Maybe I am getting a little ahead of myself, but I'm kind of excited for the next week. I am making a duel trip to the east coast. See family, and a visit to Fremer's place.
Michael sent me an email after Munich and had a Hifi Tuning Gold fuse and fuse block in hand. I have heard all sorts of people say a fuse sounds better than a CB. I have wondered myself.
I said to Michael, get 3 more. Have a total of 4 on hand. I will fly out, lay some dinrail in your panel and land the fuse blocks in such a way we can quickly move his 4 audio circuits from the CB to the fuse and vice versa.
My plan is to put a double lug on the input to the panel and peal a #4 jumper off that. The #4 will have 4 drops of #10 that are grain oriented just like his current wiring, that will go to the top of each fuse block.
I really feel we will have one of the best comparison of a fuse vs CB where the variables are very minimal. We are using an audio grade fuse that is affordable in price.
I had though of split bolting the incoming #4 to the new #4 jumper with #10 drops. I decided against that as it would give an advantage to the fuse by way of no aluminum in the path of the incoming power. The lug at the top of his panel is currently aluminum. That is going to change to copper in the future, but for now, lets just keep things as they are and how Michael is use to hearing it.
If anyone is wondering, can I get a fuse panel if fuses are all that better. Yes. It may take some work. Supply chain has limited what manufacturer are producing. I don't think I can get a SqD fused panelboard. I do believe I can get an Eaton Fused panelboard. Consider a fuse panel is going to cost around $9,000. But hey, how many people have a quarter to half million stereo system and feed it with an off the shelf loadcenter that is full of aluminum. I know 2 such people who are probably reading this whose infrastructure I still need to to evaluate. We need to set dates.
If you have a nice stereo, you should be using something better than a Siemens, Eaton, SqD loadcenter. You should be using something that is all copper. That is how I configure all my panels now. I use bare copper connections on the phase bus, neutral and ground. I don't like plating. I avoid plating wherever possible. I don't advise it in your panelboards and inwall wiring. If you want plating to influence the sound, do it with your power cord and receptacle. Devices that are easily changed out. Copper is king. It is a foundational element in electrical distribution and devices. It can oxidize over time. But it still has better electrical characteristics with minor oxidation than aluminum or tin. And I do treat all my bare copper with Caig Deoxit Gold. That is the only anti oxidation product I use at this time.
I did ask my custom manufacturer if he could make me a fuse panel. He said he did not have the UL certification as the demand is non existent. Not for 20A fuses. Fuses are popular on high ampacity distribution equipment. Especially when you get into 5000A switchboards. A bolted pressure switch with a 5000A fuse is much less expensive than an intelligent circuit breaker. Fuses also work well for Arc Fault Mitigation. Not the same arc fault as the annoying AFCI breakers used in your home loadcenter. This is Arc Fault for massive inrush current that will blow apart an industrial switch board and vaporize anything in the electrical vault. Fuses are cost effective and reliable.
Michael is going to do a video and make a write up for publication. I'm not fully sure where it will land. I don't know if he is either. He has a couple options. Keep your eyes open. I will let people know once we have completed the comparison and where and when he is planning on publishing. I won't be letting the cat out of the bag here. I will wait on Michael to make a formal release before I chime in with my opinions. But I will advise where and when you can see it.
Be well.
Rex
Michael sent me an email after Munich and had a Hifi Tuning Gold fuse and fuse block in hand. I have heard all sorts of people say a fuse sounds better than a CB. I have wondered myself.
I said to Michael, get 3 more. Have a total of 4 on hand. I will fly out, lay some dinrail in your panel and land the fuse blocks in such a way we can quickly move his 4 audio circuits from the CB to the fuse and vice versa.
My plan is to put a double lug on the input to the panel and peal a #4 jumper off that. The #4 will have 4 drops of #10 that are grain oriented just like his current wiring, that will go to the top of each fuse block.
I really feel we will have one of the best comparison of a fuse vs CB where the variables are very minimal. We are using an audio grade fuse that is affordable in price.
I had though of split bolting the incoming #4 to the new #4 jumper with #10 drops. I decided against that as it would give an advantage to the fuse by way of no aluminum in the path of the incoming power. The lug at the top of his panel is currently aluminum. That is going to change to copper in the future, but for now, lets just keep things as they are and how Michael is use to hearing it.
If anyone is wondering, can I get a fuse panel if fuses are all that better. Yes. It may take some work. Supply chain has limited what manufacturer are producing. I don't think I can get a SqD fused panelboard. I do believe I can get an Eaton Fused panelboard. Consider a fuse panel is going to cost around $9,000. But hey, how many people have a quarter to half million stereo system and feed it with an off the shelf loadcenter that is full of aluminum. I know 2 such people who are probably reading this whose infrastructure I still need to to evaluate. We need to set dates.
If you have a nice stereo, you should be using something better than a Siemens, Eaton, SqD loadcenter. You should be using something that is all copper. That is how I configure all my panels now. I use bare copper connections on the phase bus, neutral and ground. I don't like plating. I avoid plating wherever possible. I don't advise it in your panelboards and inwall wiring. If you want plating to influence the sound, do it with your power cord and receptacle. Devices that are easily changed out. Copper is king. It is a foundational element in electrical distribution and devices. It can oxidize over time. But it still has better electrical characteristics with minor oxidation than aluminum or tin. And I do treat all my bare copper with Caig Deoxit Gold. That is the only anti oxidation product I use at this time.
I did ask my custom manufacturer if he could make me a fuse panel. He said he did not have the UL certification as the demand is non existent. Not for 20A fuses. Fuses are popular on high ampacity distribution equipment. Especially when you get into 5000A switchboards. A bolted pressure switch with a 5000A fuse is much less expensive than an intelligent circuit breaker. Fuses also work well for Arc Fault Mitigation. Not the same arc fault as the annoying AFCI breakers used in your home loadcenter. This is Arc Fault for massive inrush current that will blow apart an industrial switch board and vaporize anything in the electrical vault. Fuses are cost effective and reliable.
Michael is going to do a video and make a write up for publication. I'm not fully sure where it will land. I don't know if he is either. He has a couple options. Keep your eyes open. I will let people know once we have completed the comparison and where and when he is planning on publishing. I won't be letting the cat out of the bag here. I will wait on Michael to make a formal release before I chime in with my opinions. But I will advise where and when you can see it.
Be well.
Rex
