Fuse the Wire or Fuse the Device?

ContestID67 wrote:

I am about to open a debate on fusing in Gliders. Which of the
following fusing methods do you believe should be used and why?

4) Place one fuse at the main battery sized to the devices being
sourced (see #2). Place one fuse at each device sized to the devices
being sourced.
I use a slow fuse somewhat bigger than the total my devices will draw on the
battery. This prevents damage to the battery and the main wires to the
instrument pannel. Note that it's hard to say at wich current your cable
will melt. This is not only determined by the wire as it is when you just
installed it, but also by the (soldering) connections, againg plastics,
damaged isolation, the time a short circuit continues, etc.

For each instrument on it's own, I have a faster fuse. 1 Amp for most of
them. Now, if a device causes a problem, only that device will be out of
order. The rest will continue to function just fine. You can use automatic
fuses for these if you want.

André

I really like scenario # 3. Most of the time you'd be OK with just the
devices fused, but would you want to have an electrical fire in the
glider at altitude, with oxygen floating around in the cockpit? I have
mine fused as close to the battery as possible.

I'm a telecom manager for a class 1 railroad, and we do all our
installations with this fusing method. We have a lot of specialized
electronics in locomotives and vehicles. We don't want electrical fires
in any of those, either.

Be safe up there...

Jack Womack