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Cooked my fusible link-hooked battery up backwards

Discussion in 'Suzuki Carry' started by Glenn Sosebee, Apr 13, 2018.

  1. Glenn Sosebee

    Glenn Sosebee New Member

    Like an idiot, I hooked my battery up backwards and immediately smelled burning wire, now I have no power. I think there is a fusible link, but no fuse to replace? It’s just a small wire on the positive terminal with a plug. Is there a place where I can get a replacement? Am I just missing the fuse somewhere? Any help with is would really be appreciated. Thanks!
     
  2. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    Probably the fusible link. Any decent auto parts store will have them.
     
  3. Glenn Sosebee

    Glenn Sosebee New Member

    You were correct. Went and got a new on this morning, with the same fuses that the truck uses. Cut the old one out, wired the new one in, and power was restored! Is a 30 amp fuse appropriate for this? Seems like I read that somewhere, and that’s what I used. If I’m way off on that, let me know. Thanks!
     
  4. Jigs-n-fixtures

    Jigs-n-fixtures Well-Known Member

    The fusible link size is determined by the gauge of wire you are putting it into. Fuses and circuit breakers are there to protect the wiring, and not the devices the wire feeds. Typically if thy need protected they will have their own fuses on or in the device.

    The smaller wire from the battery terminal typically goes to the fuse panel, and distributes power from there to the rest of the vehicle. So all the wires after the fuse block are protected by the fuses in the panel. The lead from the battery to the fuse panel doesn’t have a fuse in it, but is the wire other than the starter and alternator leads that carries the most current. Everything for the vehicle to run on, and all the accessories and lights go through it. And since it is critical to the vehicle, it is protected by a fusible link. It is typically on wire size smaller than the wire it protects, and made out of a faster melting metal. So, it blows first, and protects the rat of the wire from damage..

    I don’t think of the fusible link as having an amperage rating, I just size them by the size of the wire they protect. I buy twenty foot rollls of fusible link, in 16, 14, &12-gauge, which protect 14, 12, &10-guage feed wires.
     
  5. fmartin_gila

    fmartin_gila Well-Known Member

    If memory serves me right, I do seem to remember that fusible links do have different colors to indicate the amp rating they are for. The colors Red, Black, & grey come to mind. Has been a lot of years since I have dealt with them as most later units have a large master fuse rather than a fusible link.

    Fred
     

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