Easy Electrical Question
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,413
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From: NJ
St. Jude Contributor
Easy Electrical Question
I installed a switch on my power antenna wire from my head unit (aftermarket pioneer CD player). I tried it a couple of times and it worked! BUt then it blew the inline fuse! Why? if i just replace the fuse will it just happen agin. I checked all my sodering points and they were all ok and covering in duct tape. Any help is greatley appreciated.
From
Will
1984
PS
could my switch be rate for too many amps? I checked the switch in my house witha light bulb and battery and the switch is still good.
From
Will
1984
PS
could my switch be rate for too many amps? I checked the switch in my house witha light bulb and battery and the switch is still good.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 12,832
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From: Canton GA
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Re: Easy Electrical Question (flyinace2000)
A little more detail please... how did you hook it up.. by simply breaking the line coming from the radio and putting a SPST switch in it or some other way?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Easy Electrical Question (flyinace2000)
Heat shrink tubing is the prefered method on electrical splices.
Replace the duct tape with black electrical tape, double check your wiring and try a new fuse.
Replace the duct tape with black electrical tape, double check your wiring and try a new fuse.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,302
Likes: 2
From: Atlanta GA
Re: Easy Electrical Question (flyinace2000)
Your antenna my simply be requiring too much power for the fuse. Hook up a multimeter to the line and see how much power it is drawing. You may simply need a larger fuse. Really, the main purpose of a fuse is to prevent the wire from shorting out and catching on fire. Adding a larger fuse (but not too much for the wire) will not hurt the charging system or electronics. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,413
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From: NJ
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Easy Electrical Question (flyinace2000)
Thanks Guys
I went down to radio shack and got set of .5amp fuses to replace the blown one. But this time i got short blow fuses instead of fast acting ones. And now it works perfectly. Antenna goes up when i tell it and down when i tell it! Ahh another job done :-) and all for under 5 dollars. Doing work yourself is great.
From
Will
I went down to radio shack and got set of .5amp fuses to replace the blown one. But this time i got short blow fuses instead of fast acting ones. And now it works perfectly. Antenna goes up when i tell it and down when i tell it! Ahh another job done :-) and all for under 5 dollars. Doing work yourself is great.
From
Will
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 97
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From: St Paul MN
Re: Easy Electrical Question (dtorc4)
Replacing the fuse with a larger one is a great way to fry the deck. The power antenna lead off most head units (especially aftermarket) is a transistorized output. It is designed ONLY to actuate a relay. They really don't like to put out more than about 200mA of current. I am glad switching to a slow-blow fuse worked.
Ted
96 CE LT4 Z51
Ted
96 CE LT4 Z51
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Burning Brakes
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Re: Easy Electrical Question (flyinace2000)
Duct tape is BAD NEWS when used with electrical wiring. It will eventually dry out and start falling apart and/or the adhesive will dry out over time and the tape will separate from the wiring. Either way your wires will be exposed and possibly short out.
I wont even use vinyl electrical tape because of the adhesive situation in "permanent" installations. Use shrink tubing on your connections and avoid the problems.
I wont even use vinyl electrical tape because of the adhesive situation in "permanent" installations. Use shrink tubing on your connections and avoid the problems.
