The Infamous Series 2 Fusebox

HI, Yes I agree, the original fusebox as said is poor design and poor choice of material so any mods to it are just putting lipstick on a pig. A proper purpose built blade fusebox like the one Vaultsman fitted at the beginning of this thread is a better solution. Plus the original cover can be affixed to the replacement one to annotate the fuses use.

Colin
 
As I said before, with the little wireclips fitted to the fuse block clips, even at the base of them, fitting a 3AG fuse takes a significant push - much more than without the wire clips. With improved grip, and some Deoxit, I would hope the contact on the fuse ends will be more than adequate.
Very interested in where those adaptors pictured come from?
Edit - all I can find is that they (Converta-fuse) went out of production a couple of years ago....?
On inspecting the fuse block location relative to the shin bin the height of adaptors like mine is not an issue, as long as the lid is left off.
Harvey - "They are a nice looking thing, but they still don't get around the original problem which is the clips in the fusebox not gripping the fuse tightly enough. " - check the grip with some wire clips fitted please.
 
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Actually they do allow for one to solder them in place and still be able to change the fuse. the issue with the original arrangement is that the clips are actually two single blades separated by plastic and each side has its own connecting wire. So there are four places non-contact can occur on each fuse. That problem is fixed if the device is soldered in.
 
harveyp6 said:
They are a nice looking thing, but they still don't get around the original problem which is the clips in the fusebox not gripping the fuse tightly enough.
Click to expand...
They look good if you are prepared to have double the contact areas for a fuse. If however they are not 1 1/4" wide then you will suffer the same issues as fitting fuses that are too short, not enough contact in the original clip.
 
mikecoombs said:
Actually they do allow for one to solder them in place and still be able to change the fuse. the issue with the original arrangement is that the clips are actually two single blades separated by plastic and each side has its own connecting wire. So there are four places non-contact can occur on each fuse. That problem is fixed if the device is soldered in.
Click to expand...

Yes soldering them in is possible however the original fusebox plastic doesn't react well to heat.

Colin
 
Quite true there...Just why they used a plastic that melts so easily on a device that only works when it gets hot is beyond me.... One could of course support everything with a generous coating of Hot melt or araldite...or you could do what I'm doing and change everything over to thermal breakers. I haven't sourced small enough magnetic breakers yet...
 
Just to say that the bodge I did by screwing 2 very small woodscrews (24 in total) into the small space alongside each end of all fuses in the box, (the heads of the screws must be countersunk ones) thus pushing on and tightening up the contacts has worked since I posted about it on August 2020 see picture (sorry didn't get the slots in the heads lined up). Only one needed later to be screwed down a bit more. Obviously use some common sense should you do this. I hadn't thought about using the clips that I now see are available for this, just as well as I would probably tried using the metal staples for fixing wire to a post?
 
I replaced perfect old fuse box with 2 x6 blade side entry fuse box's. was very fiddly and space and wiring is tight! luckily I took a tip from others and used a ground down old saw blade to 'release' contacts thus was able with minor mods to use original wiring as I opened up each wired Lucar terminal and fitted wire to new to suit terminal block.
 

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I just fitted 2 of my blade fuse adaptors, first 2 positions 1-2 and 3-4. Very tight to p[ush in, so there is no issue with quality of contact IMHO, although I do agree that adding extra points of contact is not a good thing. On 3-4 i wanted to check if the now wired up and switched heated rear window worked - no - it only showed 150ma for the indicator bulb. more research required up the back. No sign of a relay involved on the diagrams, or in the wiring.
on fuse 1-2 all I saw was~260ma - domelight. It should be 10W, but its very dim, almost yellow, so 3W is about right. Damned if I can get the cover off it, as I have a couple of LED festoons which should be brighter. or is there a known problem with poor wiring up there?
Interior lights in the 928 are known for problems with leads shorting to the body...I was actually down at the local Porshe workshop once having a natter, leaning on the back of a customer's 928 when we heard a clunk, and when we turned and looked into the rear hatch there was a wisp of smoke and the festoon bulb fell out of the rear interior light.....
 
Hi I’ve read this with interest and the fuses on my 2200 in passenger glovebox is a semi blind process attracting attention from passers by as if I was doing a TDA ! I find the original glass fuses a rarity to find- can 5amp ceramic hose fuses- they are a bit shy but they make up by having a tight fit at least but obviously the filament is not visible are there any other problems with using these? Often there is not much choice! Speaking of amps my ammeter has stopped working, the battery charges ok it’s very annoying as there is something reassuring about the amp needle floating in th and around the middle of the dial!
 
