Blowing fuses like crazy

[rivrat]

I just bought a used 08 VLX tuesday and the previous owner had installed a bunch of LED in the boat. they are all wired to the interior light switch. I played with the lights on tuesday night and all was fine but last night I took the boat out and the lights were on for about 5-10 minutes and i blew the fuse. I went under and the dash and replaced it with another 7.5a fuse and they turned on for about 3 sec and blew again. so I put a 20 amp fuse in and it popped in 3sec also. The LED's really don't put out that much power and if it was too much them why didn't it blow at first when i turned them on. Has anyone had this problem before?

[Jimmypooh]

I just bought a used 08 VLX tuesday and the previous owner had installed a bunch of LED in the boat. they are all wired to the interior light switch. I played with the lights on tuesday night and all was fine but last night I took the boat out and the lights were on for about 5-10 minutes and i blew the fuse. I went under and the dash and replaced it with another 7.5a fuse and they turned on for about 3 sec and blew again. so I put a 20 amp fuse in and it popped in 3sec also. The LED's really don't put out that much power and if it was too much them why didn't it blow at first when i turned them on. Has anyone had this problem before?

Sounds like they are shorting somewhere. You'll need to start unplugging (or cutting and splicing) to figure out where the short is. It's going to be a tedious process...just grab a case of beer and a bunch of wire nuts and have at it.

[mellen_mpz]

if it lasted 5-10 min with a 7.5 amp fuse and then blew in a few seconds with a 20, I would say you definately have a short somewhere.

[Eshik]

It sounds like in the 5 to 10 min that were on somthing overheated and melted and is now shorted. No promises but before you start cutting stuff up you should look for a damaged spot. You should never put a bigger fuse in to see if that will fix it. A larger fuse Could last long enough to realy damage somthing or melt wire and switches or in extreme cases start a fire.

[RTS]

It sounds like in the 5 to 10 min that were on somthing overheated and melted and is now shorted. No promises but before you start cutting stuff up you should look for a damaged spot. You should never put a bigger fuse in to see if that will fix it. A larger fuse Could last long enough to realy damage somthing or melt wire and switches or in extreme cases start a fire.

Exactly...especially after the second fuse blew in 3 seconds. You are risking damage to whatever equipment is being protected and possible starting a fire, especially by inserting a 20 amp fuse.

In small aircraft, we are taught to never reset a circiuit breaker that has popped until we are on the ground...unless the equiment is critical to flight...because of the aforementioned risks.

Edited July 2, 2009 by rts

[skyskier]

A 50 amp fuse should help find the problem pretty quick.

[68Slalom]

A 50 amp fuse should help find the problem pretty quick.

I'm not sure that would be a good idea

[Bobby Light]

A 50 amp fuse should help find the problem pretty quick.

Turn them LED's on with a 50 amp fuse right before the end of the fire works show and you'll be the finale.

[pup]

Start by removing anything from the circuit that is not factory installed.