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ppengilly(at)gmail.com
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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2026 1:02 am Post subject: Breakers or fuses, the perennial question |
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Bob,
Its good to hear from you again!
I have been pondering the breakers or fuses question in my last couple of panel builds. I had several breakers already installed so didn't object to keeping them. The last panel had a load of Garmin stuff. In particular a GDU 460 screen. This screen needs some button pushing at power up to get it into "Configuration" mode, which is used $a lot$ during the early panel set-up stages and also occasionally thereafter. A breaker is more useful on this power supply to be able to get the unit into config mode easily.
Some of the other devices also did not need to be (and I did not want them to be) powered up during maintenance activities and do not have an off switch. Therefore, a breaker seemed more suitable for these devices. There are also things like a stall warner that I hate (AoA is much better) but I must have due to local regulations, so that is on a breaker.
I have taken the view that I want to use as many fuses as possible and decided that,
- Everything gets a fuse unless there is a good reason otherwise
- Anything with an off switch on the unit or in the panel (eg lights) definitely gets a fuse
- Anything that I really don't want powered up during maintenance on other systems gets a breaker
- Anything that needs powered applied in a controlled manner (eg GDU 460) gets a breaker
- Anything that I don't want on very often gets a breaker
I didn't apply these rules strictly enough during the last build and ended up with too many breakers that were expensive and a pain to install. I also used some ETA non pullable breakers (for items with off switches) that were small and inexpensive, but more expensive than fuses. I have found it difficult to avoid installing several breakers.
Peter
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user9253
Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1975
Location: Riley TWP Michigan
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2026 7:27 am Post subject: Re: Breakers or fuses, the perennial question |
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I suggest that you use fuses for everything.
Then use miniature toggle switches for those items that you want to shut off.
https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/3/339/1/MN_ToggleSections_DP.pdf
In my plane, I mounted all switches on a rectangular piece of aluminum with a nutplate at each end.
Then mounted that aluminum behind the instrument panel with two screws.
If necessary to service a switch, remove the two screws and all switches are removed at once.
Of course the wires are longer to form a service loop.
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