The fuse box can get hot (and melt) if the fuses aren't long enough. You really do need to have the whole of the fuse cap fitting into the whole of the spring clip.
 
Hi, The other thing to think about is that automotive fuses are fast blow fuses and household ceramic ones are slow blow. So their protection is different.

Colin
 
I have read somewhere when researching blade fuses that their current ratings are NOT their blow amps, but their continuous amps....anybody seen that ? With my home made blade fuse adaptors I have fitted 20A blades in the 25A positions - so far none blown.
 
The old glass Lucas fuses show the blow rating so a 35 amp fuse was for 17.5 amps continuous. I have just looked at Durite blade fuses and it states they are continuous rated ie 10 amp fuse blows at 20 amp. Really if the old glass fuse was 25 amp it should be replaced with something near half that if going to a blade . Not sure there is a blade of 12.5 Amps
 
Evening guys,
Looks like I have just joined the club here.
Wandering down a country lane this eve when my eyes were being irritated.

smoke leaking out of the glovebox - Sh!t, pulled over ASAP, opened glove box and presto - Fuse 15-16 blown and melted. Headlights/ dip beam

First time in 27 yrs of ownership a fuse has melted like this -

Out of interest - is this fuse the common fuse to blow given the load that the lights put on it.

Can it be repaired (clean up 32mm fuses all round, and hope it doesn't happen again) - or like for like replacement could be considered.

The car is a daily driver and so any big fuse box repairs are too time consuming (for me).

I know from earlier posts an upgrade is the best and logical route.
Cheers
Simon
p6_fuse.jpg
 
If the headlights are still working, fit relays on them -2 for each side. On advice from others who have done it, I tapped off the main feed to the light switch, ran it out to near the brake booster to provide a hot point. I then ran a lead over to the near side to power those lights. Locate the std wires that feed the lights to switch the relays.
Separately I would pull each fuse 1 at a time, clean their ends (nylon abrasive pad), and the clips they go into, and apply a touch of Deoxit.
 
Thanks jp28 - appreciated and understood. I have since re-read the comments / advice from others in this post and will act on that.

Given time has taken its toll on the fusebox and plastic components, terminals etc, do we think a replacement box is worthwhile (eg below on Ebay) or avoid completely and fit a better designed box assembly.

I see the advantages of retro-fitting blade terminals and a new box to suit, but I can see me getting into a right mess with re-installation ...

At the moment, I am struggling to find 1 1/4 '' ( 32mm ) fuses. Often they are described as 32 but in reality they are 30 mm - the reply received is so-what. Most applications dont have this sensitivity issue.

Cheers

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I have one of those RTC1372 as a spare...but the thought of working in that confined space, putting bullet ends on the original cut off wires worried me a lot. Hence my foray into the blade fuse adapters - no issues in there so far. I strongly recommend doing the relays on the headlights, and the small clips to hold the 2 sides of the fuse clips together - it does make the connections better because of the way they are NOT connected to each other - look at the wiring diagram posted by another to see what I mean. I made them from 1/32" piano wire (hobby shop), good pair of side cutters and needle nose pliers. The blade fuse adapters , made with 1/4" brass tube are a very tight fit, so the contact should be good , and its easy to keep corrosion off by rocking the fuse side-to-side.
 
Thank JP - I read thru thru the posts history with interest last night - and the banter on your blade fuse adaptors... - but they look a good idea, if the achieved contact area is good. This problem I have with the fuse box melting is the first time in 27 yrs of owning the car. But maybe it is a fault waiting to happen on all P6s. I still have the other very annoying fuse fault which you have kindly helped with recently, but I have yet to sort out. (the fuse for the side lights keeps blowing, but not instantly, usually after several hours of replacing the fuse. I have checked the light earths and number plate bulbs but I think it is related to the fuse box local to the fuse holder - maybe a poor connection.

Now I will need to remove the box I will look at both areas. I liked the idea of the x2 6-relay boxes but I can only see more probs for me replacing the fuse boxes, although the descriptions from other on the process are excellent.

But I will still, as you suggest, look at integrating relays for the h/lights - smart move. cheers Simon
 
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