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View Full Version : Help Im a newby at the end of my fuse & breaker



hubut864@bellsouth.net
07-26-2008, 01:35 PM
:)My generator draws between 22 &24 Amps. I have it wired with 3 each # 12 wire in parallel. A 30 amp fuse gets hot and blowes after about 5 miles. Next I tried a 30 Amp ckt breaker with the same results.

Where do I go next?????????????? About to pull the rest of my hair out!

HELP:mad:

Stratous
07-26-2008, 02:29 PM
If you want to decrease the amperage, then you must lower the conductivity of the electrlyte soution. This is one way to do that. Start by cleaning out the unit completely. Heat some distilled water to about 120°. Pour the hot water into your electrolyzer and slowly add electrolyte until the amp draw is about 20.

hubut864@bellsouth.net
07-26-2008, 02:50 PM
I like the output at the 22-24 amps. What do use in your setut drawing 31 Amps?

Stratous
07-26-2008, 02:56 PM
:)My generator draws between 22 &24 Amps. I have it wired with 3 each # 12 wire in parallel. A 30 amp fuse gets hot and blowes after about 5 miles. Next I tried a 30 Amp ckt breaker with the same results.

Where do I go next?????????????? About to pull the rest of my hair out!

HELP:mad:


Oh, I just noticed you used 12 gauge wire. Thats way to small for that many amps. Using wire that is too small will cause heat build up in the wire. Thats why your fuse is getting hot. The wire is to small and probably the connections to your fuse and electrolyzer is too small as well. I believe 12 gauge wire is rated for about 20 amps max. 10 gauge is about 30 amps max. I would go with a good 8 gauge, better to be safe than sorry.

hubut864@bellsouth.net
07-26-2008, 03:22 PM
I have a lot of 12 so I put three of them in parallel on both the pos & neg side.

dennyk159
07-26-2008, 04:08 PM
How and when are you measuring amps? If measuring with the engine off, you are using you battery voltage of 11.8-12.2V. When you start the engine, the volts goes up to around 13.8V. This is a 15% increase, may be getting you up around 28 amps. Then as things heat up, amps go up also. On a cold start morning, mine will go from 9ish to 15ish amps by the time I get to work, a 30 min drive.

I agree with Stratous... try diluting your electrolyte. Let it run for 30 min or take a 30 min drive. Check temperature and amps and see what you have then. You can always add some electrolyte if amps are too low.

EltonBrandd
07-26-2008, 04:20 PM
I have a lot of 12 so I put three of them in parallel on both the pos & neg side.

Make sure all your contacts are tight. A loose connector will cause high resistance, also solder your 3 wires together at the ends to prevent a loose contact. Also you don't want over 20 amps, if it goes much higher than you have thermal runaway.

hubut864@bellsouth.net
07-26-2008, 05:51 PM
With the engine off its running 15 - 18. I put a 50 Amp maxi fuse in it late this afternoon.Will see if it can blow it. Dont think so.

dennyk159
07-26-2008, 11:21 PM
Be careful with such a large current draw. Temperature may become you next issue.

HHOhoper
07-28-2008, 02:04 PM
Make sure all your contacts are tight. A loose connector will cause high resistance, also solder your 3 wires together at the ends to prevent a loose contact. Also you don't want over 20 amps, if it goes much higher than you have thermal runaway.

What is thermal runaway?

Stratous
07-28-2008, 02:54 PM
What is thermal runaway?

Basically, thermal runaway is this:
1.Your electrolyzer gets hot from use
2.the hotter it gets the more conductive the electrolyte solution becomes
3.The more condctive it becomes the more current it draws
4.The more current it draws, the hotter the solution get
5. go back to #1

So, eventually the solution becomes so hot that either the case melts or the solution starts to vaporize or boil. If your running you unit under vacuum, then the boiling point of the water will be lower. I believe @ ~26Hg water will boil at 120°F

HHOhoper
07-28-2008, 03:07 PM
Ah. Makes sense.