I am getting ready to rewire my truck (1966 F100) and I am using an after market EZ Wiring Kit. I have heard different things on fusable Links. Some people say dont put them in and put ina circit breaker. Others say use them they are ok. I was wondering what I should do. The kit comes with them but if they are a problem I will replace them with ?? while I am rewiring. So what should I use? thanks

 

The thing about fusible links is that when they blow, you have to replace them. Most things on a stock wiring harness are fused under the dash anyway and those usually go before you burn a link. Personally, I don't like buying extra stuff after I've already bought something else and wiring harnesses aren't cheap to begin with so I would probably stay with fusible links. Maybe someone else has some good stories on circuit breakers though; never tried it myself.

 

Fusible links are designed with the thought that they never will be used, that's why they are part of the harness. If you think about it, they only time they blow is when someone is doing some work with the battery still connected, or they have replaced a component and not tied the wiring back up out of danger, or someone has added some shoddy wiring that shorts out.

Circuit breakers are good to protect wiring that is always in harms way, such as trailer wiring. You never know what you are going to get sometimes when you hook up to a borrowed trailer.

 

thanks, any more info on the circuit breakers for tralier wiring?

 

There are many different kinds of circuit breakers. Some will trip and have to be manually reset like the ones in your house. I prefer that type for most non life safety applications like trailer wiring or a stereo amp etc. Headlights and similar life safety circuits are different, I like the auto-reset types in that application.

You can find many different types listed here:
http://www.waytekwire.com/

Just click on PRODUCTS at the upper left, then select CIRCUIT BREAKERS

 

Fuses are safer then circuit breakers. In the car audio world its best to avoid auto reset breakers. The reason why is because if you short out a wire SOME auto reset breakers will trip and reset and trip and reset over and over until it gets so hot the contacts inside fuse closed and the wire melts. I have never seen this happen myself but the lead instructor at the car audio school I went to has seen it.

However the manual reset breakers are fine. I recommend a circuit breaker if you think you may be blowing fuses often on a specific circuit. Otherwise go with a fuse. A fuse is like 10x less expensive.