John,
A fusible link is better than a replaceable fuse, to the MANUFACTURER,
because it costs less to produce in quantity, can be bundled and
installed with the wire loom, and generates much greater
repair/replacement costs when blown. It's all money.
If you read my TigersUnited.com Performance Tuning article "Cool It,
Buddy!" you will see the wire run from the Lucas fuse box (hot side)
through an in-line replaceable modern holder and fuse (red wires), to
the "Hot" connection on the Bosh connector block and relay for the high
amp pusher fan. If this circuit ever gets shorted AFTER the fuse, then
the fuse blows and protects the entire rest of the car, as well as
subsequent damage to the remainder of the circuit. This is so because
the wire size is selected to be or higher carrying of than the fuse.
So, even though the fan motor may be cooked because it was internally
faulty, or a wire insulation is worn through to ground, the fuse blows
before any wire or even fan components. As you can see, the fuse is
pretty close to the Lucas fuse block power wires. Little probability of
an unknown grounding.
The fuse holder is cheap and takes up little more room than the wire
itself, so is easy to hard mount with those that come with attachment
tabs. They are also light enough just to hang on the wire, if it is not
too long between lead supports. Both fuse holders and relay holder
blocks are available in multi-component sets, as well as all together in
a central power distribution center (now normal car design).
The relay holder and relay are shown mounted on the LF inside wheel well.
<
http://www.tigersunited.com/tech_tips/SteveLaifmanValance/pt-SteveLaifmanValance1.asp
>
Steve
Carmods@aol.com wrote:
>Why is a fusible link better than a replaceable fuse?
>
> John L.
>
>
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Steve Laifman
Editor
http://www.TigersUnited.com
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