Fusing for 12 V refer

[JDub]

So, I got my Whynter 45 Quart refer delivered yesterday. Today, I started on a wiring harness based on a Blue Sea 12V plug (Marine plug as recommended by a couple of elder statesmen here) to be run off my 400 AH house batteries (200 AH available), the plug is 15A, simple job, but when I got to the in line fuse (it's a glass fused one from an old switch kit I had on hand) I had to pause - question - should I use a 15A fuse here or a 20A to compensate for hard start power spikes? I'd appreciate some advice here. Edit: I forgot to add the plug holder is a blade attachment type

"Thank you for your cooperation"

Robocop.

 

[abnorm]

Fuses protect the wires.......what gauge wire are you using

 

[JDub]

Looks like ~ 8 gauge AB.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

The current draw on those fridges should be around 4amps, shouldn't be higher than 6amps. With the in rush current, you should be plenty good with 15amp. I'm sure the wiring that came with the fridge isn't more than 12gauge. Larger wires are used for longer runs to alleviate voltage drop in 12v systems.

 

[JDub]

Yeah PG, the run on this is going to be short - the refer already came w 8' of DC cord. I'm going to cobble together a little panel w the switch and plug mounted - no more than 12" on the run.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Like abnorm stated, fuse it for the wire gauge the fridge came with. The engineers at the Whynter factory already did the legwork for you. If they wanted you to use a bigger fuse, they would have supplied a larger gauge cable.

 

[JDub]

I hear ya. I'm always cautious because I grew up hearing : "Manufactured by lowest bidder"

Cheers