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What is the best fuse to use for a radar and dashcam add-a-fuse install?

10K views 1 reply 1 participant last post by  Blackhawks 
#1 ·
I want to hardwire my Bel STi Magnum radar detector and DVR-207 dashcam so they turn on and off as per when my 2010 Clubman S is running. This will free up my cigarette lighter. The STi Magnum runs 12V at 1.0-1.5A and the DVR-207 runs 5V at 0.75A.

I bought 2 add-a-fuse direct cords with fuse from Safe-n-Sound Beltronics Products - "Be Safe with Safe-N-Sound1.com". 1 with mini fuse and 1 with the regular fuse, just in case. I still need to buy a 5V cord for my dashcam.

I wasted an hour today trying to remove fuse #44 (20A cigarette lighter) and finding a ground within 6-8 inches from the fuse box. I finally got the fuse removed after borrowing the fuse tweezers found in my Ford but did not locate a ground. I went to the internet and found that a ground exists nearby but I will have to remove the kicker panel. No big deal. Ground in interior fuse box? - North American Motoring

While on 2 other sites I found:

A) Someone stating fuse #44 was not ideal. That it is switched but it is still live all the time. Something about the switch occurs after the fuse. I really don't understand why this would be the case but accepted it as factual.

B) Another forum was arguing that the add-a-fuse should only be used for fuses 10A or higher, while others were arguing 10A or less.

My add-a-fuse uses 20 gauge speaker cable BRX-20. According to one chart it has 0.032 inch conductor diameter, max amp for chassis is 11A, and max amp for transmission 1.5A.

Questions:

1) What is the best fuse to use for the STi Magnum?
2) What is the best fuse to use for DVR-207?
3) Does it matter which fuse terminal I connect the add-a-fuse to? According to one site in section 3.2.2, yes http://www.minimania.com/pdfile/R56_Sport_DSC_Controller.pdf. This may explain comment A) from above.
4) Could I connect 2 add-a-fuses to the same fuse ... one connected to the left terminal and one to the right?

Any information would be much appreciated.

B.
 
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