Hi Jan and All, I've used for many EV's just a 2'' length of solid copper wire sized right for the load. Higher voltage, use longer. Using SS bolt/nuts as terminals and support with distance and something to catch the molten metal if it blows has worked for me. I also use them if possible as a connector between other parts/contactors, etc to save a connection break in the power circuit.
Mostly I used 16gge for under 100 amp cont. lightweight EV's and 14gge for a 3500lb one, 150 amp cont. as it blew the 16gge one when tested full motor and brakes on though moving, like a panic stop. If it won't blow then as a final emergency cutoff of power, then make it smaller. I chose that as much smaller the motor windings, battery cables, etc too as the starting point . Fact is most fuses are just smaller wire types sized to fail at the rating and containing the leftover material sometimes .. I should mention many say this isn't safe making my own yet I've had little problem, those hot metal balls for instance need a solution ;^P, over 15 yrs. That said you can find lengths of fuse material in commercial electrical supply places, at least you use to as so much I use to buy to do things are no longer available, as an alternative to solid wire. Jerry Dycus On Saturday, May 31, 2014 3:40 AM, Jan Steinman via EV <[email protected]> wrote: On 2014-05-29, at 13:37, Lee Hart wrote: > Jan Steinman via EV wrote: >> I think you've convinced me to install a fuse! > > New high-current fuses are expensive. You're right, they are expensive! What about fusible link wire? From an Amazon listing: A fusible link is a special section of low tension cable installed by an OEM and designed to open a circuit when subjected to extreme current overload. Its purpose is to minimize wiring system damage when such an overload accidentally occurs in those circuits protected by the fusible link. A short circuit causes the fusible link to act as an element in a "slow-blow" fuse. A fusible link is not intended to be used in place of a fuse but only where a fuse cannot be economically employed. Our fusible line wire meets the requirements of SEJ-156 and the insulation has the characteristics as listed for EAE, SE J-1128Type SXL. The vehicle manufacturer should be consulted about questions on fusible link length and size. General practice has been for a fusible link to be 4 gauges smaller than the circuit wire. Example: if the circuit wire is 12 gauge, use a 16 gauge fusible link. It appears to me that a fusible link is nothing more than a SHORT section of under-sized wire, with a coating that contain the shrapnel. Seems it wouldn't be too difficult to cobble up. I haven't found any formula for wire sizes versus current capacity -- anyone know how to size these suckers? >> At best, [conservation] means we will run out of energy a little more slowly. >> -- Ronald Reagan > > Conservation is important because it gives us *time* to look for other > options. It's a "second chance", to do it better the next time. > > But, second chances are only valuable if we change our behavior. We need to > stop doing what got us into the situation in the first place. I'm with you, and change my behaviour at every opportunity. But I'm afraid we've gone solidly into overshoot. The time for a "Manhattan Project" or "Apollo Project" effort would have been in the 70s. But instead, we got "Morning in America." The first rule when you find yourself in a hole is to stop digging. But the message hasn't gotten out yet... (And the following came up totally at random.) :::: A change to a different way of living -- a low energy way -- is not negotiable. We need to reduce our use of fossil fuels or we will die. -- Pat Murphy :::: Jan Steinman, EcoReality Co-op :::: _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.evdl.org/private.cgi/ev-evdl.org/attachments/20140531/d0a0a00e/attachment-0001.htm> _______________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub http://lists.evdl.org/listinfo.cgi/ev-evdl.org For EV drag racing discussion, please use NEDRA (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NEDRA)
