Most AGC-type fuses are rated for 32 volts for DC current AND 250 volts for AC current (50/60Hz). It is easier for a fuse to break an arc of AC current, once the fuse element melts, as the current passes through 0 amperes 100 to 120 times a second. Thank you for producing this video, as fuse AIC ratings are rarely mentioned, and ignoring them can greatly increase the chance of a fire if there is a low impedance short.
Thanks! Your diagram was so helpful last fall when we did our battery/solar upgrade. Now we’re enjoying the fruits of our labor. We will be changing the battery bank 400amp ANL to a T-fuse when more become available. One type of fuse that was not mentioned, and this may date me, was glass type t/tl had in my first home. Lol, old school. Thank for all the time and dedication both you and Steph put into your builds and videos. Thanks again
Great video. I bought several class T fuses about 10 years ago when I set up my first inverter and I still have a few extras from that project. I was debating on whether to use one of my extra Class T fuses or an ANL fuse with my newest inverter and you have answered that question for me. Thanks for doing this excellent video.
Another great video. When are you planning on releasing the alternator charge video? Would love to hear what you have to say on this one, for example how to deal with how hot Orion DC-DC chargers get and how to manage this in your build? Keep up the great work ❤
Nate, An excellent explanation why you are currently listing the ANL fuses instead of Class T fuses in your diagrams. I noticed a limited supply of Class T fuses two years ago when I was building my system using your 400A/3000w diagram. I wanted a spare fuse so I have to buy a fuse holder just to get the 400A Class T fuse that came with it. Are you putting a footnote on the diagram to use a Class T fuse if available?
I recently found out about this channel, really great content! Regarding fuses, I got a question as Im not 100% sure what I should go with.. Which fuse type and size should I use between my 365w (Impp: 10.75A ) solar panel and (30A)regulator (if any) and which fuse to use between my batterybank (12v 240ah) and 1000w inverter? Really appreciated if you could give advice on this 🙏
Outstanding! Will the Class T fuse fit into the ANL fuse holder? I'm guessing not so when they are available, the retrofit will involve fuse and fuse holder? Thanks so much for this amazing channel (and website/store)!
Hi Nate, is my understanding correct that a fuse rating, say 70v 250Amp means that the max voltage I can use it for is 70 V and therefore I can use it as a 250 Amp fuse in my 12 V system?
Thanks for thiis discussion 🙏, very much appreciated however I'm stil in doubt about which T class fuse I should be using inside my custom 48V Lithium battery. I have designed a fuse holder which I have fitted with a Bussmann bs88 180A fuse knowing that this type can be used on borh DC and AC however, the Blue Sea Systems seems to be rated for lower voltage (125 vs 240fro the Bussmann) and I am concirned that they might behave differently. The bussmann is more readily available at a much lower cost but I wouldn't wont to compromise the circuit so I have been trying to obtain a comparison but unfortunately unsuccessfully so far. Perhaps you could discuss this in a future video ?
Sadly I have to add a fuse I find more in modern electrics (distribution systems like Naviop Egon): An ATC Fuse - but in mini. Some half the size than well known ATC fuses.
You totally missed out on the Euro equivalent of a class T - the NF fuse (aka knife blade) fuse with very long tried and tested pedigree (since WW2 from its German origin Siemens). These have 100,000A AIC. OBTW they can also be disconnected on a live load (with a fuse puller handle and wearing protective gear and having had suitable safety instruction). Downside is the difficulty in obtaining a fuse holder (makers keep this essential tightly controlled, to make you buy a system from them - even though its covered by the IEC 60269-2 std). However the far east have been using this design for years and you can buy a basic open ceramic carrier w fuse for $10 thus breaking the cartel and hopefully your fault current Bottom line is that a 12Vdc system is the safest (YOU CANT STRIKE A WELDING ARC AT THAT LOW VOLTAGE- but you can at 24Vdc) Very good summary BTW and you are spot on at the deliberately engineered complexity of fuse systems.
