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Subject:Never seen this before..Fuses melted..
From:Don Hanson
Date:Sun, 1 Apr 2007 17:27:48 -0700

My GL/weekender/faux-Westy with the inline 4 motor transplant:  I put in another battery to power lights and the water pump a while back without any problems.  It works off one of those "mechanical-electrical"switches..the round silver kind that "Clack!" audibly everytime.  So I don't think that is related..it has been driven and camped in without problem..

  But, the fuse that powers the heater blower(s?) and the wipers..'84 vanagon..I noticed it was a bit 'scaly' at the contacts..Like it had been heating up or oxidizing somehow for some reason.  So sometimes the wipers wouldn't work till I 'twirled' the fuse in it's contacts.  I replaced it with a 20 amp blue colored one from some cheapo auto chain store.. and all was good for a while until I left the car idling once with the blowers on high and the wipers on.  Came out and found the fuse hanging by one end, all 'smooshie' looking and melted, still on the fuse block but only hanging by one end.  What the____?  Never have I seen that before.  If it heats up, the metal is supposed to burn through, right?  And the fuses are supposed to be porcelin and melt-proof, right?

  So what should an electrically challenged guy do about that kind thing?  Was that just a cheapo fuse that was out of spec?  Obviously, there is some kinda extra draw or something..or maybe I have the wrong amperage fuse in there, too..
  Anybody wanna comment?  Thanks,
  Don Hanson

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