View Full Version : Do You Up Your Fuse When You Use A Trailer?
I was told the reason I was blowing my stop light fuse was cause I installed a trailer wire harnnes. I had a size 10 fuse and went to a 15 and have had no problem. I also replaced a blown tail light and wonder if that had anything to do with it? The auto store guy told me there's no danger in going to a higher size fuse.:confused: :eek:
Oh I found a tear in the wire where it runs under the rear hatch and fixed it a while back, I'll run a new one under the Lexus in the future as I know that it will tear again if I don't.
The Big Al
10-04-2006, 01:02 AM
I think your ok, 5 amps burns the car down!
Let it burn!
Maybe I should put the 10 back in and see if it holds up? Could the burned out bulb have made the difference?
KeninSC
10-04-2006, 07:12 AM
1157 lamps pull 23 to 27 watts on high (brakes on). If your vehicle and trailer are both using 1157 lamps, that would be 108 watts (4 x 27) at 12vdc = 9 amps load. A 10amp fuse would right the verge of blowing every time you stepped on the pedal. Also when you add the extra length of wire for the trailer lights, the voltage drop incurred could very easily put you over the 10 amp load. The fuse is to protect the wire. If the wire gauge is 16awg or larger you should be fine with a 15 amp fuse. The NEC (National Electric Code) allows 18 amps on 16awg wire with 90 Deg C insulation (most automotive wire is 90 Deg. wire and the NEC is fairly conservative). Good Luck.
chris_lacey
10-04-2006, 07:23 AM
Good answer, Ken.
Leave behind any articles of clothing in any bars lately?;)
1BadAction
10-04-2006, 07:23 AM
"Do You Up Your Fuse When You Use A Trailer?"
nope, vehicles that have good engineering behind them use seperate fuses for trailer lights. :p
if you gotta up the fuse, do it, just make sure the fuse blows before the wires melt :eek:
The Big Al
10-04-2006, 02:29 PM
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Yea what he said!!! See I knew that!!! Yea man I was on it!
There are 3 things I know about electricity!
ONE: You can't see it
TWO: That BUZZZZZZZZZZZ hurts!
THREE: That BUZZZZZZZZZZ HURTS!
KeninSC
10-04-2006, 02:40 PM
It doesn't really hurt until you get above 50 volts. Don't matter if it's AC or DC, above 50 it'll start getting your attention quickly:eek: .
Hey Chris,
I've only been to a couple of bars since then, and I've manged to keep my clothing with me.:D
The Big Al
10-04-2006, 07:33 PM
[quote=KeninSC]It doesn't really hurt until you get above 50 volts. Don't matter if it's AC or DC, above 50 it'll start getting your attention quickly:eek: .
[quote]
Well I have never been able to look at a wire and see just how many volts it had, until. BUZZZZZZZZZZZ
DAM IT!!
Just the other day I was at Powell Motorsports and we were changing the sensors for the egt's. (all 8 of them) on the dyno.
I stuck my hand in the control box to change one of the port plugs.
Their was this round silver thing, they called it a capacitor, it was a 400volt jobber do.
And guess who it discharged on! ME! MY ASS! I arm hurt for hours!
O yea, it's still funny! They are making a decal, saying "Warning HIGH voltage, just ask BIG AL!"
NOT FUNNY WORTH A ****!
BUZZZZZZZZZZZ I hate BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZAP!
I put the ten amp back in and it's holding. I'll just keep I eye on it when I use the trailer, Thanks Guys!
:eek: I had the 10 amp fuse wiork for a few days then I saw it was out, the tail lights, while going home early this morning. I put in the 15 just to get the last few miles but had a burning smell shortly afterwards. I pull over and checked the fuse, blown, and the tail ligh area which was OK except for the smell. When I got home I traced the wires, trailer, from where I cut them into the wheel well area. I found something that looked like a junction box and also a lot of water. Seems that the rear windshild washer hose sprung a leak and filled the compartment with water. There's a drain just in case of a leak but it was plugged. I took the junction box out and found some melted plastic on its back side. I guess I got lucky it didn't catch on fire. I cut the wires and I got my tail lights back, turn signals don't work and their fuse is good so I'm thinking that once I put a new box in and fix the drain and leak I'll be ok!:rolleyes: :confused: :eek: :D
Turn signals work now?:confused: Maybe when I put the wire nuts on it changed something as all I did before was to wrap them with electiical tape.
Anyway as stated by others the wires can handel the 15 amps but I had no idea that there was that box, which I found can't handel the amps,:eek: nor the water!:D
I think I'll have a talk with Lexus about the damage the water caused!!!!
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