Wiring Problem???

May 16, 2010
2,340
Torrington, WY
Ok the other day I started my vehicle and went into work. I thought that I smelled something weird and didn't think much of it. Well after I got off work I started my vehicle to find that nothing in my console turned on. I opened the hood and found that my 100 amp circuit breaker was tripped. That was a couple of days ago. Well today I finally got a chance to look over all of the wiring. I thought it might have the relay that I have been using to tunr onn everything via the ignition. The relay is rated at 30 amps and I might have went over that a little bit. So today I installed another relay and fuse block thinking this might fix the problem. Nope the 100 amp ciruict breaker trips as soon as I reset it. As soon as I reset it the vehicle lights shut off, that is with the vehicle not running. When the vehicle is running I reset it and the lights tunr off and the engine seems to strain.


Here are the items that are installed:


110 watt motorola spectra


50 watt motorola astro


Uniden BCD996T


Whelen Cencom Gold


Wilson Cell Amp


Cig plugs for the console


Power Converter


Sirius radio


I have come to a couple of conclusions.


-The circuit breaker is overloaded or bad.


-The altenator is going bad.


-The battery needs changed.


-There might be a fuse blown somewhere.


-I might have a short somewhere that is tripping the circuit breaker.


Any suggestions or where I might start? I have done everything that I know, but thought some of you would help me out.
 
May 24, 2010
1,627
PG County, MD
You have a short somewhere, the only way you come even close to the 100A with all of that gear is if both radios are transmitting while all of the lights and siren are going.


I presume you have a separate fuse for everything on the list? If so, is one blown? If not, why not?


You mention the relay, I presume ign sense from the radios, cencom, and wilson amp? If the other gear is hooked up, how so?
 
May 16, 2010
2,340
Torrington, WY
SlickTop Solutions said:
You have a short somewhere, the only way you come even close to the 100A with all of that gear is if both radios are transmitting while all of the lights and siren are going.

I presume you have a separate fuse for everything on the list? If so, is one blown? If not, why not?


You mention the relay, I presume ign sense from the radios, cencom, and wilson amp? If the other gear is hooked up, how so?

I checked all of the fuses and didn't see any blown. I will double check them tomorrow. I have everything fused off 2 buss 8 positions fuse blocks.


I did have one 30 amp relay turning the fuse blocks on though. So today I went a bought another 30 amp relay and seperated them. So now one 30 amp relay for each 8 position fuse block, and the total amps for each fuse block is 40. The relays are wired to the ign. sense from the vehicle the radio port on the vehicle fuse box.


Something had to have changed because I have had this wired up since Aug. with no problems until recently. Like you mentioned above I suspect a short somewhere. Thanks for the help.
 
May 16, 2010
2,340
Torrington, WY
Ok after a while trying to find out what is causing this issue, I finally found it. The power wire coming from the Cencom amp (not the 2 8 gauge wires) was getting really hot and tripping the circuit breaker. I will spend of the day Thur. pulling the wire and see it it is shorting out somewhere.
 

Signal10

Member
Jul 22, 2012
18
Henry County Indiana
hawkspringsfire said:
Ok after a while trying to find out what is causing this issue, I finally found it. The power wire coming from the Cencom amp (not the 2 8 gauge wires) was getting really hot and tripping the circuit breaker. I will spend of the day Thur. pulling the wire and see it it is shorting out somewhere.

Im with Slicktop you almost have to have a dead short somewhere.
 

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