Blown fuse when testing with multimeter.

[benlawlor85]

Hi,
The stereo stopping working yesterday, so last night i tried to trace the problem, behind it was a mass of wires and scoth locks. is i got the trusty multimeter out to see if i had a live feed and soon as i touched the positive and negative there was a spark and a fuse blow, this happened on both the constant and switched live. ignition was off too. Obviously i need to trace the wires back to work out how its been wired in but why would attaching a multi meter blow a fuse!?

Ben

[bigherb]

Did you have the multimeter leads connected into the Amps terminals?

[benlawlor85]

not sure. ill check when i get home. is that the side they should be connected too?

[bigherb]

No, you will create a dead short to earth if they where which would blow the fuse.

[benlawlor85]

That's what it must have been, Stereo has both constant live and switched live live all the time! Nice! looks like that will be getting totally rewired.
Thanks again for the help

[AdrianC]

Stereo has both constant live and switched live live all the time! Nice! looks like that will be getting totally rewired.

Which is probably what you want in a camper, though - you don't want to have to turn the ignition on to have music, do you?

[benlawlor85]

I was planning on having a switch on the dash to control which batter it runs of leasiure battery the starter battery. Otherwise im sure i would end up leaving it on and draining the battery. What is the usual way of dealing with stereos in campers?
Ben

[AdrianC]

I was planning on having a switch on the dash to control which batter it runs of leasiure battery the starter battery. Otherwise im sure i would end up leaving it on and draining the battery. What is the usual way of dealing with stereos in campers?

Just take it straight off the leisure. When the engine's running, both batteries charge from the alternator, so there's no difference. When the engine's not running, you don't want to flatten the starter battery inadvertantly...

[benlawlor85]

Ok, thanks for the info ill look into it. The split charger looks suspect on my van. I am planning on running fuse box off the leisure battery so i could run it just off that. Would make it simpler than my orginal idea too. Just have to remember to turn it off!