(ET) Control panel fuses: What does the Elec-trak *REALLY* need

[Chris Zach <cz alembic crystel com>]

I've been thinking a bit about fuses as I look at the cremated remains 
of one of my E15 controller cards. Several of the PCB traces are burned, 
there are jumper wires soldered in, it's a sad mess.

And I was thinking: There is no way in hell that these components, edge 
connectors, and the like can withstand a 20a 36 volt current limit. 
However the controller fuse is (I think) supposed to be 20a.

I wonder if GE was out of their minds. This annoys me a bit: The purpose 
of a fuse is to protect a circuit and as such it should be rated so that 
it blows before the current capacity of any downstream components have 
been reached.

This also blew up Card 4's on my E20 when the diodes short. The 
difference is a blown fuse and a quick-to-replace part and a blown edge 
connector and carbonized components.

So what *should* the control fuse on an E20 be? 5a? 8a? Anyone ever 
measured how much current is drawn with all relays closed?

Chris