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Can you use MILSPEC aircraft circuit breakers in a rod?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by slepe67, Sep 15, 2009.

  1. slepe67
    Joined: Jan 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,146

    slepe67
    Member

    After about the 20th consecutive CIRCUIT thread I opened, I will ASSUME that there aren't any post regarding the topic. Flame away if there are :) Please attach them haha

    Here's my thoughts.

    I just scored a AH-1 Cobra Circuit Breaker Panel. It's got about 15 circuit breakers in it. I was thinking about mounting my "on/off", "Start" button, and my line lock switches on it. Then, I thought, "why not put ALL my circuits to it?" They are 15A & 30A C/Bs. and I don't see any safety concerns. If they'll pop on a 115VAC, or 28 VDC system, would they be OK on mine???

    It's a race car, not something I'm trying to make look like a bomber or anything. It'll be mounted out of the way, on the floor, aft of the 4 speed shifter, between the buckets, within reach. Just a simple, basic wiring harness.

    I checked SCTA and NHRA rules...nothing I could find that said I COULD or COULDN'T use this setup. But, that doesn't make it smart...

    I media blasted it, pained the base OD Green, and the panels are gloss black, and I even painted the lettering white. Looks pretty sweet. I'll try to load up some pics.
     
  2. Frankie47
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 1,877

    Frankie47
    Member
    from omaha ne.

    Your car is 12V, right....240V and 440 to 480V in the naval aircraft I worked on, I've never heard of a 12 volt chopper.
     
  3. jamesgr81
    Joined: Feb 3, 2008
    Posts: 283

    jamesgr81
    Member

    They will work fine as a 12 volt system. 15 amps is 15 amps at 12 volts or 15 amps at 600 volts. The voltage rating only affects the physical construction. In other words, a small SFE 7 amp fuse is OK at 12 volts but 600 volts will require a much larger fuse physically to ensure that the arc will will not continue as the fuse is blown, or in this case, breaker trips.

    The problem is that the breakers are much slower reacting than fuses and will not offer as much protection for smaller wires or more sensitive stuff. But resetting a breaker is a lot easier than replacing a fuse, especially in combat.

    If it's supplying stuff like wiper or window motors, lights, AC compresssor go for it. If it's powering up a ECM or CD player just put an inline fuse behind it in series with the circuit breaker.

    Most aircraft stuff is 28 VDC or 120 VAC 400Hz.
     
  4. 29nash
    Joined: Nov 6, 2008
    Posts: 4,544

    29nash
    BANNED
    from colorado

    The DC system on your chopper was 24v.

    slepe67......what jamesgr81 said. You can 'smoke test' the component by connecting it in a test circuit with a wire sample and shorting it out.
    ..
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2009

  5. slepe67
    Joined: Jan 22, 2008
    Posts: 1,146

    slepe67
    Member

    cool thanks I think I'll go with the normal car type fuses. Too much to risk! Sorry it took me so long to reply. Been having router issues...
     

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