Thanks! Yeah; I'm sure there are fuses from all over the world that are not attainable that I skipped over. I try not to show things on this channel that are not attainable by the average end consumer.
Hi Nate, Your videos and documents are invaluable in designing the system for my new travel trailer that will have 600Ah of 12v battery, 1200 watts of solar, a MultiPlus-II 12/3000/120-32 120V, and DC-DC charging with the new Orion XS. I have been following the 30A OEM Motorhome and 30A Travel Trailer upgrade paths. The kits include an ANL of 300 or 400 Amps. I think 400 Amps would be the correct fuse for the + battery to + Lynx distributor leg in my design since it is on the larger side. I am confused by your statement at 7:51 “except where we may need a 400 amp fuse like we have in the majority of our systems that have the 12 volt version of the multi plus 3K inverter charger in it”. Can you explain?
I’ve decided on a subi Crosstrek build and I’m implementing a lot of stuff from your current van build when I comes to construction like using the t-channel square tubing to build out the frame and slotting in the plywood. Looking into the battery and where to put it I saw that you guys use to have a Crosstrek, do you think the spare tire compartment would be a good idea? I’m a bit worried if a fire or short since I’m from Arizona
Class T are routinely available up to 800 Amps (and more than one manufacturer goes up to 1,200A). You are right though they can be out of stock from time to time.
Is there a video showing how to determine the size of fuse needed? I'm running a 12v system with 400ah LiFePo, 3Kw victron inverter,60amp rover and so on!
This may take a more in-depth look at your personal setup. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂 But yes, a youtube search for 'EXPLORIST.life - How to Size Fuses' will indeed turn up a video on the topic, yes.
Hey nate, I got a grow watt 24v system with 4 24v battle born batteries, I bought 2 more batteries and was wanting to know what I gotta do to drop them into my battery bank. I can't find any info on what needs to be done to add these batteries
I have 4 24v 200Ah eg4s in cabinet w busbars to which each battery is connected. Can I put one MRBF fuse on the positive terminal of each battery for protection or just one MRBF fuse on the positive battery cable from that busbar connected to the inverter, please? Thank you.
I know that this is a really old comment but you are supposed to fuse as close to the battery as you can and each individual battery period you shall also have a fuse on the inverter
How would you go about calculating the max amp release for your LiFePo4 battery if were to short? Does the built in BMS protect for this also? I only have one 12v 280ah LiFePo4 Battery in my system. So would the mega fuse be adequate in this micro system?
@@EXPLORISTlife Yes, totally they vary a lot especially at different voltages. But some manufactures specs are hard to get ahold of, and I'm currently doing a 48v nominal RV system, so it's mor critical than my previous 24v systems. Thanks!
Hmmm....I'm not having any issue getting Class T fuses. Maybe I've just been lucky. Nice explanation on the fuses. Most people do not know what to use and why.
Thanks! Yeah, 1-2 Class-T fuses at a time could be acquired, but that wouldn't be able to keep up with keeping our kits in stock and keeping a good source for our parts lists and such.
New subsciber here. I have a question. I am running four 12 volt, 100 amp hour lifpo batteries hooked up in parallel going to a 40 amp mppt controller. I want to use terminal fuses on each battery. Should 100amp fuses be sufficient, or is it too big or too small on each positive terminal? I am also running all four batteries to heavy duty Pike Industry Busbars. I just want to have the ultimate in safety redundancy. Any opinions? Thanks.
CNN fuses and ANL Fuses are pretty much the same thing just with slightly different various ratings, but they are the same physical size and would be used in the same locations for the most part.
I'm in the process of installing my electrical system based off the Explorist 12V / 3000W diagram (with 3 x 206A batteries). I recently purchased the recommended 400A ANL fuse. Do I need to scrap that fuse and holder and switch to the T fuse setup? As of today, there appears to be several options for T class fuses available on Amazon. I don't understand from the video how much risk I am taking using the ANL instead of a class T. Thank you.
The way I see it; is if I felt it was too much of a risk, I wouldn't be putting it in our kits. T-Fuses from Amazon concern me unless you can verify it is a quality brand like cooper/busman/eaton/littelfuse. An ANL fuse will be better than a no-name T-Fuse every time, I'd imagine.
