Fuses ???

[55 Fargo]

Hi all, doing some re-wiring and plan to finish the rest this winter. my plan is to use fuse links on the following, the radio (14 amp), wiper motor (7.5 amp), heater motor ( 10 amp), lights ( not sure). I have a brand new fuse link on my clock circuit (3 amp),. There is a 30 amp circuit breaker on the light switch, a 20 amp circuit breaker on the linkto the gas gauge supplying wiper motor, heater motor, cigar lighter.

I found great fuse links at wally world, the wire is 12 gauge, the fuse holder is very heavy duty, the price is a couple of bucks. Any other ideas, for this job, possibly the gas gauge, all lights etc, could be on fuses too, at present my lights,are on a circuit breaker..............Fred

[Heavy Flat Head]

I had one experience with fuse link that was to say the least was not pleasant. When the link blew it sounded like a gun shot. Under the hood the wiring harness had a hole in it. What would of happened if this link was in the car?

I think this is why the auto companies do not use these expect for the main fuse. A fusible link is just an undersized wire; this wire can carry just the maximum current than blow and blow fast. A fuse is made to take a surge of current without blowing for a short time.

It is easy to go to a wrecking yard and get a fuse block out of a car and wire it into the cars electrical system. I always look at when I modify any of my cars on how did the car companies go about this. There is not much that Detroit did not try and there budget is greater than ours. Of course that does not mean that I would not try something different, I look what I am trying to do and see if any one has done the same thing and how did they solve the problem.

Ed.

[Norm's Coupe]

Fred,

I would not alter the original wiring setup in any way. I may replace the wiring, but I would keep it to the original wiring specs if staying with 6 volts. There's noting worse than buying a car where someone has made up their own wiring system, then didn't make a diagram to go with it. Would be a nightmare to trace all that. If you want to change to 12 volts, I'd still keep it setup as original to the car, or with the new wiring harness if you bought one. Then I'd keep the new 12V harness diagram with the car records for the next owner.

There's nothing wrong with the old wiring harness setup. I'm still using mine as many others are without problems. So really, I don't think you need any additional fuses than what came on the car.

[55 Fargo]

Hi, I have yet to have an in-line fuse do anything like that, wow that musta been a lot of juice in that glass fuse to make it blow.

The OEM wiring harness only has an inline fuse for the radio, clock, other items are on the circuit breaker. I am not saying this is ideal technology, but they did work for years. Most of the electrical troubles I have ever had were related to wire with poor insulation, causing shorts and arcs, poor ground connections, and poor terminal connections, to be honest, I have not had a lot of fuses blow on me in any car, only a handful of times in 30 years of driving my own cars............Fred

[BobT-47P15]

Or just get a few of those old style skinny fuse holders that take the old glass fuses like used for the headlites. I haven't had any particular problems with the wiring in the past 10 or more years. (except for the time i reversed two wires on the headlite switch....and that fuse blew)

[Young Ed]

I think you guys are getting inline fuses confused with fuseable links.

[55 Fargo]

Norm, I agree on this point, all of my wiring is being re-done according to a factory schematic, with some minor alterations. I am using mostly 12 and 14 gauge wire, not using 16 gauge, even where I could use it, some of the car was wired with 16 gauge wiring, small light bulbs etc. Where it calls for 10 gauge I will use that also, such as horn wiring, one of the genny wires calls for 10 or 12 gauge I believe. I have wired in the following using 12 gauge wire, the wiper motor, the heater motor, the clock circuit I used 12 gauge, with a brand new inline fuse holder and a 2 amp fuse, the wire probably overkill, but it came with the fuse holder.

One other thing I am not going to do as per factory spec, all the light harness has unplugs on a link under the dash on the right side, I am going to run my wire without breaks, from the bulb to the terminal block, I don't like connections, I know the factory made them, but reproducing that may not be so simple.

Most terminal contacts, will be soldered, shrink tubing will also be used.

So far, so good, have replaced a bit of wire already, but at least 75 % of the remaining wiring I will replace this winter.......Fred