Wiring issues :(

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Lej

Lej

Active Member
Posts
195
Location
Devon
Good morning all,


Slightly concerning, but when I went to start the old girl this morning (held the key in between ignition and start) I heard crackling and a ploom of smoke come from the back of my stereo- fortunately I was able to rip it out in time before any fires started.

I have checked the cable, it is a permanent live feed to an aftermarket fusebox- the fuse didn't blow (but there was a 13amp fuse in it, so I'm not surprised).

I can only assume that the draw from the starter motor has caused this - 12.3v and 200+ amps would fry a 0.8mm cable.

To correct this presumably I need to put a regulator in before the fuseboard - Would I need a voltage regulator and something else for the amps?

Thank you!
 
You haven't said but I presume this is a 19J that doesn't deploy a heater plug relay ??

If not i'd fit one ... you don't need the specific LR unit, which has an inbuilt timer, just a 200A relay.
Like this ...

www.12voltplanet.co.uk

12V 200A Heavy Duty Relay

Durite 12V 200A make & break NO relay suitable for high current applications. 2x6.3mm blade terminals & 2xM6 stud terminals. Moulded bracket for mounting.
www.12voltplanet.co.uk

Run a fused feed from the battery to the relay and use the existing feed to fire the coil

@the_wolf man has a good point ... 0.8mm cable is only 16Amps (max) ...
 
Thanks guys,

The engine is a 200tdi, with glow plugs (and now that you've said it, it's definitely the glow plugs drawing power not the starter!)...

The new fuseboard was set up to incorporate a diesel heater, stereo and any other future auxiliary bits.

As for the relay, wouldn't that need to be less than 200amps for auxiliary bits?

The 0.8mm is the connection supplied with the new unit, its part of the multi plug out of the back.

Thank you all :)
 
If that permanent live to the aux fuse board is coming straight from the battery then the draw from your glow plugs shouldn't have any effect on it. It seems much more likely that the cables chaffed on something and earthed against the bulkhead
 
Hi the wolf,


This is where the confusion is- there was no chafing... The cable is far away from anything that it can arc on to- and it only sizzled the wire when I held the key in-between ignition and crank.
 
I am still a bit confused why you are holding the key between ignition and crank. If it's a 200tdi then it has a heater-plug relay, only the (older engines) 19j needs the 'hold'

The 200A requirement is for the heater plugs
0.8mm needs a 10A (maybe 14A max) fuse ...
 
Hi Mikdish,

Basically, I went to get in it this morning and realised that I left the sidelights on and the battery had drained- for some reason I decided to hold the key before it cranked and that's when the smoke started bellowing from the wiring.

I should have mentioned that it was originally a land rover 90, C reg so would have been a 19J engine, but it now has a Discovery 200tdi lump.

The glow plugs only work if I hold the key, this is a separate issue that I want to sort before winter.

Thank you
 
I had this 'issue' when I got my car a couple of years back. I ended up changing the ignition switch and fitting a proper relay.

Before that, I ran a wire from the 'crank' position on the switch, out of the rubber bung behind the binnacle/dash, to Pin 85 (on the relay), connected Pin 86 to ground (the bulkhead) and then ran a feed from the battery, through a 200A fuse, to Pin 30 and connected the heater plug wire to Pin 87 (all relays are numbered the same).

www.ebay.co.uk

200A Amp Manual Reset Circuit Breaker 12v/24v Car Auto Boat Audio Fuse Holder | eBay UK

1x Circuit Breaker Reset Fuseholder<. 200 Amp - High Current Circuit Breaker. Unique Push Button Reset can also be used as a Kill Switch. High Tech water resistant housing,Mount on Panel or Firewall. People always bought together with.
www.ebay.co.uk

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/276864823730
 
Thank you Miktdish,

Turns out I made an error in my haste this morning. The wire that is fried is actually the earth wire.

Now, I thought about it for a while and wondered why the rest of my auxiliary bits didn't fry but my stereo did, and I may have come to a conclusion... It's the only one that is earthed directly from the battery, all the others are earthed to the bodywork...

So presumably me wiring in that earth has made an easier and direct earth for the glow plugs which has overloaded the cable?
 
Might be a good idea to take apart and clean up all the other earths, so the tiny earth wire isn't the path of least resistance!

The best thing to happen to my earth connecctions was when I treated myself to a battery powered angle grinder. Equipped with a sanduing disc, one's mating faces can be sanded back to sparkly fresh metal in seconds. Provided the bolts haven't rusted in, of course.
 
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