@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks Nate. I'll stick with the components I have already purchased for now. FWIW - the T-fuse I saw advertised on Amazon is from Blue Sea systems - not certain the manufacturer - expensive, but currently available.
Do you guys sell a kit to install a shut off switch in between the Victron lynx power in and the lynx distributor as well as a kit for the smart shunt using 1/4 inch copper bars
I cannot find an automatic switch that handles DC to DC 48 v array 100 amps I am not using an inverter, I have two 48v solar battery array, I want to use one as a back up, the only item I have hooked to it is connected directly to the MPPT charger. I would like to switch automatically one battery power bank to another when the voltage drop, the switch’s I found don’t handle 100amp input. Any suggestions how to find? I don’t want inverters at all, it would not be necessary for my application, it would only add problems. Thank you
Sounds like you are finding the joys of system design! 🤣 But no, since that's not how I recommend setting up a system; I dont' have a source for you on something like that. Good luck, though!
Thanks for another great video, making things alot less con-fuse-ing! (Sorry, I'll show myself out😂)
😂🤣👍👍
😂😂😂
Most AGC-type fuses are rated for 32 volts for DC current AND 250 volts for AC current (50/60Hz). It is easier for a fuse to break an arc of AC current, once the fuse element melts, as the current passes through 0 amperes 100 to 120 times a second. Thank you for producing this video, as fuse AIC ratings are rarely mentioned, and ignoring them can greatly increase the chance of a fire if there is a low impedance short.
A critical and complex subject, this is why I recommend this channel to everyone.
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Thanks! Your diagram was so helpful last fall when we did our battery/solar upgrade. Now we’re enjoying the fruits of our labor. We will be changing the battery bank 400amp ANL to a T-fuse when more become available. One type of fuse that was not mentioned, and this may date me, was glass type t/tl had in my first home. Lol, old school. Thank for all the time and dedication both you and Steph put into your builds and videos. Thanks again
Awesome! Glad it's been helpful. Thanks for tuning in, Danielle! 😁👍
Outstanding video, as usual. Incredible restraint to accurately call them A N L fuses. I couldn't do it 😂
Great video. I bought several class T fuses about 10 years ago when I set up my first inverter and I still have a few extras from that project. I was debating on whether to use one of my extra Class T fuses or an ANL fuse with my newest inverter and you have answered that question for me. Thanks for doing this excellent video.
Great video - can you break down breakers! DC breakers are so confusing... thanks
When would it be appropriate to use a DC breaker in place of a fuse?
Very informative video because I had no idea about the levels of fuses available and the purpose of each
Another great video.
When are you planning on releasing the alternator charge video?
Would love to hear what you have to say on this one, for example how to deal with how hot Orion DC-DC chargers get and how to manage this in your build?
Keep up the great work ❤
Thanks! Alternator charging will come soon, but I'm not going to commit to a specific release date. 😂😁
It would be neat to have a little pdf file as a cheat sheet with all these fuses.
I finally get how to choose between all the fuse options. Thanks!
Nate, you took the conFUSING out of fuses. Thank you
😂🤣 Thats funny. Thanks for tuning in, Brian! 😁👍
Nate, another great video and confirmed why I couldn't get T fuses last year. 👍
Thanks! 👍
What about features like slow blow / time delay? Are there variants to avoid or choose?
Nate, An excellent explanation why you are currently listing the ANL fuses instead of Class T fuses in your diagrams. I noticed a limited supply of Class T fuses two years ago when I was building my system using your 400A/3000w diagram. I wanted a spare fuse so I have to buy a fuse holder just to get the 400A Class T fuse that came with it. Are you putting a footnote on the diagram to use a Class T fuse if available?
Great vid, info, rundown & explanation of these fuse types Nate.
Hey Evil1, Thanks so much! Cheers!
I recently found out about this channel, really great content!
Regarding fuses, I got a question as Im not 100% sure what I should go with..
