FUSE MELTING

[Ralf85]

I have a supplementary fuse box on my Westy just behind the front seat on the side of the van with two fuses inside. The one that operates the fridge keeps overheating and melting. The smell of melting plastic is off putting. I note that there is a red power cable coming straight from the leisure battery to the top fuse connection. However, there is nothing connected to the bottom fuse connector. I am poor at electical stuff but should that bottom connector be connected to something either positive or negative? I am befuddled. It only became a problem recently.

Supplemental - there was a wire connector stuck behind the back of the fuse box but with no wire attached as if someone was about to create an earch for something or is this a red herring?
Patrick

[ewenmaclean]

Hello,

smell of melting plastic is not a good sign! If the fuse for the fridge is correctly rated and it's not burning out before the plastic starts to melt then you either have a very bad connection somewhere, or the wires you have running the fridge are not thick enough to take the current that is drawing. Is this something that has started happening recently, or has it happened since you put the fuse box in?

It's hard to get a picture of what you mean from the description - is there any chance you could include a photo? Is this happening only when you switch the fridge on, or does it also happen when it's off? If it's the latter then I suspect an earth leak.

Ewen

[Red Westie]

From memory....I'll look tonight, like you say, only one appears to have a wire connected to the bottom of the fuse (same as my Westy) the fridge fuse doesn't half arc when you move it...they do draw a fair old bit of current (25amp fuse?)
I had to clean and tension my sprung terminals to stop this happening...also use CERAMIC fuses not plastic (the plastic ones are cheapo rubbish and can melt as you have discovered)
I added a dead switch on mine (make sure it's up to the job) to turn off ebberspacher and fridge power when laid up...because it is possible to flatten the leisure otherwise.

Martin

[Ralf85]

Hello,

smell of melting plastic is not a good sign! If the fuse for the fridge is correctly rated and it's not burning out before the plastic starts to melt then you either have a very bad connection somewhere, or the wires you have running the fridge are not thick enough to take the current that is drawing. Is this something that has started happening recently, or has it happened since you put the fuse box in?

It's hard to get a picture of what you mean from the description - is there any chance you could include a photo? Is this happening only when you switch the fridge on, or does it also happen when it's off? If it's the latter then I suspect an earth leak.

Ewen

Thank you for the tips guys. Sorry what I should have also said was this only happened when the fridge switch was changed from hook up to battery ie when driving along. I just thought, could the alternator be over charging?
Patrick

[Red Westie]

Quote 'Sorry what I should have also said was this only happened when the fridge switch was changed from hook up to battery ie when driving along'.

Well that will be on 12volts then and the fuse will then be under load....

Honestly....at this point all I would do is clean and tension the sprung brass lugs and fit a ceramic fuse...ditch the cheap plastic one.
Then see how you go, I'm betting that will fix it, like I say I had a similar issue.

Martin

[Ralf85]

From memory....I'll look tonight, like you say, only one appears to have a wire connected to the bottom of the fuse (same as my Westy) the fridge fuse doesn't half arc when you move it...they do draw a fair old bit of current (25amp fuse?)
I had to clean and tension my sprung terminals to stop this happening...also use CERAMIC fuses not plastic (the plastic ones are cheapo rubbish and can melt as you have discovered)
I added a dead switch on mine (make sure it's up to the job) to turn off ebberspacher and fridge power when laid up...because it is possible to flatten the leisure otherwise.

Martin

Thanks Martin. what I missed was your reference above to a 25amp fuse. As far as I know the fuses fitted have been 16amp. That could well be the source of this problem. Thanks again for the advice.
Patrick

[Red Westie]

Hmmmm? sure one is a 25amp and the other is 16amp...I'll look and post back.

[ewenmaclean]

Hi Patrick,

See if you can find out what the wattage is of your fridge - mine's an electrolux and is around the 150W I think which draws about 10-11 amps when on full. When the alternator is charging you'll probably get 14V over the terminals, and if you measure this and the resistance with the stuff switched off you'll get an accurate idea of the current, but I'd say 16 amps is a fine value for the fuse. In any case if stuff is melting before the fuse is blowing then your connections are definitely not good. As Martin says - clean up the contacts and tension any springs. I would also have a look at the earthing point of the fridge's 12v feed - I don't know about the westy I'm afraid but mine is screwed to the floorpan. This should be clean and make a good connection or it'll cause the wires to heat up. Also check the feed from the leisure battery is making a decent connection.

Ewen

[Ralf85]

Hmmmm? sure one is a 25amp and the other is 16amp...I'll look and post back.

This all helps. There may well be an earthing problem with by bog standard and original electolux 3 way fridge, as installed by vw. Does anybody know where the earth is for the fridge circuit. Please tell me that it is easy to access and does not require the fridge to be removed!!! Alternatively is there a way of attaching an earth which leaves the fridge in situ?
Martin any news on the fuse for the fridge. Is yours a 25amp or a 16 amp?

Patrick

[ewenmaclean]

Hi Patrick,

the earth for my fridge is bolted to the floorpan behind it, so I do have to remove my fridge. On mine I can get to the connections from above by removing the drawer above it and there you'll find the 12v wiring - it's usually connected using spade connectors so you could make another cable up and connect directly to a good earth you know of - perhaps even on terminal of the leisure battery and see if the symptoms persist.

Ewen

[Fully Loaded Cali']

Clean the connections - it will be fine.

[syncroand101]

Just checked mine, I already upgraded the fuses to later spade ones, running 25amps fuse, noticed that one is melting slightly.

Will check earths, maybe even run one direct back to battery as suggested.

[Ralf85]

Cheers for the feedback guys. I am going to upgrade the fridge fuse to 25 amp and check out the earth as well. My van will get a good run out next weekend to Busfreeze, so I test out the solutions. Thanks again.
Patrick

[Ralf85]

I have bought a whole collection of ceramic fuses from Amazon. I noticed that the 16 and 25 amp fuses are actually copper so that should prevent corrosion that aluminium ones cause between the terminals. Subject to any call from Martin I will start with a 16 amp fuse and see if that starts to overheat I will try a 25 amp one. I will also check out the fridge earth. One problem I have had is not being able to find any guidance on which is the appropriate fuse for the fridge unit in a westie.
Patrick

[Red Westie]

One problem I have had is not being able to find any guidance on which is the appropriate fuse for the fridge unit in a westie.
Patrick

Turn your GAS valve off under the sink, push the gas button in on the fridge, it should start clicking, thats the ignighter, now pull the fuse to see which powers the fridge...clicking will stop.

Martin