TKOPerformance wrote:

You really do need a 12 gauge wire for a 20 amp circuit.  Is there a way to change the wire at the fuse block to make it 12 gauge?  Alternately you can always use a relay and use the 18 gauge wire as a trigger. 

 
I need to research changing the fuse connection.  Not sure if I can buy the connectors needed.   I'm sure someone sells them.  I just have to figure out what to search for.  lol


Even if I trip a relay I need to figure out where I can pull power from.

Found the fuse block connectors.

I thought that chart would help us understand some of the wiring we find in our cars.

For me, it would also depend on whether or not the circuit is running continuously at close to 20 amps or not.  For example, if what the circuit powered had say 18 amps at in rush, but ran at 10 I'd be a lot less concerned.  IMO, I don't care if the distance was 6" I wouldn't use an 18 gauge wire in a 20 amp circuit.  14 gauge I think would be fine though.  The issue you get with some wiring is without knowing how thick the insulation is its hard to know exactly what gauge the wire really is underneath. 

I think your decision to run 12 gauge wire in a fuse block is solid.  That said, What component of the AC is pulling 20amps DC?  The compressor pulls nothing DC.  The compressor clutch only powers an electromagnet with DC which I know is much less than 20amps.  That only leaves the blower motor.  No way that pulls a constant 20amps even on high.  What am I missing?  (Just trying to follow along)

RTM wrote:

TKOPerformance wrote:

For me, it would also depend on whether or not the circuit is running continuously at close to 20 amps or not.  For example, if what the circuit powered had say 18 amps at in rush, but ran at 10 I'd be a lot less concerned.  IMO, I don't care if the distance was 6" I wouldn't use an 18 gauge wire in a 20 amp circuit.  14 gauge I think would be fine though.  The issue you get with some wiring is without knowing how thick the insulation is its hard to know exactly what gauge the wire really is underneath. 

 
I measured the wire strands themself to confirm the gauge.

As I'm progressing with my electrical wiring skills and feeling the pride after redoing the engine bay, I'm most likely going to order the new fuse box clips and run all new12g wire to the AC. I'm not liking the spliced idea of 12g to 14g, even though it should be fine. The only question then is do I leave the CAA inline fuses in place with a fuse wire from the fuse block. Again I'm leaning towards a cleaner look and only have one fuse on those wires. Plus if I left the inline fuses in place I would have to get behind the dash to check or change them.

I personally hate inline fuses.  I really try to have fuses either in the fuse panel or in/near the device.   My fan for example has a 40 amp fuse in a fuse holder which mounts with a screw right next to the relays for the fan.  Its clean and I know where it is.  I'm okay with that.  My amps use fuses which are mounted on the same board as the amps (these are also big fuses in nice looking holders). 
 

What gauge wire is feeding the fan?  Is it 12 gauge?  I've replaced 2 blowers in the last 2 years in later model cars.  Neither had wires that were 12 gauge.

Regardless, having a bigger wire doesn't hurt anything.  The original question was what size wire was needed.
 

I finally got one of the clips removed from the fuse block.  Hard to remove something when you don't know what style clip it is and your eyes are not what they use to be.  Lol

Dies any one know who makes this clip?   I'm still looking but haven't found it yet.

The connectors were suppose to arrive yesterday and they did not get delivered.    Amazon is now saying they will arrive on the 22nd.   I was really hoping to finish the wiring this weekend. 

The same just happened to a mountain bike frame I ordered.  It to had a delivery date that was Nov 4th.  Now it looks like it could be an 8-10 week delivery time because it went by boat and this was USPS from Northern Mariana Island.  Seller claims he did not know USPS ground would take this long.   

Maybe I'm just spoiled with getting things so quickly.   Lol