Heat or Rodent Damage?
Discussion
This is the main 100amp strip fuse that protects my ECU.
The fuse inside was fine, but what's caused that odd hole in the fuse holder?
I have zoomed in, the the hole looks more like a melt down than a mouse as the edges are crispy and I can't see any of the characteristic rodent teeth marks you get with one of our little friends.
Heat or Rodent Damage?
As I say my money is on heat as the hole is also right over the terminal bolt, but how the fuse survived such intense heat/load is beyond me?
Very odd!
Comments welcome
The fuse inside was fine, but what's caused that odd hole in the fuse holder?
I have zoomed in, the the hole looks more like a melt down than a mouse as the edges are crispy and I can't see any of the characteristic rodent teeth marks you get with one of our little friends.
Heat or Rodent Damage?
As I say my money is on heat as the hole is also right over the terminal bolt, but how the fuse survived such intense heat/load is beyond me?
Very odd!
Comments welcome
NZ fan said:
Have you removed the bolt and checked for signs of high resistance? Also the captive nut that it screws into I would expect it to have similar damage?
I'm sure its heat Neville, but how the hell the strip fuse survived all that load is beyond me?It's hardly great to have a fuse that doesn't do it's job, in my book that's a fire waiting to happen
Question Neville: Are the bolts on the main fuse copper alloy, or has this bolt gone through a violent heat episode which has changed it's colour?
Mysterious
portzi said:
Can we do a Des O'Connor and see what's in the box?
Nothing to see Des, nothing to see.
Except one very intact fuse...
As we all know from school boy physics electrickery always finds the path of least resistance, that of course is the same as the easiest path to earth.
In this case that easiest path is meant to be the fuse... at which point the fuse fails as designed... before the delicate electronics it's designed to protect get fried or a fire starts.
But what if that electrickery finds an easier path than that offered by the fuse?
What happens then????
You tell me
Chimp871 said:
on a serious note wouldn't you expect the whole case to show signs of heat rather than just a localised area? Any shavings nearby proving rodent attack?
Localised heat spike just before the electrickery finds an easier way home than that offered by the 100amp strip fuse carsy said:
I`m going for Rodent damage.
For me if it was heat damage the plastic would be a bit more melty and warped around that area.
It's an odd one - seems in a strange place for rodent damage being right over the terminating bolt but if it was a high resistance contact point, and they can get bloody hot (I had a very melted fuseholder on the admittedly rather nutter audio system that I used to have in my 200SX even though it was only fused at 60A but passing current for a long time over a resistance can produce an awful lot of heat.) but I'd expect to have seen the melted plastic to have migrated somewhere rather than just vanished / vapourised...For me if it was heat damage the plastic would be a bit more melty and warped around that area.
My gut says high resistance termination which has got hot enough to melt the plastic though just given that it's localised to that terminating bolt...
Phil
Dave thats previous battery acid damage it attacks that resin plastic stuff exactly like you see look at the acid splash witness marks all over the block just another observation lose than s
tty blade fuse in your fuse box (the un-numbered one) I have more problems with them blowing prematurely and cracking on a regular basis and refuse to fit them full stop they are the spawn of satin seriously 
compare them with one of your OE fuses and you will see what I mean even the terminal tags are flimsy 
I would rather fit s/h ones from a scrap motor than use them honestly
look at the acid splash witness marks all over the block just another observation lose than stty blade fuse in your fuse box (the un-numbered one) I have more problems with them blowing prematurely and cracking on a regular basis and refuse to fit them full stop they are the spawn of satin seriously compare them with one of your OE fuses and you will see what I mean even the terminal tags are flimsy I would rather fit s/h ones from a scrap motor than use them honestly Edited by Sardonicus on Monday 25th January 12:18
blitzracing said:
Where is the melted material then?
I did say "but I'd expect to have seen the melted plastic to have migrated somewhere rather than just vanished / vapourised..."... 
So we have three theories...
1) Vermin,
2) Heat / Melting,
3) Acid splash.
I'll grant you that acid splash would result in the crispy edge and no sign of the plastic that's gone...
Phil
I don't see how it can be heat related for the many logical reasons already posted.
Mices would result in more tell-tale signs, such as teeth marks and a few droppings. Mice always seem to poo where and when they eat!
If it's your ECU fuse, then I guess it's smack bang beside the battery. Acid would seem to be the obvious answer, again for reasons previously posted.
Mices would result in more tell-tale signs, such as teeth marks and a few droppings. Mice always seem to poo where and when they eat!
If it's your ECU fuse, then I guess it's smack bang beside the battery. Acid would seem to be the obvious answer, again for reasons previously posted.
Sardonicus said:
Dave thats previous battery acid damage it attacks that resin plastic stuff exactly like you see look at the acid splash witness marks all over the block just another observation lose than stty blade fuse in your fuse box (the un-numbered one) I have more problems with them blowing prematurely and cracking on a regular basis and refuse to fit them full stop they are the spawn of satin seriously compare them with one of your OE fuses and you will see what I mean even the terminal tags are flimsy I would rather fit s/h ones from a scrap motor than use them honestly
This is the best answer, it seems the most logical explanation to me, and good advice re the dreadful strip fuses. look at the acid splash witness marks all over the block just another observation lose than stty blade fuse in your fuse box (the un-numbered one) I have more problems with them blowing prematurely and cracking on a regular basis and refuse to fit them full stop they are the spawn of satin seriously compare them with one of your OE fuses and you will see what I mean even the terminal tags are flimsy I would rather fit s/h ones from a scrap motor than use them honestly Edited by Sardonicus on Monday 25th January 12:18
About 5 years ago I went for a far more robust Midi fuse on my charge circuit 100amp fuse under the car but forgot all about this one.
D.
Dave,can't give an answer to the fuse problem but rest assured your canems will be protected by 2 circuits....or should as I believe it was done by lsd 1 direct independent to battery and 1 direct from switched ignition neither of which is rated anywhere near that fuse rating so the electronics will be protected
Dave,can't give an answer to the fuse problem but rest assured your canems will be protected by 2 circuits....or should as I believe it was done by lsd 1 direct independent to battery and 1 direct from switched ignition neither of which is rated anywhere near that fuse rating so the electronics will be protected
Sorry Dave meant to say before inadvertently posting early,is that the fuse providing power to the board,if so and it could possibly the same as mine was,it had been wired from original in 2 smallish cables crimped together,load wise iffy,best practise, no,removed and replaced all mine,I think underfloor heating would come to mind if that fuse needed to blow!!
Rich
Rich
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