leisure battery - wires melting!!!!!!!! HELP!!!

Post by **dirtygertie** » 27 Apr 2008, 11:41

heeeelp,

Nigel wired the leisure battery to 2 12v 10wat spotlights, when he first wired them up they kept blowing the fuses, changed the fuse to a 35amp fuse.
he earthed the fuseboard
he used .5mm wire

had them working today for a short time, popped into the house & when he returned the wires had burned out completely. some melting into the top of the battery.

should the battery be earthed as well as the fuseboard or instead of????

Post by **Smiler** » 27 Apr 2008, 12:23

Please don`t progress with any further electrical work!

I`m not being cheeky but get somebody who knows what they are doing.

The insulation on the wiring melted due to getting hot........the next time they may start a fire !!!

35 amp fuse is way too high, I run my system on a 10 amp fuse.

You have been very lucky, i`m srry i`m not closer or I would have been able to help, somebody will be along to assist soon i`m sure!

Post by **Grantourer** » 27 Apr 2008, 15:12

Hi, where your spots the husehold type run from an AC transformer or designed for 12v DC. The circuit should be, battery negative to van chassis, positive to a suitable fuse, (35 amp, as Smiler says, is way to big) then from the fuse to the switch, then to one side of the light, take the other side to a suitable point on the body,this will then give the earth return to the battery. I hope this helps.

Regards,Graham

Post by **dirtygertie** » 27 Apr 2008, 15:45

I think we (he) might have sorted it. it seems that the problem was that he'd earthed the fuseboard, Not the battery.
Now that he's earthed the battery to the van its running the lights on a 10amp fuse.
The lights are 12v 10a caravan lights.
also hooked up a cigar lighter socket & ran a mini compressor at the same time & the wires were fine.

Phew!

Nigel is a qualified electrician, but has never dealt with auto electrics - spose its all a learning curve!

now just need to sort out wiring the car stereo

Post by **Smiler** » 27 Apr 2008, 16:17

dirtygertie wrote:Nigel is a qualified electrician, but has never dealt with auto electrics - spose its all a learning curve!

I was only trying to help, I was worried you would cook your van

Post by **Grantourer** » 27 Apr 2008, 16:37

Hi, Glad you sorted it.

Graham

Post by **gti mad man** » 27 Apr 2008, 22:33

yup i earthed my lesuire battery other day much better now

Post by **lloyd** » 28 Apr 2008, 06:23

dirtygertie wrote:heeeelp,

Nigel wired the leisure battery to 2 12v 10wat spotlights, when he first wired them up they kept blowing the fuses, changed the fuse to a 35amp fuse.
he earthed the fuseboard
he used .5mm wire

I'm no sparky, but searching web finds .5mm wire is rated for about 3 amp, 1.0mm is 16.5amp. 35amp requires 4.5mm wire. Normal trailer wiring is 1mm and 2mm wires. Might want to consider bigger wire or smaller fuse.

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