RD hardwire questions
RD hardwire questions hey guys.. i bought the Bel/Escort hardwire kit off ebay for my old RD. now i just ordered a escort 8500. my question is that the hardwire kit i got didn't have a fuse. i have it wired to the spare ign. slot in the fuse box. am i gonna fry the new escort if it doesn't have a fuse in-line??
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,334
Likes: 347
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Fuses aren't there to protect components like radar detectors, stereo systems, etc. They protect the wiring to the components. They are designed to limit current flow in cases such as a short circuit (e.g. a wire rubbing on metal and grounding or a damaged device). The idea is to have the fuse blow before the wire gets hot enough from the excess current to cause a fire. If the short happens in the power wire to the component then the current is going to ground and not reaching the device so it doesn't need protection. If the short happens because of a defective or damaged device then it's already fried so it still doesn't need protection.
The point is that you only need to fuse a circuit so that it limits the possible current flow to what the wire can handle. In this case, the IGN port in the fuse panel is a 15-amp circuit. If you wired your radar detector with at least 12-gauge wire and kept the total wire length under about 10 feet then you don't need a separate fuse. However, most people use 16-gauge or 18-gauge for hookup wire so a smaller fuse is necessary. I recommend you add an inline fuse of around 5-amps to be safe.
The point is that you only need to fuse a circuit so that it limits the possible current flow to what the wire can handle. In this case, the IGN port in the fuse panel is a 15-amp circuit. If you wired your radar detector with at least 12-gauge wire and kept the total wire length under about 10 feet then you don't need a separate fuse. However, most people use 16-gauge or 18-gauge for hookup wire so a smaller fuse is necessary. I recommend you add an inline fuse of around 5-amps to be safe.
