(Con)Fused about power cables

Feral Feline · #1 01-03-2010, 10:03 PM

I've searched TB's amp FAQ's and the rest of TB, and a few other places and haven't found but this one post: Ampeg svt3pro - has my nightmare begun?

So, what's the deal with fused power cables? Thought I'd start this general thread about them.

However, more specifically: I just bought a iAmp Micro 300 and it came with a N. American style plug on the power cable. My power cables in Hong Kong all have a fuse built into the plug.

What size of fuse do I use? The cable I dug out of my bin of computer spaghetti has a 10A fuse.

Cheers,
FF

fdeck · #2 01-04-2010, 07:25 PM

I am not an electrical engineer. The work that I do with electronics is strictly low voltage.

However, AFAIK a fuse on a power cable would be to protect the cable. It's probably to prevent using the cable with a device that draws more than the cable can handle. The fuse to protect the amp is inside the amp after all. So I suspect you could stick with the 10A fuse in the power cable.

Feral Feline · #3 01-04-2010, 10:32 PM

Thanks Fdeck.

I've got a bunch of power cables lying around, but can't find the few I have that aren't fused. Went ahead and used the 10A fused cable and nothing caught fire, yet.

I'm just curious why this topic hasn't been covered a bit more by/for the idiots like me who don't understand when a 13A or 5A fuse should be used... Also curious why it's never mentioned in any amp manuals.