Help Identifying This...

[MarkCC]

Hi

A few battery /electric issues yesterday, and when I went and had a look this has happened. 

I'm guessing it's some sort of fuse, but I can't seem to find what specifically it is, and being novice I tend to swap like for like. 

Any help identifying what it's officially called and where I might get a replacement. 

 

Best Regards 

 

Mark 

[robtheplod]

23 minutes ago, MarkCC said:

Hi

A few battery /electric issues yesterday, and when I went and had a look this has happened. 

I'm guessing it's some sort of fuse, but I can't seem to find what specifically it is, and being novice I tend to swap like for like. 

Any help identifying what it's officially called and where I might get a replacement. 

 

Best Regards 

 

Mark 

Yes thats an inline fuse, and looking at the damage to it, it was probably the wrong one fitted (too high?). Follow the red wire that has the yellow end on to see where it goes..

[MarkCC]

Thanks 

 

Did seem rather heavy duty. Its the cable to the main 6way control box panel I think. 

Just replace with a standard in line blade fuse set up (from Halfords I suppose) ? 30a or is that still too high? 

 

 

Thanks 

 

Mark

[Sir Nibble]

The overheating is nothing to do with the fuse rating, it's been caused by a poor contact.

[Tony Brooks]

3 minutes ago, Sir Nibble said:

The overheating is nothing to do with the fuse rating, it's been caused by a poor contact.

Which is all too easy to achieve on some of those blade type fuse holders if they allow you to insert the fuse blade(s) between the holder blades and the body rather than between the holder blade pairs.

[pearley]

I would replace it with a maxi fuse holder and do something about covering that mega fuse.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Something like this:

https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/inline-splashproof-standard-blade-fuse-holder.html

or possibly the maxifuse version, depending. https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/inline-splashproof-maxi-blade-fuse-holder.html

Fuse dimensions here to find out which type it was, or print out this - actual size!

As @Sir Nibble says, the melting is most likely down to a poor contact, leading to a resistive joint and overheating.

Edited July 29, 2020 by Jen-in-Wellies

[MarkCC]

Many thanks for all the replies. 

?

 

Regards

 

Mark 

 

[Bee]

Its all very well having a fuse but how do you work out the rating? I managed to blow a fuse on the boat and that had melted just like the one in the pic. Far too much electricity stuff trying to squeeze through the little wire = hot little wire until it melts.

[LEO]

If you have a battery charger fitted it could be a temperature sensing wire fitted to detect overcharging problems, looks as though something 'cooked' here, I would check batteries as well for water levels.

[Tony Brooks]

10 minutes ago, Bee said:

Its all very well having a fuse but how do you work out the rating? I managed to blow a fuse on the boat and that had melted just like the one in the pic. Far too much electricity stuff trying to squeeze through the little wire = hot little wire until it melts.

Unless the makers of the appliance the fuse is feeding specifies the size of fuse the fuses should be rated according to the capacity of the cable it is protecting. So you really need two sets of cable samples. Ordinary PVC and modern thin wall. Then you can compare the cable the fuse is protecting with the samples and from that specify the fuse. A lower rated fuse than the cable capacity is acceptable, a higher one is not.

4 minutes ago, LEO said:

If you have a battery charger fitted it could be a temperature sensing wire fitted to detect overcharging problems, looks as though something 'cooked' here, I would check batteries as well for water levels.

Very unlikely as we can see the green plastic of the blade type fuse. The temperature sensors usually have a small thermistor on the end of twin cable. The sensor may be on a "heat collector" that is bolted to a batery terminal.

[BEngo]

The whole battery top wants work, in order to comply with the BSS.  There are exposed terminals and inadequately secured cables.  A proper box would be best, but a cover, and some means of getting the load off the( ex) in line fused cable  would be OK.  The termination to the mega fuse could also do with a bit of heat shrink to keep moisture out of the cable.

 

Looking at the in line fuse it is not Just the fuse fitting that is overheated.   The entry termination is also partly carbonised and melted.  The red/yellow sleeved wire should be replaced for about 100mm at least.  Easier to shorten the cable, fit the new fuse a bit further from the battery and put a new bit of cable between fuse and battery.

 

N

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Has anyone said it was a poor connection??

Edited July 29, 2020 by Tracy D'arth

[Mac of Cygnet]

12 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Has anyone said it was a poor connection??

 

Yes, Sir Nibble in Post #4

[Tracy D'arth]

2 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

 

Yes, Sir Nibble in Post #4

Sure?  Heard it somewhere.

 

Its a loose or poor connection you know........................Gotcher!

[matty40s]

30 minutes ago, BEngo said:

The whole battery top wants work, in order to comply with the BSS.  There are exposed terminals and inadequately secured cables.  A proper box would be best, but a cover...

 

You assume he hasnt removed a cover to take the photo??

[BEngo]

I assume there is not a cover, because the terminal cap is lashed on with tie wraps, (not needed with  a cover) the battery tray is of the type for lashing  it down with tie rods or a web strap (usually interfere with a cover)  and the melted fuse itself would be in the way of a cover.

 

Could be wrong though.  I often are.

 

N

[MarkCC]

4 hours ago, BEngo said:

The whole battery top wants work, in order to comply with the BSS.  There are exposed terminals and inadequately secured cables.  A proper box would be best, but a cover, and some means of getting the load off the( ex) in line fused cable  would be OK.  The termination to the mega fuse could also do with a bit of heat shrink to keep moisture out of the cable.

 

Looking at the in line fuse it is not Just the fuse fitting that is overheated.   The entry termination is also partly carbonised and melted.  The red/yellow sleeved wire should be replaced for about 100mm at least.  Easier to shorten the cable, fit the new fuse a bit further from the battery and put a new bit of cable between fuse and battery.

 

 

Thanks for the insight. I will change a good length of the wire as recommended ?

 

There is no further cover im afraid. BSC all up to date and a everything was fitted by a proper boat yard, and checked 2 weeks ago by RCR who resecured the terminal covers. 

 

Once I'm off the Thames and back on a canal I'll have someone give it some love. 

Thanks again 

[Iain_S]

Assuming a green blade fuse, it's probably 30A.