Always fuse 18in from battery no matter what. What if it shorts before your controler? Fire.... Nothing stopping it.
Fuse blown- what's wrong?
- Thread starter mhchockey84
- Start date
mhchockey84 said:
This is why China products suck (no offense to anyone who buys them or sells them). They don't put the necessary protection IN their products, they're going to tell you to put the necessary protection outside of their products?
This is a commonly overlooked setup for novice installers. Picture it this way, if you get into a wreck and the wire get's pinched by the bent metal, what is stopping the short circuit? The wire will heat until the coating or surrounding fluids catch fire. A master fuse for each wire should be placed within 18" from the battery to prevent this very scenario from happening.
RecElect
Member
mhchockey84 said:
This is just BAD! Stop doing what your doing and rip everything out and start FRESH. I know, it will suck, but you need to do it RIGHT! ANYTHING going to the battery needs to have a fuse on it. I don't care that the instructions don't call for it, it is BASIC automotive electrical. if it goes to the battery, it needs a fuse period. That includes the python, siren, and control box. A good way to do this is to run a single 8 gauge line to your battery and put either a maxi fuse in line, or add a manual reset circuit breaker, then take the 8 gauge to a fuse block inside the truck. The fuse block would supply power to the siren, controller, and python on their own individual fuses. Each output off the controller SHOULD have it's own fuse rated for the load the accessory line can handle, if there is not already fuses build into the controller. linz6 pull about 2.5 amps for 2 max (last time i tested them) vertexes are less than that so the line only needs to be 18 gauge AND only needs a 5 amp fuse for each circuit, or 10 if your running everything on one circuit (in which I would bump up to 16 gauge.
Since your blowing the fuse on the linz6 line, I would open up your connection point and find where you made the mistake. I guarranty there is one. Maybe you hooked the line to the sync wire on one of the lights or something, and of course there is a small possibility that the light head has a problem, so you can disconnect them 1 by 1. and see when the fuse stops blowing.
I also would NOT put a 30 amp fuse back in it, ever. I would use a 10 amp fuse max.
The only fuse that should be rated for 30 amps, should be the MAIN fuse that goes from the battery to the fuse distribution panel that you should add.
But in all honesty, Find someone in your area to help you track this down. Not trying to be mean or anything, but improper wiring is probably the cause of around 90% of all vehicle fires.
I drew up a QUICK diagram. Nothing special, just generally how you should run the circuits. all wires should be loomed, and stuff going through the firewall should be loomed and have a grommet. And I know, there are things missing like the ground on the battery, etc.. but I was in a hurry and just wanted to give you a visual of the layout. If it makes sense to you, then i would feel more comfortable about you wiring your own vehicle, If it does not, Then again, find someone willing to help you in your area.
bigcat
Member
Why would the fuse blow with the controller off? Even if a wire was pinched, the fuse shouldn't blow until the output on the controller is activated. From this information I would question a problem with the controller output.
To test the wiring to the LINz6s and vertex, simply bypass the controller. Put a 5 amp fuse inline and hook the circuit wire up to the positive wire on a cigar plug INSTEAD OF the output on the controller. If you plug in the cigar plug and the fuse blows, then you're wiring needs to be redone on that circuit. If it works, then it is a controller issue.
You could also attach another circuit to the controller output in question and see if the fuse for that blows. If you trust your talon wiring, you could use that circuit or wire something up quick. I have little marker lights that I keep around for testing flashers and such. If I fry one, its no big deal. Just wire up one light with an inline fuse and ground it somewhere to the car. Then connect it to the output and see what the fuse does.
To test the wiring to the LINz6s and vertex, simply bypass the controller. Put a 5 amp fuse inline and hook the circuit wire up to the positive wire on a cigar plug INSTEAD OF the output on the controller. If you plug in the cigar plug and the fuse blows, then you're wiring needs to be redone on that circuit. If it works, then it is a controller issue.
You could also attach another circuit to the controller output in question and see if the fuse for that blows. If you trust your talon wiring, you could use that circuit or wire something up quick. I have little marker lights that I keep around for testing flashers and such. If I fry one, its no big deal. Just wire up one light with an inline fuse and ground it somewhere to the car. Then connect it to the output and see what the fuse does.
SafetyLighting
Member
bigcat said:
My quick guess is there is another issue and the controller is pulling ground through the lights and then through the fuse, but I could be completely off base. Ive had backfeed issues with LED warning lights before.
To be brutally, painfully honest... at this point, all of these suggestions are just polishing a turd. You can polish all you want - at the end of the day, still a turd.
Find someone - another firefighter with experience, an installer, someone - who can help you with this. Tear out what you have and re-do it right. Otherwise, whatever you manage to piece together will fail you at the worst possible moment.
Find someone - another firefighter with experience, an installer, someone - who can help you with this. Tear out what you have and re-do it right. Otherwise, whatever you manage to piece together will fail you at the worst possible moment.