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04-04-2020, 10:41 AM | #1 |
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To fuse or not to fuse
I just installed an auxiliary horn button to work my original 36 horns. Works good but I read somewhere that this should be fused.
YES OR NO ??????? |
04-04-2020, 10:54 AM | #2 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
You can never go wrong with an in-line fuse.
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04-04-2020, 12:16 PM | #3 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Isn't that what a stock horn relay does?
Look here: https://www.carid.com/1936-ford-12-t...ys-connectors/ |
04-04-2020, 12:24 PM | #4 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
If your button just goes to ground, probably don't need a fuse. If it is supplying power to the relay then yes. In general grounds shouldn't be fused.
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04-04-2020, 12:48 PM | #5 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
are you using a relay. if yes put a fuse on the lead going to batt term on relay
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04-04-2020, 12:51 PM | #6 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
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04-04-2020, 08:49 PM | #7 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
I looked at the 1936 electrical schematic and see no fuse or relay for the horn. I can put an inline fuse on the power side of the wire that is hooked to the neg side of the battery. What size fuse should I run on the 14 gage wire approx. 5 feet long ?
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04-04-2020, 09:31 PM | #8 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
You might have to experiment. Keep putting higher rated ones in until they don't blow when you activate the horn. If you get to 20 amps, I would stop and look for other problems. Fuses are relatively cheap.
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04-04-2020, 09:34 PM | #9 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
…...or, if ya start smelling smoke, just let go of the horn button already! DD
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04-04-2020, 10:21 PM | #10 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
fuse or breaker it dosent matter which, but you need to protect the system remember the fuse always goes as close to the power supply [battery] as possible the smallest short unprotected could burn your vehicle to the ground. Sounds dramatic but it happens
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04-05-2020, 08:18 AM | #11 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Why did the original horn setup not need to be fused ?
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04-05-2020, 10:06 AM | #12 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
All positive leads need to be fused. (Negative if it's positive ground). Even battery cables are fused on some newer cars.
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04-05-2020, 10:37 AM | #13 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Yeah, one of the places Henry Ford saved money was on fuses. I had a '36 coupe, and IIRC, it had ONE.
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04-05-2020, 12:25 PM | #14 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
I think were not fused simply because that was the practice back then. A fuse is not needed if everything is working properly. By today's standards that's considered malpractice; every circuit must be protected by a fuse or circuit breaker because things can and do go wrong.
I worry about my original car with only the lighting branch-circuit protected. I disconnect the battery cable if its not going to be driven for a couple days. |
04-06-2020, 11:53 AM | #15 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Ford only used a fuse on the lighting circuit on these early years.
Last edited by JSeery; 04-06-2020 at 01:22 PM. |
04-07-2020, 10:06 PM | #16 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
as time progressed so did the expectations of motorists and hence electrical loads and requirements. Early cars with hand crank start acetylene lamps and magnetos so no wiring or battery . We progress and expect more for less i can remember having cars in the late 80s that still only had 2 factory fuses i ended up splitting circuits because 1 short would literally stop the whole motor vehicle Hence manufacturers also began splitting circuits till we get to todays times of 30 plus fuses in several banks .So if there is a problem in say the power windows the wipers will still work [byproduct makes fault finding a lot quicker as it isolates the fault not 1/2 the car ] also in efforts to save money manufactures are useing less wire so circuits can carry less current without damage. So in my opinon always fuse !!
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04-08-2020, 01:20 AM | #17 | |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Quote:
Which brings back fond memories of youth. That under-powered, useless heater/defroster, cramped little Beetle was one of the most fun cars I ever owned. |
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04-08-2020, 01:51 AM | #18 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
from memory your vw would of had 4 fuses and a generator with a 30amp max output these days it takes 30 amps plus just to run the engine [fuelpumps,injectors,ecu,sensors.] it all adds up add lights signals and that power hungry A/C and you still need some leftover to actually charge the battery so you wonder why 80+ amps is now common place
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04-08-2020, 01:06 PM | #19 |
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Re: To fuse or not to fuse
Fuses were seldom used on circuits that are considered to be intermittent. The starter circuit is intermittent and draws too many amps to use a fuse. Horns also draw a good bit of current and are generally only used for a short report. Folks that lay on their horns very often have never been very popular with their neighbors.
Ford liked to use a circuit breaker on the lights. If the circuit breaker opens then you know to look for a problem and fix it before it does any damage. If you fix the problem quickly then your lights will still function without carrying a fuse around. |
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