Date:         Thu, 9 Oct 2003 18:04:38 -0700
Reply-To:     Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject:      Re: Short Fused about plastic fuses
Comments: To: Jorge Osorio <josorio@ATLAS.KENNESAW.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.GSO.4.05.10310092015380.25284-100000@atlas.kennesaw.e du>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 05:41 PM 10/09/2003, you wrote:
>My question/concern is:
>
>1) A fuse is a fuse is a fuse right??? as long as is the right Amp

Wrong, the spec fuzes have a ceramic body that will not melt. They are made
by baking at 1000 degrees +. A propane torch can't hurt them. You must have
the designed to be cheap plastic bodied wannabees. How to tell the
difference. Use a knife, if it will cut, it's plastic, if it ruins your
knife, it's ceramic. You could probably use that ceramic body to resharpen
it. As to why you have popping fuzes, you have excess resistance somewhere
in the circuit. Corroded or loose terminals, or just worn motor will draw
excess amps. Clean up the wiring, just a bad grounds can also be your
resistance causing the failures.

>2) I've fooled around so much with the fuses that I'm not even sure I have
>the right ones in the right places. I've checked the Bentley but I'm
>confused cause the Bentley lists more fuses than what I have in my fuse
>panel, anyone knows the right amperage I need to use on each slot??? I'll
>probably replace all the jelly bean ones for glass ones as a "Smokey The
>Bear" strategy.

The owner's manual has your fuze box ID's. Otherwise, you will find the
fuzes in the wiring diagrams and can confirm which is which by the wiring
color codes.