Stranded by the road

[oriondal]

I was driving down the road, when my A began to sputter and quit. The ammeter showed a large fluctuating discharge, even with the key removed, and a clicking sound came from the engine area. When I put the stethoscope on it, the sound seemed to be coming from the fuse, which was rapidly becoming very hot. I removed the fuse and the clicking and discharge stopped. It starts again when I replace it. Seems like some kind of short. Any ideas?

[2manycars]

Your fuse seems to be a resetting circuit breaker, which would explain the clicking and ammeter jumping. Something is shorted to ground. Start by disconnecting circuits until you find the short. Could be the brake light switch, main light switch, generator or cutout, and probably several other things.

[Mitch//pa]

for shits and giggles try putting a standard glass buss fuse in and see if it blows or gets hot.

if it blows yea a short
i just want to eliminate a circuit breaker issue

[newshirt]

^^^ LIKE. Could be just a faulty circuit breaker.

[oriondal]

Burned right through a 20 amp fuse, so I guess I'm about to learn a little more about the electrical system.

[Jim/GA]

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Yes, you have a short. Are you trying to limp home? If so, we can help you isolate the short to get going again.

Or are you home and can diagnose it in comfort at your leisure?

This is why we have fuses or circuit breakers, guys. You want to shut the current off before you get the wires hot and let all the smoke leak out.

[Jacksonlll]

You do have a short. Disconnect the light circuit from the gen/altenator. If that fixes it, just trace each lamp, horn, and brake light switch. until you find it. A short is serious. Make you you find it and fix it.

[newshirt]

Do you have a schematic? If not, here is one that might help isolate the short.

[oriondal]

Thanks a ton guys. I wasn't too far from home, so the tow strap came in handy and I can work on it in my garage. I disconnected the wire to the light bundle from the alternator and the ticking stopped. The engine now starts and runs and I have no exterior lights or horn, so I'll work on tracing the short to one of those.

[Mitch//pa]

youll figure it out quckly,

that circuit breaker did its job...
when your all done i would get a new breaker and not reuse it

[Manager]

Had a very similar encounter recently and it was the brake light switch. The contact inside rotated on the screw and was shorting against the body of the switch.

Thanks newshirt for the diagram.

[oriondal]

Yes, thanks newshirt for the diagram. It's saved in the folder

[Hoogah]

Stand by for dumb question from a fuse user:
How is the circuit breaker an advantage in this situation? What is it doing better than a fuse would do? In other words should I ditch my fuse for a circuit breaker before I have an unplanned adventure?

[oriondal]

My problem is somewhere in the headlights. Everything works OK until I go to dim or bright on the switch. Brakes, cowl lights and horn work fine. Now to figure the rest out. It's got me a little baffled because the lights weren't on when I had the original problem, but it doesn't repeat now unless they're switched on.

Hoogah, If I had known to disconnect the light wire from the alternator when I was off the road, the circuit breaker would have reset and I could have driven home. I'm not sure that's much better than having a bunch of spare fuses (which I have anyway).

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Hoogah

Stand by for dumb question from a fuse user:
How is the circuit breaker an advantage in this situation? What is it doing better than a fuse would do? In other words should I ditch my fuse for a circuit breaker before I have an unplanned adventure?

Hoogah,
Now remember it was YOU that labeled your question as DUMB.
The circuit breaker did its JOB & even came back ON, operational! It was carrying a HORRENDOUS load, so what if it looks over worked? Whut would YOU look like if you had thet much LECTRICITY runnin' through you?? If using a circuit breaker, you should carry a spare. Better than having a completely DEAD system, fumbling for fuses, running out of uses, BURNIN' YO' PO' OLD FINGERS, ETC!
Hoogah, come on over, COFFEE'S READY.
Bill W.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by oriondal

My problem is somewhere in the headlights. Everything works OK until I go to dim or bright on the switch. Brakes, cowl lights and horn work fine. Now to figure the rest out. It's got me a little baffled because the lights weren't on when I had the original problem, but it doesn't repeat now unless they're switched on.

Hoogah, If I had known to disconnect the light wire from the alternator when I was off the road, the circuit breaker would have reset and I could have driven home. I'm not sure that's much better than having a bunch of spare fuses (which I have anyway).

That's the kind of details that helps us solve problems. Makes me think the original problem was in the headlamp switch. My first thought was the problem might have been in the socket at the base of the headlamp, but if the switch was off, then there should be no power there.

That's a good wiring schematic and it would be good to print off two copies and have them laminated. Keep one under the seat or in the door pocket.

[Hoogah]

Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON

Hoogah, come on over, COFFEE'S READY.
Bill W.

I'm there, Bill. I like a little cream in mine. I'll drink it while you edumacate me!

[Franchise_24]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

for shits and giggles try putting a standard glass buss fuse in and see if it blows or gets hot.

if it blows yea a short
i just want to eliminate a circuit breaker issue

I quit using those circuit breaker fuses. Seems like when the engine would get hot they would pop. Maybe it was because they were old, I don't know, but I went back to glass fuses and have not had problems sense.

[jax55]

I had a breaker that worked as it should have when I had a short in my head light circuit, then it crapped out when driving. I have purchased several more and STILL cannot get one to work again. So, back to fuses.
I opened one that was bad out of the box and found the contacts not anywhere near to touching. These are all marked as 12 volts, and I cannot believe they NEED 12 volts to close the contacts.. but four in a row "bad" something is going on.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

IF you use the same type of breaker that Oriendal used, you can still have problems with bad connections, in those CHEEP fuse holders. I use those G.M, blade type circuit breakers with a compatible pig tail thingy they supply.
I use a 30 Amp at the starter & a 15 Amp for the lights & a 15 Amp for the horn. I mount those 2 on the output leads by the cut out. They splice into the 2 YELLOW wires.
That way, if a short is in the horn or lights, ONLY that one will TRIP & the engine & charging system will function NORMALLY. That will ALSO help you locate WHERE the SHORT IS.
Bill W.