In the words of the Chuckle Brothers "Oh dear oh dear".
This is the fusebox I put in for the blower module, I only happened to come across the condition of it while I had the dash clocks out to replace a few bulbs! I've checked all of the wiring I put in and everything else looks okay.
I'm guessing that this was caused by the warming of the fuse in an enclosed box. Looking at the colour of the blob, it was a 30 amp fuse I put in. Would this be on the very limit? Should I put in a slightly higher rated one? Could it be caused by having that lid over the top trapping in the small amount of heat, building it up?
Poorly fuse in the blower mod circuit
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Poorly fuse in the blower mod circuit
Kev
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Sounds like a similar failure to that frequently experienced by XM owners.
The answer in my case was to fit a separate 30amp MAXI fuse and holder outside the underbonnet fuse box. The overheating of the smaller fuse at high current loads is caused by resistance where the the fuse spade terminals meet the metal spring blades and there is insufficient metal to dissipate the heat build up - result - melted plastic and burnt contacts. The physically larger MAXI fuse totally overcomes these problems. A higher rated small fuse will not help.
The answer in my case was to fit a separate 30amp MAXI fuse and holder outside the underbonnet fuse box. The overheating of the smaller fuse at high current loads is caused by resistance where the the fuse spade terminals meet the metal spring blades and there is insufficient metal to dissipate the heat build up - result - melted plastic and burnt contacts. The physically larger MAXI fuse totally overcomes these problems. A higher rated small fuse will not help.
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Malcolm's spot on. A standard (i.e. not quick-blow) fuse will take twice the rated current for many hours before it eventually blows due to progressive oxidation of the fuse element. I can't remember the typical figures, but at 4X rating current the blow time is still measured in minutes.citronut wrote:what was the rateing of the fuse holder,
I would suspect a bad connection, maybe the fuse in its holder?????
If you put in a bigger fuse it might not just stop at the fuse holder, and you might need to call the neeee nau's out with their big hoses
The second picture clearly shows that it isn't the fuse element (the thin U-shaped bit) that's got hot, but one of the spade connections. A poor quality or under-rated fuse holder is to blame.
Poor quality brass (soft and easily bent) is often used in cheap electrical kit in places where plated phosphor-bronze (nice and springy) is needed. You get the same problem with some cheap 13A plugs.
I doubt there is a short anywhere - just a failure of the fuse holder.
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Absolutely spot-on Guy!
The blower takes about 20A on full chat and that can give rise to some serious heating if there's a modicum of resistance about...
I don't believe those fuse holders are rated much above 10A continuous even though you can fit a 40A fuse in them.
The blower takes about 20A on full chat and that can give rise to some serious heating if there's a modicum of resistance about...
I don't believe those fuse holders are rated much above 10A continuous even though you can fit a 40A fuse in them.
Jim
Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
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