So I'm going to fit a 3W led strip cicuit using my leisure battery. First time trying this. Thinking about a fuse, what do I need, and do I need a resistor? Help please! Thanks P
You need a fuse somewhere but the usual is to have a small fuse box near to the battery with various items running off each individual fuse. You don't need a separate fuse for each device connected, but it needs to be sized so it will pass enough current to run everything on the circuit but if there is a short circuit that it will blow rather than melt the wiring. A 3 Watt LED uses only 1/4 Amp. I'd be inclined to use wire good for 8 Amps with an 8 Amp fuse. If it's a 12 Volt LED strip it won't need a resistor. I've fitted a small fuse box on mine using the same type of cartridge fuses as up front. There are 4 fuses: 1. radio, 2. internal lights, 3. plug in accessory sockets, 4 spare. There's also a larger single fuse immediately attached to the positive terminal of the battery. This wire to the fuse box is in heavy duty wire and has a 40 Amp fuse. This fuse may not be essential - VW never fitted one on the run up to the main fuses from the starter battery, but I feel better with it. Make sure your return from the LED is via a good earth onto the bodywork.
Thanks. My leisure battery has a couple of cigar lighter sockets running out of it already so I need to investigate whether someone's already put a fuse box in for that.
