fusible link and fuse question

[dodj]

My alt is 80 amps. And while I'll bet it is never outputting that much, I didn't want a nuisance blown fuse. So I went for 100 amps. Like you, I'm only really concerned about a dead short. If I had a 60 alt, I'd use an 80 amp fuse.

[Burdar]

What I'm finding listed online is that an 8 gauge wire is only good for 50 amps.  At anything over that, the wire will be damaged before the fuse blows...or I'm not reading something correctly.

[Burdar]

I'll admit I'm not good at electrical.  I'm copying this from an article I just read.  However, they sell 8 gauge fuse holders with 100 amp fuses which makes no sense.

Suggested Fuse Sizes
Wire Gauge   Recommended
Maximum Fuse Size
00 awg   400 amps
0 awg   325 amps
1 awg   250 amps
2 awg   200 amps
4 awg   125 amps
6 awg   80 amps
8 awg   50 amps
10 awg   30 amps
12 awg   20 amps
14 awg   15 amps
16 awg   7.5 amps
These are the recommended maximum fuse ratings for the corresponding wire size. Using a smaller fuse than what's recommended here will be perfectly safe.

I think I'll order a fuse holder with a 50 amp fuse.  I already have some 40 amp and 100 amp maxi fuses that I can swap out if I need to.

[dodj]

Electricity is a strange animal. Safe current carrying capacities are listed in the tables you are looking at. Short cct conditions are something else. You are correct that sustained high current would damage your uwiring.. But fuses are designed to open in very short time frames. Like quarter cycle, 4.2ms, to a few cycles. Both are much less than one second. So for the extremely Brief period of time your wire is exposed to the short cct conditions, you will be ok.

[Chryco Psycho]

at least 25% more then your max current load

[YellowThumper]

@dodj do have a picture of what you used and where you put it? We're you able to hide it?

I'm a little concerned about an internal alternator short. That's a lot of juice flowing through an 8 gauge wire. The factory used a bypass wire on 90s Dakotas. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think it was fused in any way. Maybe I'll look for a Dakota wiring diagram and see.

When adding a fusible link or inline fuse holder, are you using a butt connector, soldering or both?

Sent from my SM-S327VL using Tapatalk

My 02 Dakota had fusible link on the charge wire.
I don't see the purpose of having 2 wires to feed the interior. If you just utilize the factory wire thru bulkhead (amp bypassed) that will suffice for interior requirements. The large wire then feeds to starter. This will handle any additional loads. The "feed" amperage is irrelevant if the usage need is not there to take it.

[Burdar]

Having two wires power the interior is simply because I don't want to hack the existing wire out of the harness.  It's already run to the alternator so I'll just use it.

[dodj]

Having two wires power the interior is simply because I don't want to hack the existing wire out of the harness.  It's already run to the alternator so I'll just use it.

I did the same thing 

[YellowThumper]

Having two wires power the interior is simply because I don't want to hack the existing wire out of the harness.  It's already run to the alternator so I'll just use it.

Ahhh I get it. I thought you added another. You are just keeping what already went in and out of there.