hi guys..been a while although been popping in to catch up every now and then...
got a question...i'm fitting an inline fuse holder to take a 5amp mini blade fuse between battery and switch..not my idea, read it on rctankwarfare forum..seems like a good idea and can't hurt so i've cut a small hole in battery compartment so i can change fuse from there without opening up tank if need be..question is, the wire on the inline fuse holder is thicker than the battery connector lead wire..does this matter..??
many thanks, rgds stuart

mate, I don't think it matters at all

It doesn't matter too much.... You're supposed to use wireing large enough to carry the fuse rating for a short period of time (in the seconds) so you don't fry the wires in a short. REMEMBER THAT THE FUSE IS TO PROTECT THE SOURCE (battery) AND WIRES FROM FIRE. It will NOT protect the components on the circuit board(s) from short. It Takes an overload draw (like a short) on the load side to puddle the fuse. By that time, you've already crispy crittered some of the components on the board....

STILL, it is a good idea. may save your tank from turning into a flaming pile of plastic (not to mention the battery).

Splat

Too right. A transistor is the fastest fuse known to man.

Jo

They're even more sensitive if all the stores are closed and it's the last one in your parts box.

D.

i hear that..! having mixed results at the mo anyway on the electrical side of things...popped3 fuses already bench testing the proportional smoker...[&o] good job i haven't given up my day job...!!
cheers for replies guys

sfstu:

You'll probably want to make sure you have a fast-blow fuse in there too, otherwise it'll transmit enough before it goes to blow the delicate parts on the board before it goes up. And make sure if its close to the styrene that you insulate the area... something that won't transmit the heat... think someone makes a thin insulating tape, but some metal-foil duct tape should do. It'll reflect the heat away for enough time to avoid damage to the styrene. Even better would be put the foil onto some of the craft stick-foam I mentioned elsewhere, then stick the foam to the styrene. Extra insulating layer, and expendable if worst happens.

many thanks for replies guys..to be honest, i'm starting to wonder if its worth the trouble to fit an inline fuse etc..? main reason i thought was to maybe protect the board but several people here and rctankwarfare say that it won't protect it anyway... i know absolutley zero about electrical things (patently obvious..!), changing boards etc is my limit as i don't actually understand how it all works..kinda on the backburner for now..
whitewolf..read a post of yours recently where you mentioned your illness...just wanted to say, hang in there, and its very admirable how you carry on with stuff without mentioning it all the time like most guys would..fair play to you mate..
rgds stuart

Dammit, lost a post.

Heck, R/C models have kept me going a lot of the time. An R/C movie got me into this back as a teen, [link=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316620/]Sky Pirates (UK, 1977)[/link] and I've been in it ever since. Reading was another hobby, and 'Hammer's Slammers' by David Drake was really great. All about armored hover-units - tanks, combat-cars (like the gun-trucks of 'Nam) and jeeps. David Drake had been to 'Nam, so his combat scenes were VERY real. (PS: if anyone can find me a torrent of Sky Pirates, I'd greatly appreciate it. It was never released to video or DVD)

About your fuse problem:

You are trying to put this fuse in-line with the whole electronics package? I doubt it'll work, the smoker is probably too much of a load for a light 5A fuse. Even without the smoker, under a heavy load, I expect the system draws more than that. Anyone checked the draw on the system when the tank is going full tilt, with other options running like gun, traverse, elevation and lights? (n smoker though)

If you're dead set, take the fuse out of the power circuit, then try a higher amp fuse and work down, and use fast-blow fuses. But IMHO, its not worth it.

Hello sfstu,
I did see this briefly disscussed on RCTankwarfare and though the idea was great,but being tried in the wrong place to a degree. But figuring out the proper fuse and then using it between the board and the individual motor's would seem to be the best approach for they would blow hopefully before the board self disstructed.The problem is a fuse between the battery and the board and components will save a direct short in going to the battery (many things could happen in that situation)but will not protect any of the other functions connected with the board.A fuse in that particular configureation must in theory be heavy enough to be able to handle a total of all possible functions that can be run and could take place at the same time.There is nothing wrong therefore in a inline fuse being placed there of proper size,but this may still not save a board from a dirrect short or a stalled out motor.I think in line fuses between the board and each motor could very well save a board under several conditions for instance,(something blocking a track and stalling a motor,or a direct short in a motor).It may well be a very good idea other's would want to use if you can get it all worked out. Best Reguards BIGMIG