Author Topic: Electrical Safety and Protection in your car  (Read 2470 times)

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Offline Chris

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Electrical Safety and Protection in your car
« on: August 04, 2008, 12:08:13 PM »
I have said this before and I will say it again, make sure you fuse any electrical/electronic devices as prescribed.

Last year on my way home from the final Friday Night Races I suffered what appeared to be a mojor electrical failure in the car. Had to tow the car the last few blocks home and let it sit until now (lazy).

Well after going for a ride in a certain pro-mod whose drivers intent was to feed the racing bug in me, I finally decided to look at my car.

All that was wrong was a blown fuse. I replaced the fuse, pumped the gas and boom she fired up first time.

No burnt wires, no damaged electronics, just a blown fuse. Why? It looks like I hit my line-loc wire which shorted 12volts to ground and blew the fuse which shut down the MSD.

Here are my suggestions.

Run a main car fuse

Run a fuse between the battery or power point and before it enters a metal opening

Use rubber grommets or other protective material when passing through a metal opening

Protect wiring around the engine with heat shielding material

Use relays for headlights and accessory power, do not run everything directly through the ignition switch

These tips saved my car, otherwise I could have burnt up everything.

See you at the track!


Offline silas

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Re: Electrical Safety and Protection in your car
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2008, 12:50:56 PM »
so what you're really saying is that it took you 11 months to diagnose a blown fuse?? good work sherlock!!

j/k chris.......you know that. ;) 8)

i think it's good of you to post a warning like this. people need to be reminded that it's the simple things like protecting a circuit that can save you, your car or a customers tr3....

let me explain...i had just recently installed a set of aftermarket fog lights in a customers car complete with a switch, fuse, relay and all new wiring. well, 2 days after install the customer came back complaining that his headlights didnt work. he said he was driving through stanley park and was turning right around a corner when a big puff of smoke exited the car.

so with the car in the shop and the hood popped i noticed a few burnt wires...then a few more...and then alot more....and i started to sweat, second guessing the work that i had done had had a catastrophic failure and burnt half the wiring harness in the car.

upon further inspection, i noticed that the whole fog light circuit (the one i installed) was completely intact with no damage what so-ever. and upon further inspection after that the burn was traced all the way back to the high/low beam switch (located on the lower left corner of the front firewall...much like our early beetles).

so here's what happened....he's turning right and his left foot hits the high/low beam switch by accident as he tries to brace himself as the car rolls to the left. the switch (which is older than dirt, a lucas product, and well known for failure) shorts to power and lets the smoke out of the wires. and the kicker is...that f@$king circuit on a late 50's tr3 isnt protected with a fuse!!! can you believe it?? i sure cant. i spent an extra 15 minutes scouring that wiring diagram looking for the fuse or relay or some other sort of protection device until my boss came along and told me it didnt have one.

moral of the story.....lucas electrics blow donkeys, protect your circuits to cover your ass, and.....

it's good to have you back chris!!!! i love seeing that pos of yours tearing up the track!! 8)

on a side note...another item i never leave home without is a fire extinguisher. if you dont have one, get one, and leave it in your acvw at all times.

i'll post pics as to why later.... :o


Offline Chris

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Re: Electrical Safety and Protection in your car
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2008, 01:51:22 PM »
10 months but who's counting!

I do have to say I really love the way my car sounds!