Rangerphil Posted April 2, 2013 Posted April 2, 2013 I had both of my livewell fuses blow and they are 4 amp. Well I can't find 4 amp anywhere! My question is does anyone know where I can get them and do I need 4 amp or could I go with 3 or 5 amp? I can find them everywhere. Thanks Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted April 3, 2013 Super User Posted April 3, 2013 Are they the inline type of fuse (glass cylinder), or the bayonet type with the two prongs? I've found them at ACE Hardware. Automotive shops like NAPA or Auto Palace should carry them. You might check out the Home Depot or Lowes. Quote
Rangerphil Posted April 3, 2013 Author Posted April 3, 2013 Two prong type. It seems that 4 amp is hard to come by. I will have to check out lowes and home depot! Thanks Quote
Traveler2586 Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 I've gone through this last year; big box, hardwares, & auto stores don't carry 4 amp. The only place I could find them was on-line. When my live well pumps were blowing fuses, I'd open the pump to find small bits of gravel jamming the impeller; I guess I was fishing too shallow So much for being a river rat. Quote
Rangerphil Posted April 3, 2013 Author Posted April 3, 2013 Thanks my pumps froze up when I turned them on poof! I wonder why 4 amp is so hard to find? Quote
Traveler2586 Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 Thanks my pumps froze up when I turned them on poof! I wonder why 4 amp is so hard to find? Because the auto industry doesn't uses them? Quote
Brian Needham Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 unless someone has a good reason not to, I would put in a 5 amp and call it a day. Quote
Rangerphil Posted April 3, 2013 Author Posted April 3, 2013 Someone told me that if you use a bigger amp you can damage the pump instead of the fuse blowing! I don't know if this is true or not. 1 Quote
Brian Needham Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 phil, that is VERY true, I find it hard to believe 1 amp bigger fuse will kill a livewell fuse. Traveler has a good point too, make sure your pumps are clean. if the wiring is good, there is something causing your pumps to pull too much current. disclaimer: DO NOT run a bigger fuse cause I said it. Yes, me personally I would do it. But I am not telling anyone else to. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted April 3, 2013 Super User Posted April 3, 2013 http://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-VP-ATC-4-RP-Acting-Blade/dp/B009WQPWYC 1 Quote
lmoore Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 I've got some 2-prong 4 amp fuses that came with a pack from Walmart. They were over near the car stereo equipment and it was like $17 for the pack. Quote
Super User Fishing Rhino Posted April 3, 2013 Super User Posted April 3, 2013 When buying blade fuses, be aware they come in two sizes, standard and mini. Make sure you get the correct size. Pink is the standard color for four amp blade fuses of either size. Quote
Super User ww2farmer Posted April 3, 2013 Super User Posted April 3, 2013 I was blowing live-well pump fuses quite often one year. The only way to avoid it was to change the pump. Once they start going bad it's a never ended struggle. Putting a bigger fuse in it not a good idea, not only could you damage the pump, but possibly the wiring. Burnt, melting wires hidden in the bowels of the boat somewhere from drawing too many amps is a most undesirable situation. Yeah putting a bigger fuse in could be a cheap easy fix, but how cheap would it be if you have to tear up the boat to find another problem it caused? As to finding 4 amp fuses, I found them at both my local Napa stores. Something like $3 for a 5 pack. 1 Quote
Traveler2586 Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 http://www.amazon.com/Bussmann-VP-ATC-4-RP-Acting-Blade/dp/B009WQPWYC That's them ! And your not going to find 25 fuses at any auto store for only $6.50 + shipping I was blowing live-well pump fuses quite often one year. The only way to avoid it was to change the pump. Once they start going bad it's a never ended struggle. Putting a bigger fuse in it not a good idea, not only could you damage the pump, but possibly the wiring. Burnt, melting wires hidden in the bowels of the boat somewhere from drawing too many amps is a most undesirable situation. Yeah putting a bigger fuse in could be a cheap easy fix, but how cheap would it be if you have to tear up the boat to find another problem it caused? As to finding 4 amp fuses, I found them at both my local Napa stores. Something like $3 for a 5 pack. X2, Dismount the motor/impeller from the base and softly turn the impeller with your fingers, it should turn freely; then while holding the motor free of its surroundings have someone turn the motor on & off, watch the impeller as the motor stops, it should keep turning some after the motor is turned off. If you find tension while rotating the impeller, or the impeller stops dead when the motor is turned off, replace the pump; the motor should not stop dead when turned off. Depending on the type of pump you have, it may be possible to get just the upper part of the pump, the motor/impeller unit. That will save you the chore of dealing with the plumbing. Quote
Rangerphil Posted April 3, 2013 Author Posted April 3, 2013 Thanks again guys. I am going to try napa today. I don't think they are bad I just think they were frozen when I tried to turn them on and that is what blew the fuses. Later on after I got home I threw a couple of 3 amps in just to see if they would work and they worked fine. Quote
greyleg33 Posted April 3, 2013 Posted April 3, 2013 It would certainly do no harm to replace a 4 amp fuse with a 5. However, when fuses start blowing there is usually a reason. Quote
Rangerphil Posted April 4, 2013 Author Posted April 4, 2013 I found some 4 amp fuses! Got them at Napa!! Thanks everyone! Quote
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