Smartplug & burnt fuse

[deim]

Hi guys,

Excellent forum, huge amount of useful info, thanks to everybody for that!!!

I just got my STI Driver last week from Roy and hardwired it using Smartplug.

Well, In 3 days the fuse in the wire (in this long white thing) was burnt twice already! So, I'm trying to figure out what did I do wrong.

So, I used "Add-a-circuit" connector, and put it into "Rear window wiper and washer" fuse (10A). I added 5A fuse into this add-a-circuit plug for STI wire, thinking, that fuse in the wire is only 2A, so, 5A in the add-a-circuit would not affect anything.

Now, I'm just guessing, what could be the problem? The weird thing is that both times when it happened - it was raining, and I was using rear wiper. But I don't understand how it could be connected?

Actually, now I'm thinking - when I turn wiper on, there is a motor there, which gets much more then 2amps (but less then 10amps), and because my STI's wire is on the same connection, this ~<10A current is trying to get to STI too, burning 2A fuse on it's way.

So, if I'll move it from wiper to, let's say, lighter fuse, there should not be as much current as on wiper? Even though lighter's fuse 20A, but I never had there any load that big.

So, please, any ideas or advices? It's not much fun to open dashboard panel everyday to replace the fuse :-(

Thank you!

[lordhamster]

I don't know exactly how you've got it wired, but generally a fuse is meant to kill the circuit if it is pulling more current than it should be (like in the case of a short).

At home, if I plug in my 1500W space heater, then try to print on my laser printer, the circuit breaker trips.

I think in the car you have the same problem. Your wiper motor is probably using close to 10A... the additional draw from the Radar detector might be just enough to put it over the edge if you run both at the same time. Try a different circuit?

[omeris]

conect to lighter ,work for me,remember ,the amps in a circuit is more in the start

[mikered30]

Could you try the radio fuse?

[focalcivic]

Could you try the radio fuse?

I agree with both posts change the circuit, since there is a connection with the wiper being turned on, the intial amp draw is significant.

[deim]

Thank you, everybody, for your sound advices!

I moved it from wiper fuse, to unused fuse socket, which is switched power - as I need.

Well, apparently, the problem was not the power source.

I've installed a switch into the small control box on the Smartplug wire, and did a not very good job with it. Basically, one of the switch's contact wires, covered by electrical tape, was touching the base of Mute button, and this base has a very sharp metal corner. Somehow, this sharp corner penetrated electrical tape, not immediately, but after some time. Somehow, it coincided with me, turning on rear wiper, which was just a very weird coincidence :-)

Well, base of mute button has a ground, and penetrated wire - positive, as a result - short circuit.

Anyway, after burning 3 fuses, and playing with the electrical tester for couple minutes, problem is solved :-)