

Liquid electrical tape as I recommended from Home Depot

 

[braden]

Sorry, I did not mean to ignore you. Thanks for the reminder!

 

[DaleH]

Sorry, I did not mean to ignore you. Thanks for the reminder!

Haha, no worries! Now if you can't find/get the parts for such a simple need - PM me your mailing address - and I'll make one up and send out to you all ready to be crimped to your FF lead ...

 

[braden]

Sorry, I did not mean to ignore you. Thanks for the reminder!

Haha, no worries! Now if you can't find/get the parts for such a simple need - PM me your mailing address - and I'll make one up and send out to you all ready to be crimped to your FF lead ...

That's quite an offer! I'll see what I can do on my end first. Hopefully I will be able to figure it out, but sure is nice to have options. That's awesome, thanks.

 

[richg99]

Hmmm...I nominate DaleH as "boater of the week"! for tinboats.com
Nice offer Dale.

regards, richg99

 

[braden]

I am at the store right now and am unsure of the size. Will 12 gauge work for the butt connectors and the ring terminals?

 

[richg99]

Connector size should match the size of your wire. Compare a fuse holder wire to wire they sell. When they match, look at the size of the wire and match the connector to it. My guess is 12 is bigger than you need, but will still work.

 

[braden]

Got it, thanks!

 

[braden]

I finally got it put together last night. I am a little embarrassed to put a pic on the forum. It ended up being a little sloppy. Even though I knew better, I forgot to slip the heat shrink tubing over the wires before I crimped the connectors. There at least was hear shrink tubing on the connectors themselves. So I heated those down, then added a few wraps of electrical tape, then liquid tape.

Thanks again for all of the help!