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Old 08-17-2019, 05:39 PM   #1
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What's it?

I found this item tucked inside the wiring enclosure for the Dometic fridge in our '79 Boler. Seems to have been overheated at some time in it's life.
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Old 08-17-2019, 06:16 PM   #2
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looks like a heavy gauge butt connector ... or fuse holder??
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Old 08-17-2019, 07:02 PM   #3
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It "was" a fuse holder. I had to force it apart.
Need to know what what the value of fuse to replace it with.
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Old 08-18-2019, 05:48 AM   #4
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If the fuse came out of the holder the amperage is usually inscribed on one end. On the metal side
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:00 AM   #5
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Fuse

The fuse inside was a ceramic exposed filament. No markings. I'm reading that it should be a 5amp fuse.
The way the holder was melted was probably making the spring loaded contacts ineffective. Good to replace it.
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:09 AM   #6
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Regarding the wire size to the new holder and the service the fuse provides should help you size the new one. 5 amps is pretty light so I’d start there.
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Old 08-18-2019, 06:30 AM   #7
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Just downloaded the manual for the Fridge and it reads that it's a 10 amp fuse.
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Old 08-18-2019, 12:35 PM   #8
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I think the first thing I would do is to check the wire size when it's spliced into the fuse holder. Then if the manual say 10 amp, and draws 9 amp (I'm assuming this is in the 12 volt line), I think I might want a modern fuse or go 15 amp.
Here's the reasoning. Typically trailers and appliances are designed to run on 12 Volt DC. The typical modern vehicle will run at 13.8 VDC and can at time go to 14.2 Volts DC. From 12 volts to 13.8 is and increase of 86% or 87% multiply .86x 9 = 7.74+9 = 16.74 Amps. For older fuses that's enough the heat up the fuse and soften the ABS fuse holder, but not enough to blow a 10 Amp fuse.

FYI Fuses are rate by amp-time. Amperage ratings don't tell the whole story. A 10 amp rated fuse will probably never open with 10amps through it, and might just get hot with 20amps through it. But at 30 amps it might blow is less than one second. UL doesn't consider fuses for safety measures.
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Old 08-18-2019, 12:56 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
... From 12 volts to 13.8 is and (sic) increase of 86% or 87% ...
Is this what they call the new math?
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Old 08-24-2019, 11:31 AM   #10
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Do not oversize the fuse. If the manual says you need 10amp fuse, put in a 10amp. Doubling it to 20amp could fry your fridge and start a fire. Do not do it.
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Old 08-24-2019, 06:53 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman View Post
I think the first thing I would do is to check the wire size when it's spliced into the fuse holder. Then if the manual say 10 amp, and draws 9 amp (I'm assuming this is in the 12 volt line), I think I might want a modern fuse or go 15 amp.
Here's the reasoning. Typically trailers and appliances are designed to run on 12 Volt DC. The typical modern vehicle will run at 13.8 VDC and can at time go to 14.2 Volts DC. From 12 volts to 13.8 is and increase of 86% or 87% multiply .86x 9 = 7.74+9 = 16.74 Amps. For older fuses that's enough the heat up the fuse and soften the ABS fuse holder, but not enough to blow a 10 Amp fuse.

FYI Fuses are rate by amp-time. Amperage ratings don't tell the whole story. A 10 amp rated fuse will probably never open with 10amps through it, and might just get hot with 20amps through it. But at 30 amps it might blow is less than one second. UL doesn't consider fuses for safety measures.
Your math may be backwards.

Actual power draw is in watts, which is VxA, so if the voltage goes up, the required amperage goes down.

I would suggest replacing the melted fuse holder with a blade-type (ATO/ATC, like this - https://www.parts-express.com/in-lin...0-awg--070-675) fuse holder. Modern fuses, available everywhere, with much better contacts.
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Old 08-24-2019, 07:09 PM   #12
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those ceramic fuses are color coded (my vintage Mercedes cars use them ;-/) ...

a white fuse is 8A, red is 16A, and blue is 25A... there's also a yellow, I don't remember what value it is because my car doesn't use them so I don't have any on hand. Edit: Google says, Yellow are 5A

the 'ceramic' fuses sold today at american car-parts chains are *AWFUL*, plastic body, tin plated elements, very low quality and prone to failure. Us older Mercedes, Volvo 240, and VW owners use "Flosser" brand fuses we get online from euro car specialists, these have brass and/or copper elements and proper ceramic body.

Flosser only sells a box of 100 fuses, so many folks online (ebay, etc) repack these in smaller quantities for the various 1970s/80s/cars that used them.

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Old 08-24-2019, 07:11 PM   #13
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oh. I'd seriously consider replacing that fuse holder with a marine ATC blade fuse holder, like this...

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Old 08-24-2019, 07:16 PM   #14
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Nice to know, John!

My personal experience with these fuses is lending a spare hand the day before a major Ferarri meet, either cleaning the fuse holders or reading the voltmeter on the downstream side.... On six cars.

I have a friend who works on vintage Ferraris, and if there were a way to replace every one of those miserable spring-clip fuseboxes with something more modern, he'd be all over it. :-)
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Old 08-24-2019, 07:25 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by Thomcat316 View Post
Nice to know, John!

My personal experience with these fuses is lending a spare hand the day before a major Ferarri meet, either cleaning the fuse holders or reading the voltmeter on the downstream side.... On six cars.

I have a friend who works on vintage Ferraris, and if there were a way to replace every one of those miserable spring-clip fuseboxes with something more modern, he'd be all over it. :-)
well, if you want to keep those vintage cars original, you get the brass/copper Flosser fuses and replace every single fuse with them, and have way less problems with corrosion. if you're really fanatic, put a little dab of DeOxit D100 on the ends of each fuse before installing. Thats the first thing I do now with any older Benz I get my hands on, why I have that fuse collection in that photo.

best thing to clean the fuse clips before installing them is a clean soft pink pencil eraser... this removes the oxide without stripping the metal plating.
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