A slight 'thermal event'

Tom W

Active Member
Hi all,

After driving for several miles with the lights on main beam, my car has suffered a slight 'thermal event'.

The main beam lights started working intermittently. Upon investigation, the fusebox has started to melt around the main beam fuse. Serves me right for procrastinating on fitting relays and checking for too short fuses.

I think the best solution is to replace the whole thing with a modern equivilant. Can anyone recommend a suitable replacement? I'm still debating between blade, ceramic and glass fuses, and crimped or screwed terminals. Anyone got any opinions?

Tom
 
Hi, personally I would go with blade fuses as they are readily available and much
more reliable. Both glass and ceramic fuses are reliant on the holder having enough
spring tension.

Colin
 
Thanks, looks like blade fuses are the way to go then. I know it's not original, but I don't want my car catching fire!

I was thinking of fitting 2 of these, side by side in place of the original. http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1267

All the 12 way ones I've found have been side entry and the original P6 box is fed from behind. I'm worried with side entry there won't be enough slack on the existing wiring to pass round the fuse box and reach the terminals at the bottom of the fuses. With a rear fed box, wiring length shouldn't be an issue. The existing P6 box has 2 terminals per end of fuse so I'll need to double up wires into the lucar connectors that I fit into the existing loom. Can anyone see any problems with this?

Cheers,

Tom
 
Tom W said:
Thanks, looks like blade fuses are the way to go then. I know it's not original, but I don't want my car catching fire!

I was thinking of fitting 2 of these, side by side in place of the original. http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1267

All the 12 way ones I've found have been side entry and the original P6 box is fed from behind. I'm worried with side entry there won't be enough slack on the existing wiring to pass round the fuse box and reach the terminals at the bottom of the fuses. With a rear fed box, wiring length shouldn't be an issue. The existing P6 box has 2 terminals per end of fuse so I'll need to double up wires into the lucar connectors that I fit into the existing loom. Can anyone see any problems with this?

Cheers,

Tom
I like the look of that one, for exactly the reasons you give :p

Click below and look at either the 'Piggyback' style, or the '2 into 1' Stationary Blades, for a possible solution to not having enough terminals.

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/terminalsnonins/noninsblades.php

Looks like there should be enough room to use either, and it means no change to the existing wiring :p

Hope this helps. :)
 
Tom W said:
Thanks, looks like blade fuses are the way to go then. I know it's not original, but I don't want my car catching fire!

I was thinking of fitting 2 of these, side by side in place of the original. http://www.autosparks.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=1267

All the 12 way ones I've found have been side entry and the original P6 box is fed from behind. I'm worried with side entry there won't be enough slack on the existing wiring to pass round the fuse box and reach the terminals at the bottom of the fuses. With a rear fed box, wiring length shouldn't be an issue. The existing P6 box has 2 terminals per end of fuse so I'll need to double up wires into the lucar connectors that I fit into the existing loom. Can anyone see any problems with this?

Cheers,

Tom

Perhaps, and correct me if I'm wrong, you will encounter a problem were the the wires are bridged between the fuses. On the ingoing side you have wires, (yellow, braided) going between the outer fuse clips of for example, fuse 5-6 and 7-8. On later models the wires have been replaced to connectors that have two terminals, one in each fuse position. I can clarify this with pictures if you want me to, my old meltdown-fusebox is still in the workshop.

Bear in mind that there is limited play in your wiring loom! You can push it down a little from the top (but requires the removal of the parcel shelf).

I've replaced my meltdownbox with an original one, albeit the later one, cleaned the terminals, used contact spray, used the good fuse length (32mm) and new soldering on some of the connections! Seems to do the job as well.
Regards,
Andries
 
Years ago I replaced the unreliable bullet connectors on the Jag with an insulating block and screw-on terminals.This put an end to wondering if I would have lights or horn or fans.
 
I had exactly this problem last week. I soldered in four in-line blade fuse connectors for the four headlamp locations and now all is well. It took about two hours. I don't know how your fusebox is mounted. My car is LHD and it is up under the dashboard. The wires are generally very short behind the fusebox and I would not try to replace the entire box as it would be very difficult. I believe only the headlight fuses will ever give trouble as they are the highest current, so I am leaving the rest alone. If you send me a PM with your email address, I can send you a picture of what I have done.
 
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