CB Dirct to battery

Looks like you guys were right. Here are the specs for the Galaxy DX98VHP...
RF Power Output 200W PEP
Input voltage 13.8V
Current Drain 40 Amps.

i went with a solenoid rated at 200 amps triggered by an add a fuse tap to an ignition on only circuit (don't remember which one I used) fused with two 50 amp fuses on the positive side. Was wondering do you fuse the negative side also? Used 4 gauge wire all around as per the manual.
Thanks for the info.

 

http://www.powerwerx.com/fuses-circuit-protection/automatic-power-off-switch.html

 

Never, ever fuse the negative or neutral.
This can be dangerous in a vehicle, and it can be deadly in 120v wiring.

If you fuse the negative and it blows, but the fuse (or breaker) on the hot does not trip, you are now energizing the entire circuit UP TO the blown negative fuse. Anything that completes that circuit becomes the conductor...

The only time you fuse both legs is in a 240 or other 2 (or more)-phase application, and in that case, you must use breakers, not fuses, and the breakers must be bussed together either mechanically, magnetically, or electrically so all of them open at the same time in the event that one trips.

Improper wiring of these systems kills a lot of people every year in pool-house applications. The breaker is tripped, the device is not working, you think the circuit is dead, but all points on that circuit are still hot with the phase(s) that did not trip.

 

Thanks for the useful information!

 

200 amps is obviously a typo, my entire house has a 200amp line

 

I used to know people that had 2kw amps on their radio rigs.
None were mobile... these were all base stations, so the current draw from the line would be down in the 20a range, but it is not impossible to run those levels in a mobile and I did know one guy who had a kilowatt in his truck.

 

i have it hooked to the fuse box and it is perfectly fine!

 

Kenwood, Whelen and Motorola all state that if you ever run a negative lead to the battery from one of their products, you MUST do a negative fuse.

Why?

Picture this:

Somehow the lead going from the trucks frame to the negative terminal is disconnected. Maybe it is severed, or somebody simply disconnects the bolt from THE FRAME.

Now remember, the trucks battery is still connected to the body of the truck, now through the negative lead that goes to the radio. The radio is grounded to the body through the antenna connector.

Why is this a problem?

The 12 gauge wire going to the negative side of the radio now becomes the negative lead to THE ENTIRE TRUCK.

This wire simply cannot handle that load, and will catch fire.

This is why Whelen, Kenwood and Motorola all state; if you ever ground to the negative terminal on the battery, you MUST fuse the negative lead.

 

We need a tie breaker!

 

LOL well my Yeasu VHF factory wiring came with double inline fuses on the hot side and a fuse on the Neg side. But i saw no sense in it and cut out the neg side and one hot side one.

But seriouly awsome idea with relay I have similar worries and this is a good idea. As Tim Tailer would say more power grunt grunt.

 

FYI, this is what I used.

PAC PAC-200 200 Amp Relay Battery Isolator, standard

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CEBXRS/ref=oh_o04_s01_i01_details

 

All good arguments. Just looking for a few more qualified opinions, perhaps from a Ham operator running a high power radio. To fuse the ground or not to fuse the ground that is the question. Thanks all.

 

Google ham radio outlet they are a chain. Maybe one closer to you then you think if anything you could give there tech line a call or email.

 

If you google fuse negative lead 12v you will find a lot of results that basically repeat what this link says
http://www.emrg.ca/fuses.htm

The company I work for installs radios in police cars and firetrucks. We always ground to the body of the vehicle, but if for some strange reason we ground to the battery terminal, we must use a fuse. We could get fired if we don't.

Now enjoy my 102" whip (the flag is photoshopped)

 

Well maybe thats the key fuse if grounding to batt, no fuse if to body. I did cut out the fuse but I did ground to the body.