Should a fuse be fitted on the supply line, and where should it be installed?
For the HCT400 and HCT402 the current draw (A) is not stated in the product data, so no amperage value is given here; use the wiring diagram supplied with the set for the correct fuse rating. The fuse location, however, is standard: it is fitted as close as possible to the battery positive terminal, keeping the cable length short.
The job of the fuse is to protect the cable, not the device. That is why its location comes before its rating.
- Connect the fuse as close as possible to the battery positive terminal. The section between the battery and the fuse is the unprotected area; keep this distance short.
- Put the fuse next to the source, not next to the device; if the cable chafes against the chassis and shorts, protection only takes effect if it is on the source side.
- In areas exposed to water and salt, use a sealed fuse box.
- Run the negative line directly to the battery negative terminal if possible, not to the chassis; a poor chassis return creates voltage fluctuation.
Since there is no current figure in the product data, do not guess when selecting the rating; use the value in the digital wiring diagram supplied with the set. Watch out for reverse connection: the HCT400 has no reverse polarity protection and reverse connection damages the motor. The HCT402 has reverse polarity protection; when connected incorrectly it draws no current, and when connected correctly it comes on with an audible confirmation. A fuse provides no protection against reverse connection.
Full coverage of this topic: Connect Plus and Minus, Run: Installation That Does Not Depend on Technical Staff