12V Fuse or Circuit Braker? Which Size?

[JoshInReno]

I am finally ordering the parts I need to finish the electric on my trailer and have a question:

Should I use a circuit braker or a fuse between the battery bank and the fuse block? I am leaning toward CB for the resetability. But how many amps?

Thanks in advance.

[Miriam C.]

I used a circuit breaker for the 120ac and a fuse block for the 12v. Definitely fuse between the battery and the fuse block. I have a marine panel for the 12 v that was simple to wire and has switches to power different devices.

[proformance]

IMO......"Yes, a Circuit Breaker"

I use a very similar breaker to this (see link below) for all remote circuit panel applications. You should mount this breaker immediately adjacent to the battery and insure all power to/from the battery passes through it.

Besides the protection you have if you were to experience a short in the +12V lead from the battery to the circuit panel, this particular breaker has a push button which will open the circuit allowing you to isolate the battery. This is a great feature for maintenance/repair of wiring or to store the trailer with the battery disconnected.

Re: Size,

Calculate your total maximum possible current draw, and add 15-20%.


http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=726541&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=11151&storeNum=10109&subdeptNum=10598&classNum=11287