Brief Description: Installed in-line fuse holders off batteries.
I had to spend most of the day looking for in-line fuse holders that I thought were rugged enough to hold 30A fuses and connect to the Main battery and Aux battery. I found what I needed at West Marine. The Main battery to the Main Hot Battery Bus wire (18" long) was connected to a Midi-fuse using a 1/4" screw, 2 washers, a lock washer, and nut. The wire/fuse connection was then encased in red heat shrink to keep it together with small chance that the nut would loosen. The other end of the Midi-fuse was inserted with the Main battery wire that goes to the Master contactor and bolted to the battery terminal with the 6mm SS bolt and lock washer.
The Aux battery inline fuse holder is an ATC type holder which has a cap that seals the fuse inside and clips to the base. It is sturdy with one end wire connecting to the battery terminal (as well as the holder itself) and the other end crimped to the E-Bus Alt Feed Relay wire (4' long) which goes to the Com terminal of the relay. The in-line fuses were used on the "semi-fat" wires (8AWG & 10AWG) per reading of the Matronics aeroelectric forum and Bob Nuckoll's responses to wiring questions from the forum members. Bob doesn't believe the "fat" wires (6AWG and bigger) need fusing off the batteries because a short on the fat wires would burn through the structure to eliminate the short before the wire could get hot. He seems to say that wires smaller than 6AWG problably should be fused.
Main Hot Bat Bus wire (white) is connected to battery thru 30A Midi-fuse.
Closeup of Midi-fuse (orange color).
30A ATC fuse holder connected to Aux battery with E-Bus Alt Feed Relay wire butt crimped.
