Car Stereos: power inverters, amp fuse, dc power supply

Question
i want to add a valor 600watt/300 continuous watt power inverter to the system in my car so i can install a ps2. im already running 1 T1000bd and 1 p450.4 Fosgate of course with 3 12"kicker CVR's the systems demands alot of power and to protect from shorts i have a 200amp circuit breaker under the hood. since i planned on putting the inverter under the custom made center dash console it will require at least 6feet of wire so ive read that it will need a in-line fuse 80 amp or so to protect from surges can i hook up the 80amp inline fuseholder to the same battery post i have the 200amp circuit breaker? and what gauge wire should i use? or what is the best recomended application?

Answer
Hi Tyrone,

I don't really think you'll need an 80-amp fuse for your power inverter.  Even if you're using a load that requires the full 300 continuous watts from the inverter, the average current draw from the vehicle shouldn't be more than around 30 amps, even accounting for the efficiency of the inverter.  If the only load on the inverter is the PS2, then the current load will be considerably less.  

For a 6-foot wire run, I think an 8-gauge wire should be ample.  In this case, you wouldn't want to use an 80-amp fuse.  The real purpose of the fuse is to protect the wire between the battery and the inverter, and 80 amps is too high for 8-gauge.  A 40 amp fuse would be plenty in this case.  If you want to use an 80 amp fuse, then you shouldn't use a wire smaller than 4-gauge.

There's no problem connecting the inverter power wire to the same battery post as the audio system.  Ultimately, every electrical system in the vehicle is connected to that battery post.  Hopefully you've already upgraded your vehicle's charging system wiring to support your high-powered audio system.

If the only purpose of the inverter is to power the PS2, you might want to consider just purchasing a DC power supply for the PlayStation instead of using an inverter.  Cigarette lighter plugs for the PS2 are available for under $20 from several online sources, and it's pretty simple to wire in a DC socket so that the power connection can be hidden in your center console.

Hope this helps!

Brian