Fuses/circuit breakers for LED strip lighting?

[hon30critter]

More questions from he who knows just about nothing re electricity. This time I'm asking about circuit breakers for the LED strips.

I have ordered a total of 10 x 5m 5630 natural white LED strips with 60 LEDs/m. The draw will be 5 amps @ 12 volts per 5m strip. I will be feeding the strips from two 36 amp x 12 volt power supplies with 5 strips per power supply.

Do I need to install circuit breakers or fuses for each of the 5m strips? I suspect the answer is "YES, idiot..." but I'm having trouble finding the right components.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Dave

["JaBear"]

Some light reading Dave.

http://www.optifuse.com/PDFs/FuseSelectionGuide_RevA.pdf

Cheers, the Bear, whose definite knowledge of electricity is that he has been a good ground from time to time!  

[rrinker]

 Yes, you should fuse each run. The products I linked are nice distribution blocks that take auto type fuses, and an auto fuse form factor 5 amp circuit breaker. The one I linked breaks the input up into 4 or 6 fused outputs, but they have bigger ones as well. That's probably the easiest way to go without rolling your own breaker panel.

                   --Randy

 

[Soo Line fan]

If your load is 5 A, a 7.5 A twin blade automotive fuse would work well for each branch. 

[DigitalGriffin]

Depends if you want one strip to go out versus all of them.  Sort of like if you want the one block on your layout to go down, versus all of them.

Since your supply current is close to demand + small overhead, you just need to divide the current by 5.  (one for each strip)  

Fuse rating = ((Supply Current / 5)*1.1 (10% overhead for small surges) for each LED strip.  

So each led strip will be roughly 7 * 1.1 = ~7.7 amps per strip 

 

So Jim (Soo Line) has it about right.

Use a slow blow fuse as so it doesn't trip during startup.

[hon30critter]

Randy:

I didn't see a link in your post.

Thanks

Dave

[hon30critter]

Thanks Bear.

I now have a better understanding of the theory.

Dave

[hon30critter]

Jim and Don:

Thanks for doing the math.

Dave

[rrinker]

hon30critter

Randy:

I didn't see a link in your post.

Thanks

Dave

 

In the wire thread

These:  http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-Blade-Block/dp/B000THQ0CQ/ref=pd_sim_200_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=51%2B5nXsWtYL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR123%2C160_&refRID=0TXR93P5DSV6JV3VE8R1

Then you can get either fuses or resettable circuit breakers that plug in. This one breaks the input up into 6 fused circuits, but they have bigger ones as well (but 6x 5 amp circuits is about as much as you'd want to put on a single 36 amp power supply).

 Or for cheap, and just tack the wires to a board with some terminal strips, there are these fuse holders for auto type fuses/circuit breakers:

http://www.amazon.com/Bullz-BATC10-10-Gauge-In-Line-Holder/dp/B00NQ8F242/ref=pd_sim_263_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=61VvWWdsNzL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR153%2C160_&refRID=01E8JKQEAMZCZFA83Z3J

Just add some terminal strips and you are basically making your own version of the first item.

           --Randy

 

[Soo Line fan]

The one Randy has referenced is known as a ATO/ATC size fuse and is shown on the left. These replaced glass fuses in the late 70s in autos and were used up to the mid to late 90s.

The size on the right is know as a mini fuse and has replaced the ATO/ATC style. Both can be found just about anywhere but they are not interchangeable.

Breaking up a system is more work but is easier to diagnose if a fault occurs. Imagine a home or car with only one circuit breaker. Where do you begin

[hon30critter]

Hi Randy:

Sorry, somehow I missed your last post on the wire gauge thread.

Dave

[hon30critter]

Jim:

Thanks for explaining the fuse styles.

Dave

[hon30critter]

Problem solved. I just ordered two x 6 position ATC style fuse holders like these:

http://www.amazon.ca/Docooler%C2%AE-Circuits-Blade-Holder-Vehicle/dp/B00V65PLAC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1452143301&sr=8-3&keywords=Docooler+32v+fuse+holder

Thanks for everyone's help.

Dave