blueflyer

blueflyer

Well Known Member
I think I have decided to use the Z-11 wiring diagram for my plane. But, I do not understand what the fuseable link in the picture below is protecting. What would cause this fuseable link to blow? Why is it there?

 
Just think of the fuseable link as a slow-blow fuse, it is also able to handle surges better than a standard fuse. Like all other "fuses" its there to protect the wiring.
 
It is there to protect the wire that runs from the main power buss to the battery master switch. In the first position, the master switch connects the battery to the main buss, but the path from the main buss to the alternator field is not yet connected, and neither is the field circuit breaker.

The fusible link is an inexpensive fuse to protect that energized wire should it (unlikely) be shorted to ground through a chaffed wire or bad switch. You will note that all other wires from the main buss are fused.

Don
 
Would it be correct to say that if the switch was not there, that the alt field breaker would be sufficient for protecting this wire?
 
blueflyer said:
Would it be correct to say that if the switch was not there, that the alt field breaker would be sufficient for protecting this wire?
Click to expand...

Not really, the Link protects the wire all the way back to the buss, the field CB purpose is to interrupt the field current should something in the alt/reg go bad or an overvoltage occurs.
 
ok, I am following that. But, is the fuseable link located at the bolt where the buss bar receives power for a reason, or could the fuseable link be located anywhere along the length of the buss bar?
 
Anywhere along the buss bar is fine. Electrically speaking, you could show the buss bar as a single point. Graphically and physically that is inconvenient.

Don
 
thanks Don and Walt. Sometimes a novice comes up with weird concerns. thanks for educating me.
 
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