no lights!!

[M-G]

Have a problem with the lights on 2000 Chim 450. Wife was driving home last week and all the lights went out when accelerating. I checked fuses and the fuse blown was in place 10 "dash lights and clock". I changed the fuse and everything was fine for 5 minutes on a drive out to check the lights were working (during the day) then the fuse blew again. I was just driving normally (tooting along).
Again changed the fuse and switched everything on to see if I could get it to blow again with an amp meter connected to the circuit. It didn't and the amp meter didn't register anywhere near the 15 amp fuse limit. I beleive the problem is with the dash lights so I have switched off the dash lights and have left them off. The clock is working and so are the head lights and have had no problems since.

I'm confused on why the dash lights would cause a problem with the lights are they wired into the same circuit? I would have thought they were wired to the main switch, with two circuits one for lights and one for dash lights?

Any clues or similar problems out there?

Whilst I can still drive at night (use the Chim daily) I can't see the insturments at night.

[M-G]

Thanks for the responses. I'll try looking at the light switch and under the dash. Does the light switch come out without removing the top of the dash as really want to avoid this pig of a job?