Battery Connections and Fusing

[nitpik]

I have always been partial to the automotive style, lead clamping terminals to attach heavy battery cables to the battery posts. I prefer them to the ring terminal held on with wingnut, mainly because they offer larger contact surface area, and they are made of the same material as the battery posts.
However, if we wish to add some sort of high capacity fuse as close to the battery post as possible, such as a Blue Seas MRBF or ANL, then we are back to ring terminals on a stud anyway. I feel this increases the chances of an electrically weak connection over time, due to corrosion, and a resultant voltage drop. Am I concerned over nothing?
Any thoughts, or other ways of doing this?

[nitpik]

OK, so I just realized, since lead has only 7% the electrical conductivity of annealed copper, the wing nut or bolt thing is not such a bad idea after all! Especially if you use nice big fat copper washers!
Still looking for ideas and opinions on the use of MRBF's or ANL's, or alternatives.

[CarlF]

Always coat with dielectric grease or Vaseline to keep air/moisture off the metal. I also like to first spray with DeoxIT

http://www.amazon.com/DeoxIT%C2%AE-D...446203&sr=8-10

Carl

[btrayfors]

No wing nuts on boats! Use only proper hex nuts and torque them down tight.

The De-Oxit and other coating are a good idea. It's important also to use lugs and ring terminals which are exactly the right size for the stud, and to be sure that these are properly connected to the cables using appropriate crimpers and adhesive heat shrink tubing.

If you do it right the first time, you won't have to worry about surface corrosion or other resistance build up for many years.

Bill

[nitpik]

Thanks for the replies - and, of course, I never use the wing nuts, I always replace them with hex nuts. (the only wing-nut on my boat is usually standing behind the steering pedestal!)
Since the interrupt capacity is adequate on both types of fuse, I guess the only advantages to the ANL would be if you don't want the fuse right inside the battery box, even 'though they are ignition protected. Plus you don't need to remove the hex nuts to replace the fuse.
Anything I am missing here?

[CarlF]

The ANL fuse holders come with lock washers. Always use them.

Also both the MRBF and ANL have significant delay curves (on the Blue Sea web site). They can stand 130% of rating for several seconds. 200% for 1/2 second. If the fuse is right for the wire gauge and the wire is right for the load -- you shouldn't ever have a problem with nuisance blows with either type.

Finally, ANL fuses now seem to come from many sources. Has anyone had trouble with bad ANL fuses?

Carl

[CharlieJ]

I used ANLs exclusively for years but became a big fan of MRBFs because of their small size, high AIC (higher than the ANL), they are ignition protected and the fact that the installation of a MRBF only takes one crimp thus reducing the number of crimps in a circuit.

On large banks I lead all of the B+ whips to a bus bar and then distribute from the B+ bus bar to the major loads and load centers with MRBFs or Blue Seas Series 187 circuit breakers.

Charlie