Fuseible Links

[95pontiac]

'88 Grand Wagoneer - Where can you buy the fuseible links that go between the alternator and the battery?

Thanks!

[Quartermaster]

I purchased one recently at carquest. They should be readily available. Someone posed a question to me recently about the fuseable links which got me thinking. Can fuseable links be replaced with circuit breakers? Sorry to throw a question into your question but maybe that's doable.

[95pontiac]

Quartermaster108 -

Thanks for the quick response! I like you idea about a circuit breaker - I watched a fuseable link smoke this morning - my own fault - but you can't tell from looking at it that it actually did smoke - I would have never known had I not seen it happen.

Craig

[LRRH]

i've never seen a fuseable link smoke. they are designed to explode if there is a problem. usually any parts store will have a roll of fuseable link....you just need to make sure you get the correct guage and length.

[Wesdog]

Originally posted by Quartermaster108:
...Can fuseable links be replaced with circuit breakers?... The 130amp alternator I purchased from Performance Distributors for my 76' came with a thermal breaker that mounts on the fenderwell. The warranty is void on the alternator if the breaker isn't used. I don't have a fusible link between the alternator and battery connection at the starter relay. So, yes it is doable. I did install fusible links between the electrical loads and alternator/battery circuit to protect the harness.

Wesdog

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/wesdog_avitar1.jpg

[Quartermaster]

Great! Thanks for the info Wesdog. I know which way I will go in the future.

[Kris]

It is not a good idea to use a breaker in place of a fusable link.
Think about it, if you have a short and the breaker trips, it will reset when it cools.

But will you find the short before it does ?

Sounds like a fire hazard to me.

kris.

[Joe Guilbeau]

Purchase a breaker that trips "Open" and stays that way until you reset it.

Problem solved!

[Wesdog]

Kris, your point is well taken!

In the situation I described above where I am using a thermal breaker between the alternator output and the battery connection, this is to protect the high output alternator from a defective or discharged battery and the resulting very high charge current that could overstress the alternator. As I mentioned I have fusible links to the electrical load connections in case of a harness short to chassis etc.

As Joe mentioned, a resetable breaker that trips open would be a good alternative if you can find one that is correct for the application.

Wesdog

http://www.fullsizejeeps.com/jeeps/files/Misc-Pictures/wesdog_avitar1.jpg