Which fuse type and size should I use between my 365w (Impp: 10.75A ) solar panel and (30A)regulator (if any) and which fuse to use between my batterybank (12v 240ah) and 1000w inverter? Really appreciated if you could give advice on this 🙏
Ecellent video. Can you do a video about ceramic DC fuses and 12V DC systems please? In my country we get 10x38 ceramic DC fuses.
Some of those I've never heard of.
Just like to add you also have fast blow fuses and slow. 😁
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Outstanding! Will the Class T fuse fit into the ANL fuse holder? I'm guessing not so when they are available, the retrofit will involve fuse and fuse holder? Thanks so much for this amazing channel (and website/store)!
Class T fuses are a different dimension so they won't fit into an ANL Fuse holder, no.
Really appreciate all your videos. It's been great help. Thank you 👍
Glad it was helpful. Cheers!
Hi Nate, is my understanding correct that a fuse rating, say 70v 250Amp means that the max voltage I can use it for is 70 V and therefore I can use it as a 250 Amp fuse in my 12 V system?
I can’t tell you how much I value your videos. They are perfect for numb nuts like me
Hey John T, No problem! Glad it helped! :)
Excellent content. Thanks.
Much appreciated!
Thanks for thiis discussion 🙏, very much appreciated however I'm stil in doubt about which T class fuse I should be using inside my custom 48V Lithium battery. I have designed a fuse holder which I have fitted with a Bussmann bs88 180A fuse knowing that this type can be used on borh DC and AC however, the Blue Sea Systems seems to be rated for lower voltage (125 vs 240fro the Bussmann) and I am concirned that they might behave differently. The bussmann is more readily available at a much lower cost but I wouldn't wont to compromise the circuit so I have been trying to obtain a comparison but unfortunately unsuccessfully so far. Perhaps you could discuss this in a future video ?
Sadly I have to add a fuse I find more in modern electrics (distribution systems like Naviop Egon):
An ATC Fuse - but in mini. Some half the size than well known ATC fuses.
You totally missed out on the Euro equivalent of a class T - the NF fuse (aka knife blade) fuse with very long tried and tested pedigree (since WW2 from its German origin Siemens). These have 100,000A AIC. OBTW they can also be disconnected on a live load (with a fuse puller handle and wearing protective gear and having had suitable safety instruction). Downside is the difficulty in obtaining a fuse holder (makers keep this essential tightly controlled, to make you buy a system from them - even though its covered by the IEC 60269-2 std). However the far east have been using this design for years and you can buy a basic open ceramic carrier w fuse for $10 thus breaking the cartel and hopefully your fault current
Bottom line is that a 12Vdc system is the safest (YOU CANT STRIKE A WELDING ARC AT THAT LOW VOLTAGE- but you can at 24Vdc)
Very good summary BTW and you are spot on at the deliberately engineered complexity of fuse systems.
Thanks! Yeah; I'm sure there are fuses from all over the world that are not attainable that I skipped over. I try not to show things on this channel that are not attainable by the average end consumer.
Hi Nate,
Your videos and documents are invaluable in designing the system for my new travel trailer that will have 600Ah of 12v battery, 1200 watts of solar, a MultiPlus-II 12/3000/120-32 120V, and DC-DC charging with the new Orion XS.
I have been following the 30A OEM Motorhome and 30A Travel Trailer upgrade paths. The kits include an ANL of 300 or 400 Amps. I think 400 Amps would be the correct fuse for the + battery to + Lynx distributor leg in my design since it is on the larger side.
I am confused by your statement at 7:51 “except where we may need a 400 amp fuse like we have in the majority of our systems that have the 12 volt version of the multi plus 3K inverter charger in it”. Can you explain?
I’ve decided on a subi Crosstrek build and I’m implementing a lot of stuff from your current van build when I comes to construction like using the t-channel square tubing to build out the frame and slotting in the plywood. Looking into the battery and where to put it I saw that you guys use to have a Crosstrek, do you think the spare tire compartment would be a good idea? I’m a bit worried if a fire or short since I’m from Arizona
Great video! Wondering why you didn't choose mrbf fuse for the main battery fuse instead of anl?
