View single post by Ron Earp
 Posted: 06-15-2005 03:54 pm
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Ron Earp



Joined: 03-12-2005
Location: Cary, North Carolina USA
Posts: 339
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 Sounds like your switch or wire were underrated. My 8 amp draw is just what I measured on one of my fans, so, if I were wiring it (which I did) I doubled it to 16 amps and put a fuse in line at 15 amps - no troubles thus far. 

Watch switches too - I've had some that were rated in big letters on the box at 20 amps, and in little letters on the box at 7 amps continious, could be you had one such as that.  Obviously the continious rating is most important unless you are wiring something that is a momentary use switch.

Your fuse was definitely too high - you want the fuse to blow at a amperage a little above what the fan might draw under normal circumstances so that it will blow if a problem develops.  A 40 amp fuse wouldn't blow if the circuit drew 25 amps, far above what a normal fan will draw. Again, depends on the fan but just match everything up logically and you'll have no problems.