Find That Fuse

[Darth-Car]

Greetings To The FMJ World!

So in the process of doing Darth Car's speaker swap I knew I would have the doors open a lot, and I did not want to melt those precious courtesy lamp lenses, so I decided to pull the interior lamp fuse. Well I thought I might be pulling this fuse a lot in the future as other projects came along; so rather than having to dig out the shop manual, and then count fuse sockets to get to the correct fuse, I came up with a quick identifier for my fuse. A little strategic coloring with a paint pen, and I will always know this is the interior lamp fuse, and will be able to pull it at a glance.

If you do not see it right off, it is the white colored fuse above the 5 amp fuse, but below the big circuit breaker.

 

[Justwondering]

I wasn't smart enough to to do this the first time and depleted the battery. Second time I took off the negative battery lead and had to reset the clock again. Your way is easier.

 

[Joe12459]

Great idea!

 

[BudW]

A good idea.

I have a tip for those people who browse boneyards.
Many cars come with a plastic fuse puller that makes pulling those fuses, a breeze. They typically come clipped onto the fuse door.
You can also purchase one in a parts store (but I’m cheap).

I’m also been known to pick up a handful of fuses while there. Trying to find an odd fuse, like 7.5 amp, at 2am can be fun. I can get a fist full of fuses for a buck at my pull-a-part.

Plyers and screwdrivers just seems to damage things and my fingernails are just not enough to pull those suckers. Glass fuses are even worse.

BudW

 

[Aspen500]

Glass fuses are darn near impossible to get out without breaking them

I wish they'd have gone to the new style fuses earlier. My '79 has glass and the parts stores don't stock many of them anymore. They pretty much have 20 and 30 amp, but nothing smaller. They could order them of course. Can't blame them, glass fuses haven't been used for 25+ years. Oddly enough, I was at Ace Hardware and wandered down the automotive isle and what did I see? Every type, size and amperage glass fuse ever made(!) Bought a couple packages of each amp fuse my car has. Box is 5 fuses, btw.

 

[BudW]

Glass fuse boxes are cool – but can’t really use them for anything else.

’80 Aspen uses the plastic spade fuses.

 

[Aspen500]

Missed the spade fuses by THIS much... Like 2 months (my car was built June 17, 1979). Then again, how often do you have replace a fuse anyways? Not very.

 

[Justwondering]

Aspen500 - I'm officially giving you the optimistic attitude award. I like your style...

 

[80mirada]

I had a 79 Magnum, it had blade fuses, built early December 78. So I wonder if they changed the B cars early.

 

[Aspen500]

Very possible they did. Makes sense I suppose they wouldn't (couldn't) change every model all at once. The b-body must have changed a year earlier for the '79 model year. I had a '78 Cordoba (miss that car........) and it had glass tube fuses yet.

 

[Darth-Car]

I found the glass fuses easier to tell when they blew.

 

[Aspen500]

I found the glass fuses easier to tell when they blew.

That's true.

 

[rhaegar77]

I'm working on a device that would definitely help for things like this in the future! It's a smart-fuse that will detect and identify issues you may be having regarding finding fuses, shorts, and also kill the battery before a certain accessory drains it to the point of needing a jump.
One of the features we're looking at is a connection to an app that could help you find the fuse your looking for, and remotely be able to turn off any fuse.
Would anyone find that useful? What else would you like to see it do?

 

[kkritsilas]

Why would you need to remotely turn off a fuse with an app? I understand what you are trying to accomplish, but it is very much like trying to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. If you want a fuse to turn off if there is a short, it exists, it is called a circuit breaker. As well, the smart fuse will probably be physically larger than the standard plain fuses that are in the fuse boxes of our cars, so fitment may be an issue if the fuse is to reside permanently in the fuse box. If it is a diagnostic aid only, that may work, as the smartfuse wouldn't need to stay in the fuse box, although this is a marginal improvement over just pulling the fuse.

Most people are best served with a battery disconnect switch, either directly or remotely controlled.

 

[Darth-Car]

New technology, and ideas is always interesting. Keep us up to date on your progress.

 

[BudW]

There are short / open wire locators on the market place.
The short/open locator sends an A/C signal (aka electrical noise) into one wire and using either a handheld meter or a plastic/rubber tipped probe, you trace the wiring from point of signal generator - down to where gauge no longer gets a signal.
You then take car apart at that location, to find the problem and to fix it.
BudW

 

[4speedjim]

Ive seen fuse's or fuse blocks with LED that lights the blown fuse. But I think the idea has a place in street cars for anti theft, car shows, marine and RV off the top of my head. It could develop into factory installed products and compete with similar new car OBD2 apps. that will start the car, turn on A/C or defrost etc. I think it has a place in the market if it can be made and sold at a fair value for capability. I like the concept.

 

[BudW]

I can see and like the idea.

On a different note: I hadn’t had a blown fuse in any of the vehicles in my fleet, for a long time – except for the trailer fuse on my diesel pickup (now mumbling something incoherent about trailer wiring . . .)
BudW

 

[Justwondering]

Lets see ...
Suburban - 2 fuses (trailer lights, blinkers)
Ford Dually - 5 fuses (trailer lights, backup lights-3rd brake light issue)
Chevy Silverado - 1 fuse (seat warmers)

Obviously, I tow trailers frequently. Since dad died, I have made it a priority to get every trailer checked over on wiring harness and lights as well as plug so I don't have this problem on the road again.

1 trailer done, 11 to go
Suburban plug wiring redone, 4 more vehicles to go

And yet, when I was working on the backhoe this morning - it was obvious it wasn't charging. A quick check showed wires hanging down everywhere and the tiny wire on the alternator was completely broken in half. I think thats the ignitor or exciter or something like that. Have to look it up. Anyhow, its not a fuse but it causes non-start issues if I don't disconnect the battery (at least I think thats contributing to the problem).