Fuses, Yes, Fuses

Rhino

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2009
Messages
1,539
I think you just highlighted what he was getting at. There is no universally accepted or implemented definition of 'aircraft grade', as far as fuses go anyway. It's sort of an 'in the eye of the beholder' thing. I understand what you're getting at though. Assuming others have used, or are aware of, fuses that are more suitable for use in aircraft, you'd appreciate being able to benefit from that knowledge. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. As is often the case with homebuilding, you must decide what works best for you. In the absence of a convenient definition or guidance, all we can offer is the relevant considerations we think you you should ponder, in an effort to help you make the most informed decision for your situation. To make the conversation interesting, we include no small number of our own personal opinions. I mean, where would an internet forum be without a liberal sprinkling of personal opinions? :p
 

SV_Classic

Active Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2024
Messages
105
Marc convinced me that he knows what he's talking about when it comes to fuses so the intent of my original question was to ask him about "aircraft grade" fuse holders since I didn't really find them at the usual places. I also didn't get a reply from Stein which was odd because they're usually really good about replying to emails. I thought there might not be a specific aircraft grade product in the way of an inline fuse holder so I was hoping to be referred to a better quality fuse holder. The feedback I got makes me comfortable with the ones I bought so I'll probably just go with them.
 

Marc_J._Zeitlin

Active Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
318
Location
Tehachapi, CA 93561
Marc convinced me that he knows what he's talking about when it comes to fuses so the intent of my original question was to ask him about "aircraft grade" fuse holders since I didn't really find them at the usual places... I thought there might not be a specific aircraft grade product in the way of an inline fuse holder so I was hoping to be referred to a better quality fuse holder.
The ones I pointed to are completely adequate for aircraft. While the admonition to use Tefzel insulated wire rather than PVC insulated wire is an excellent general recommendation (I ONLY use Tefzel wire for wiring when I have a choice and the opportunity, due to the higher temperature rating and the far lower poisonous outgassing in case of fire), it's not always possible, and there are probably a few feet of PVC insulated wire in my plane.

Recall that there's also a crapload of plastic in every plane that will outgas Cthulhu knows what if it ever is exposed to flames, and you're just not going to get rid of everything that's flammable - we do the best we can.

Now, We can minimize the PVC exposure by cutting the leads on the inline ATO fuseholders short and splicing them to Tefzel wire within an inch or two of the holder itself, but I still recommend using the fuse buses that B&C (and Stein - they sell exactly the same fuse buses that B&C does) sells.

Stein also sells resettable ATO compatible CBs (they call them resettable fuses), if you'd rather use expensive stuff for some reason - they're taller, but could be put in a bus on the panel so as to mimic the accessibility of CBs if you wanted the ability to allow the plane to set itself on fire more than once. Not my preference, but to each his own. Stein's web page has all of this in the shopping section, under circuit protection.

As others have said, there's no such thing as "Aircraft Grade", any more than there's any such thing as "Man Rated" for spaceships - it means whatever the MFG wants it to mean. While it is certainly the case that there are a lot of OWTs and unsupported opinions in aviation (and, in fact, in any technology, but moreso in aviation due to the life and death nature of mistakes, hence a resistance to new stuff), MOST of the recommendations you'll hear from folks that actually know their stuff (Bob Nuckolls, Mike Busch, etc.) will include new knowledge and learnings and will be good advice, and most of the time, when someone like that tells you "don't do this: it's a bad idea, AND HERE'S WHY", you should listen to them. Same with "do this - it's a good idea, AND HERE'S WHY". The operative part here is "AND HERE'S WHY" - it's never "experts are stuck in the past and are only grinding their own axes".

And the recommendation to use CBs for "critical aircraft systems" is exactly backwards - one should use the most reliable device for the most critical circuits. CBs do not fit that bill.
 

Marc_J._Zeitlin

Active Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2007
Messages
318
Location
Tehachapi, CA 93561
The ones I pointed to are completely adequate for aircraft...
Oh - forgot to add - there are these:


that don't have any wire at all, so you can just stick the Tefzel wire into them. Of course, they're still plastic/rubber themselves, so you still have the flammability issue to some extent. I have no clue as to the quality of these - never used them. Just found out they exist.
 

SkippyDiesel

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2024
Messages
38
Bit technical for me - If you purchase an item/part from an aircraft supplier, comes with documentation and a massive price tag - its aircarft grade 😈
 

tonni

New Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2025
Messages
1
For an aircraft application, you’ll want an inline fuse holder that is not only high-quality but also meets aviation safety standards. Look for holders that are made from durable, heat-resistant materials like Bakelite or glass-filled nylon and that have secure, corrosion-resistant terminals, such as tin-plated brass or stainless steel. Brands like Littelfuse, Blue Sea Systems, or Bussmann offer high-quality inline fuse holders suitable for demanding environments. Make sure the holder is rated for the correct voltage and current of your system, and consider options with weatherproofing or locking mechanisms to ensure reliability in vibration-prone conditions.
 
Top