Fuse for GPS tracker?

[SMOKEU]

What kind of fuse should I put in my bike to wire up a GPS tracker? Is a standard 10A car fuse the way to go?

[bogan]

What gauge wire does the GPS have? Any automotive fuse should be quick enough, just match the Fuse rating to the wire size, will be charts etc online somewhere.

[Gremlin]

you have standard and mini fuses, different bikes use different ones, they're simply a different physical size (but still have all the usual ratings).

You definitely don't want to put one in that's unnecessarily large, otherwise it won't trip soon enough, but for the same reasons, don't use one too small.

[SMOKEU]

What gauge wire does the GPS have? Any automotive fuse should be quick enough, just match the Fuse rating to the wire size, will be charts etc online somewhere.

I'm not sure about the wire gauge. There is a little box in the middle of the wiring that says "INPUT: 12-24VDC. OUTPUT: 5V 1000mA"

[p.dath]

10A and 15A are common sizes. Make sure the its much smaller than the current carrying capacity of the wires. You want the fuse to blow first by a long way. You don't want the wires to turn into little lot heaters and start a fire.

[bogan]

I'm not sure about the wire gauge. There is a little box in the middle of the wiring that says "INPUT: 12-24VDC. OUTPUT: 5V 1000mA"

If you have calipers you can just measure the wire size, anything from 3A up should be good from the current drawn side, but harder to find as blade fuses. Common size would be 16AWG and 5A (or even as high as 7.5) fuse, 16AWG is 1.3mm diameter.

[bikaholic]

1000ma is 1 amp. 5 volts X 1 a =5watts.

5 watts / 12volt on the input side is 416 ma or .42 of an amp (which is less than half an amp), so a 2 amp fuselink will be fine.

[SMOKEU]

Each wire is about 1.5mm thick including the plastic cover surrounding each wire.

[bogan]

Each wire is about 1.5mm thick including the plastic cover surrounding each wire.

How about just the wire without the insulation?

[SMOKEU]

How about just the wire without the insulation?

About 1mm.

[davereid]

About 1mm.

1mm cable is safe for 10 amps.

Your device requires less than 1 amp.

Use a 2 amp fuse, as near to the battery as possible, and you will be fine, and your name should not be a prediction.

[bogan]

+1 for the two amp fuse, not so sure 1mm cable is good for 10A though, maybe a burst which is enough to blow the fuse, but any significant time at that and it'll be smokey smokey I think.

[SMOKEU]

Would a radar detector also need a 2A fuse? I pulled the fuse out of my radar detector 12V cigarette lighter socket adapter and is has a round fuse with a glass cover which says "2A 250V". WTF is up with the 250V?!

[bogan]

Would a radar detector also need a 2A fuse? I pulled the fuse out of my radar detector 12V cigarette lighter socket adapter and is has a round fuse with a glass cover which says "2A 250V". WTF is up with the 250V?!

IIRC the 250v is max voltage, there is a possibility that any voltage over that will simply arc across the broken fuse and continue conduction.

[bikaholic]

Would a radar detector also need a 2A fuse? I pulled the fuse out of my radar detector 12V cigarette lighter socket adapter and is has a round fuse with a glass cover which says "2A 250V". WTF is up with the 250V?!250volts is what the fuse can handle without undue damage when it pops (fuselink melts open).