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01-22-2018, 03:16 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1987 29' Airstream 290
Los Angeles
, California
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 74
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Melting/burning ignition fuse
I’ve been parked awhile.Yesterday I noticed the plastic on the ignition fuse in the front cab was melted. Not sure when that happened. So I replaced the fuse. I think it’s a 20A. She started and ran fine this morning, but on today’s drive I smelled a stink and yep, that same fuse was melting again. What could be causing this?
The only things electrical I’ve done lately were (1) putting in new regular turn signal, stop etc. bulbs (2) LED headlights (3) LED side-light bulbs.
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01-22-2018, 03:51 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
1974 20' Argosy 20
Richmond
, Kentucky
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GinaParmesan
I’ve been parked awhile.Yesterday I noticed the plastic on the ignition fuse in the front cab was melted. Not sure when that happened. So I replaced the fuse. I think it’s a 20A. She started and ran fine this morning, but on today’s drive I smelled a stink and yep, that same fuse was melting again. What could be causing this?
The only things electrical I’ve done lately were (1) putting in new regular turn signal, stop etc. bulbs (2) LED headlights (3) LED side-light bulbs.
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If your coach has the Air Ride suspension in the rear then it's possible the fuse is for the air compressor for the rear suspension.
I'm not familiar with the later coaches and how the air compressors were installed and wired but that's the first thing I'd be looking at.
Brad
__________________
Air forums # 1674
1974 20' Argosy Motor Home
1975 24' Argosy Motor Home
1974 31' Excella trailer (parting out, as of 4/1/2015 I have wheels & windows left to sell)
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01-22-2018, 03:57 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1991 25' Airstream 250
Oxford
, Oxfordshire
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,253
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Strange. I assume it’s rated at 20amps. You’re obviously drawing too much current through that circuit. If it’s always been OK, then it suggests a short which seems improbable. It would be worth checking what runs through that circuit and isolating them, measure current as you try and find the cause eg stereo/steps/fridge control etc. It’s also conceivable that your blue finned isolator (likely make surepower) has crapped out. There are some good tests in the site or poss in the manual where you can test if it is working correctly. If faulty, you might join the circuits. I think (Brad can probably confirm this) that the isolator solenoid on the rear of the battery tray can also give rise to issues, but can’t remember 100% on that. Good luck.
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01-23-2018, 02:08 PM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1982 31' Airstream 310
champaign
, Illinois
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,071
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One would think that the fuse would blow and interrupt current before the actual plastic would melt.......??? I would second the previous posts starting with checking your compressor. It can draw quite a few amps through the ign circuit. Then you'll need to find and isolate all devices on that ign circuit. You might get lucky and find it right off. If indeed it's melting the plastic I would get right to it if you're using the coach. That's quite a bit of heat being generated and may be generating heat down the circuit somewhere.
Did I read your post correctly that it melted while the coach was parked and key turned off??
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01-23-2018, 03:17 PM
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#5
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Another possibility...
Are the fuse holder contacts clean and tight? Sometimes the female connectors in the fuse holder can get corroded or dirty, loosen up, or otherwise make a bad connection...
If the fuse is not making solid contact, the prongs can slowly heat up and melt the plastic even if there is no excess current in the circuit...
Something to look into. The fuse and fuse holder contact should be clean, tight, and bright. If the fuse is too easy to insert, that's a place to go looking for issues with the connections...
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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01-23-2018, 05:10 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2005 34' Classic S/O
2006 39' Land Yacht 396 XL
north blenheim
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,847
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OK, I'll add my 2 cents for what it's worth....if you didn't have the problem before you changed the directional switch, I would look under the dash at the work you previously have done.....might just find your problem before you let to much smoke out. Regards, Bob
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01-23-2018, 05:45 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1983 34' Excella
1967 24' Tradewind
Little Rock
, Arkansas
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,825
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmkrum
Another possibility...
Are the fuse holder contacts clean and tight? Sometimes the female connectors in the fuse holder can get corroded or dirty, loosen up, or otherwise make a bad connection...
If the fuse is not making solid contact, the prongs can slowly heat up and melt the plastic even if there is no excess current in the circuit...
Something to look into. The fuse and fuse holder contact should be clean, tight, and bright. If the fuse is too easy to insert, that's a place to go looking for issues with the connections...
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I've had this problem more than once.
On more than one vehicle.
It can be very frustrating. As suggested, get all the connections shiny clean. Best of luck.
__________________
Vaughan
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01-23-2018, 07:42 PM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
1987 29' Airstream 290
Los Angeles
, California
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 74
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It was the LED headlights. The diagram for the H4 adapter harness was confusing, and thus I didn’t install them properly. A lead tester made it obvious the grounding wire wasn’t grounded. I guarantee that wouldn’t be a mistake any of you would’ve made. Probably too obvious.
Anyway, lesson learned.
Thanks everyone for your input!!
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01-23-2018, 10:41 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2005 25' Safari
Salem
, Oregon
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 8,369
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Hi, as a previous automotive electrician, fuses melt from bad connections. Overloads blow fuses.
__________________
Bob 2005 Safari 25-B
"Le Petit Chateau Argent" Small Silver Castle
2000 Navigator / 2014 F-150 Eco-Boost / Equal-i-zer / P-3
YAMAHA 2400 / AIR #12144
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01-24-2018, 04:44 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
1974 20' Argosy 20
Richmond
, Kentucky
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS
Hi, as a previous automotive electrician, fuses melt from bad connections. Overloads blow fuses.
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Great tip! I never really thought about it that way but it makes sense.
Thanks!
__________________
Air forums # 1674
1974 20' Argosy Motor Home
1975 24' Argosy Motor Home
1974 31' Excella trailer (parting out, as of 4/1/2015 I have wheels & windows left to sell)
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01-24-2018, 07:22 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
1982 31' Airstream 310
champaign
, Illinois
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 4,071
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GinaParmesan
It was the LED headlights. The diagram for the H4 adapter harness was confusing, and thus I didn’t install them properly. A lead tester made it obvious the grounding wire wasn’t grounded. I guarantee that wouldn’t be a mistake any of you would’ve made. Probably too obvious.
Anyway, lesson learned.
Thanks everyone for your input!!
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I had to look at that H4 connector diagram several times to get it straight in my head when installing my LED headlights. The diagram pictures the connector facing you, when installed, you have to look at the diagram in reverse. It flips the ground to the other side of the connector when you turn the diagram around to install. A little tricky.
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01-24-2018, 03:56 PM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2005 34' Classic S/O
2006 39' Land Yacht 396 XL
north blenheim
, New York
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,847
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Enough said.....always check what you have recently done if you encounter a new problem that you did not have before......Regards, Bob
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