Battery Reloq. Fuses/Breakers (long)

[amalventano1@comcast.net (Allyn)]

> > For you EE types, is there any reason I can't use a household bre=
aker
> > meant for 120vAC?  I mean, can I rig up a "10 amp" breaker and ex=
pect
> > it to trip at 100 amps on a 12volt system?

interesting notion

> This is an interesting question (and a true Cheapass candidate).  T=
he
> first thing that pops to mind is that Amps are Amps are Amps,
> regardless of voltage.  BUT remember 120VAC is measured in RMS, DC
> amps, well, there is no RMS.  It'd be a neat thing to fool with.

rms voltage is the ac equivalent of what constant dc supply would acc=
omplish at that voltage.
Therefore a '10 amp' breaker will trip at 10 amps current through it,=
 the voltage is irrelevant.
Some breaker types might trip based on the 'power' being supplied thr=
ough it... depending on the
breaker design. This breaker type would pose itself as a portion of t=
he load in the circuit. The
more the load (load supplied by the breaker) draws, the more voltage =
drop across the breaker, the
more power the breaker itself uses and trips the overload. Thermal ov=
erload breakers are a good
example of the 'power' type. Just realize these things werent intende=
d for 12v use. A dead short off
of a battery with one of these in line may either (a) not be enough t=
o trip the breaker, or (b) blow
it into oblivion (the connections on those breakers isnt very big, in=
tended for use with 16-22 awg
wire).

> >Could I test this by hooking up a household dimmer switch (maybe
> >series'ed with a lightbulb or two), and hooking it up to my batter=
y,
> >then turning down the resistance until it blows, then measure that=
 R?

just try to stay away from the dimmer switch when you do it.

> You could also test by measuring the voltage drop across the load. =
 Dig
> up an old heater resistor...please post your findings!

> Cheapass Ron
> "Victor" '87 16V Scirocco
> "Teufelhasen" '93 Cabby <-For sale
>
> If it ain't foggy, TURN OFF YOUR FOG LIGHTS.
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Movies - coverage of the 74th Academy Awards=AE
> http://movies.yahoo.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Scirocco-l mailing list
> Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l