Re: fuses [TANKS]

["Marc en Wendy" <marcmethorst-at-zonnet.nl>]

Chrys wrote:

 

> Congrats Marc.  You are fast enough with these small drive wheels.  You should have enormous torque. You said you are using 12A batteries. Do you use fuses? 

> SHould I use fuses for just 4 and 5 A batteries (18 V)? 

 

I use one 18 Ah battery and put 30 amp fuses in the motor positive leads. As far as I know it has nothing to do with battery size, it's the amount of amps you draw. In the worst case you'll short circuit your system somewhere or stall your motors. Both occasions could result in high amp draws that will fry the electrics. That's what you use your fuses for, to protect the rest of the system.

A lot of engineers will confirm that Murphy's law dictates that the entire system will protect your fuse however :-)

 

I took the 30 amp because I read someone on the mailing list used it combined with his EV's. I never blew a fuse and the system still works.

If you want to go safe just test it. Measure the amount of amps the motors take whilst driving full speed under the worst conditions (grass), and then take a fuse about 110 % the amp draw. That should work fine.

But there is probably someone out there who can give some better advice on this subject. I'm more a guesstimation kind of guy.

 

Cheers,

 

Marc