They are only available in sizes up to 300A, so when we need a main system fuse size larger than 300A, we can't use them.
Class T are routinely available up to 800 Amps (and more than one manufacturer goes up to 1,200A). You are right though they can be out of stock from time to time.
So, you think our wholesale suppliers are lying to us?
Is there a video showing how to determine the size of fuse needed? I'm running a 12v system with 400ah LiFePo, 3Kw victron inverter,60amp rover and so on!
This may take a more in-depth look at your personal setup. If you have purchased/are purchasing from our store (shop.explorist.life) reach out for some more personalized help: shop.explorist.life/support
If you've purchased/are purchasing elsewhere, reach out to your dealer for support. We'd love to have you as a shop.explorist.life customer so we can provide a bit more help in the future. 🙂
But yes, a youtube search for 'EXPLORIST.life - How to Size Fuses' will indeed turn up a video on the topic, yes.
Good Morning. Thank you Great info. Jack
I was fused to the screen for just over 10minutes, but I've cooled down now.
Great video as are all of your videos.
Question: Can I use a 300A terminal fuse on my 200AH lithium battery or is that too much? Thank uou
Fuse size is not determined by the battery bank capacity. More info: ua-cam.com/video/5y-yDMEgV70/v-deo.html
Is the ampere rating a maximum? I.e., is it ok to have a fuse with „too high“ of an ampere rating or is the range tighter?
Super helpful breakdown. Thank you :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
Another great video, I learn a lot from them. Thx
Glad you like them! thanks for watching!
Hey nate, I got a grow watt 24v system with 4 24v battle born batteries, I bought 2 more batteries and was wanting to know what I gotta do to drop them into my battery bank. I can't find any info on what needs to be done to add these batteries
Do you know of any terminal fuse blocks that fit M8 battery studs? All the ones I see are M10.
I have 4 24v 200Ah eg4s in cabinet w busbars to which each battery is connected. Can I put one MRBF fuse on the positive terminal of each battery for protection or just one MRBF fuse on the positive battery cable from that busbar connected to the inverter, please? Thank you.
I know that this is a really old comment but you are supposed to fuse as close to the battery as you can and each individual battery period you shall also have a fuse on the inverter
How would you go about calculating the max amp release for your LiFePo4 battery if were to short? Does the built in BMS protect for this also? I only have one 12v 280ah LiFePo4 Battery in my system. So would the mega fuse be adequate in this micro system?
Do you guys use amg fuses?
The AIC on all these fuses is dependent upon the voltage they are running at!? Thanks for the video!
Yes. Check with the manufacturers spec sheet for each fuse for additional info.
@@EXPLORISTlife Yes, totally they vary a lot especially at different voltages. But some manufactures specs are hard to get ahold of, and I'm currently doing a 48v nominal RV system, so it's mor critical than my previous 24v systems. Thanks!
@@markjackson6829 True!
Hmmm....I'm not having any issue getting Class T fuses. Maybe I've just been lucky. Nice explanation on the fuses. Most people do not know what to use and why.
Thanks! Yeah, 1-2 Class-T fuses at a time could be acquired, but that wouldn't be able to keep up with keeping our kits in stock and keeping a good source for our parts lists and such.
What about those circuit breaker/resettable fuses? Not use at all ?
New subsciber here. I have a question. I am running four 12 volt, 100 amp hour lifpo batteries hooked up in parallel going to a 40 amp mppt controller. I want to use terminal fuses on each battery. Should 100amp fuses be sufficient, or is it too big or too small on each positive terminal? I am also running all four batteries to heavy duty Pike Industry Busbars. I just want to have the ultimate in safety redundancy. Any opinions? Thanks.
I learned much thanks
Awesome! Glad it helped. Thanks for watching!
Very educational - thank you :)
Glad it was helpful!
Will any fuses restrict the current flow in a circuit?
They don't 'restrict' in the sense that they will limit current flow. They will break and then flow will stop altogether.
Dang I was hoping you'd cover CNN fuses
CNN fuses and ANL Fuses are pretty much the same thing just with slightly different various ratings, but they are the same physical size and would be used in the same locations for the most part.
do i need a t class fuse on my powerqueen lifepo4 12v 200ah with 200A bms and 2000w inverter?
A caution to beware of the cheap knock-offs; especially on the ANL fuses
Quality brands are not cheap
Very much so.
I'm looking at rgs or nt type fusible links as I need 250-300a fuses for my 48v off grid system running a 12kw LF inverter
Neat! Sounds like a cool project.
I'm confused what is the purpose of having an AIC? The AIC is determined by the material of the fuse element?
Nice. You do a good job.
Thank you!
Will an anl fuse fit in the lynx power in? The spot you would normally put a mega fuse?
Nope.
I have a Maxxair Mini Dome Fan with a Mini Fuse With a Screw-In Cap, it's gone missing and even. With the company, I can't find a replacement.
Do you install the class t directly to the battery terminal or use a fuse block?
All fuses need a fuse holder.
@@EXPLORISTlife thank you! cover also required or no? Working with 4/0 can make the small openings tricky to deal with
I'm in the process of installing my electrical system based off the Explorist 12V / 3000W diagram (with 3 x 206A batteries). I recently purchased the recommended 400A ANL fuse. Do I need to scrap that fuse and holder and switch to the T fuse setup? As of today, there appears to be several options for T class fuses available on Amazon. I don't understand from the video how much risk I am taking using the ANL instead of a class T. Thank you.
The way I see it; is if I felt it was too much of a risk, I wouldn't be putting it in our kits. T-Fuses from Amazon concern me unless you can verify it is a quality brand like cooper/busman/eaton/littelfuse. An ANL fuse will be better than a no-name T-Fuse every time, I'd imagine.
@@EXPLORISTlife Thanks Nate. I'll stick with the components I have already purchased for now. FWIW - the T-fuse I saw advertised on Amazon is from Blue Sea systems - not certain the manufacturer - expensive, but currently available.
@@jeffsills8284 Blue Sea is high quality
Do ANL fuses work in the lynx shunt fof main system fusing?
ANL and CNN fuses are the only ones that fit in the Lynx Shunt, yes.
Fantastic!
Many thanks!
Do you guys sell a kit to install a shut off switch in between the Victron lynx power in and the lynx distributor as well as a kit for the smart shunt using 1/4 inch copper bars
We do not use the Lynx Power In for any of our system designs; so, no... we do not sell that kit.
Perhaps consider just following our system designs as-is w/ no alterations so you don't have to have guess-work. shop.explorist.life
@EXPLORISTlife that's a shame, I guess I will keep looking
@@EXPLORISTlifeno thanks, I rather build my system for my needs
Well, good luck then! 🤣
Are class t fuses the same size as anl fuses? Just curious if I can still use the anl fuse holder?
They are not the same size; no.
@@EXPLORISTlife ok, thank you for the quick response.
Can I use a class T fuse just after the batteries and a mega fuse in the Victron lynx distributor?
I cannot find an automatic switch that handles DC to DC 48 v array 100 amps
I am not using an inverter,
I have two 48v solar battery array, I want to use one as a back up, the only item I have hooked to it is connected directly to the MPPT charger.
I would like to switch automatically one battery power bank to another when the voltage drop, the switch’s I found don’t handle 100amp input.
Any suggestions how to find?
I don’t want inverters at all, it would not be necessary for my application, it would only add problems.
Thank you
Sounds like you are finding the joys of system design! 🤣 But no, since that's not how I recommend setting up a system; I dont' have a source for you on something like that. Good luck, though!
Love it
Hey Rick Harold, Thanks so much! Cheers!
Why'd you switch to ANL fuses?
From what?
@0:05 Ha, He said fuses can be con-fusing
😂😂😂
I call BS on calls T fuese we order them by the dozen!
With all due respect, a dozen doesn’t help me as a dealer. I need a couple hundred a month.
👏⛵️🔋