Relocation of the famous 100 amp fuse

[mr lock pick]

Dear all

Had the T350c for approx 2 years now, all is still very well and nearly reached the 30,000 mile mark.
During my ownership it's now the 3rd/4th time the 100 amp fuse has gone which eventually leads to the car coming to a stand still. I am now use to it. The stereo starts to play up, the windows struggle to go up or down and you can also see the battery voltage drop on dash display.

I have for the 1st time decided to hunt myself for the little fu-ker as I want to know it's location etc, etc.
Removed air box/throttle body cover, remove air filter, disconect a few hoses to assist and you will see a little black box near the spark plugs leads that go into the ( whatever you call it). Their was a cable tie around the black plastic box and once removed the box can pop open to reveal a flat fuse cracked in half. Good feeling to find the little bugger.

My question to you all is:

Has anyone ever thought of extending the cables and relocating the 100 amp fuse box to a location in the engine bay that will allow instant access so that if any of us get a blown fuse at any time it can be a simple case of pull over and bolt a new one in, job done!, rather than an AA or RAC job.

I have had a look at the cable's and I am thinking that extending them would not be my 1st choice, but to follow the cables and simply disconect and run new cables to new location so that I end up with no joints in cable. A better job but also a pain in the back side.

Your thoughts and comments are most welcome and has anyone carried out this mod so far.

Thanking you all in advance

Mr Lock Pick

P.S My thanks to Martin @ RG for assisting with search for little black box.

[icraigmy]

Looks like a sensible thing to do. I persume that it is the same for the Tamora, so would be interested in how you get on with your modifications.

[SHIFTY]

I have relocated mine onto the drivers side bulkhead, just below and to the front of the wiper motor.

I bought new cables, new fuse unit and connectors but you need none of these as the existing cables need to be simply disconnnected from the starter motor re routed and reconected to the new location, took about 30 mins.

The alternator cable feeds around the air filter hose and needs to be strapped to the bulkhead (using existing cable tie fixing) to keep it away from the stearing column. The starter motor cable to fuse holder simply routes under the air filter.

What did suprise me is how loose the fuse holder nuts were that held the connectors to the fuse, this could be the reason why so many fail.

Edited by SHIFTY on Thursday 21st August 08:17

Edited by SHIFTY on Thursday 21st August 09:35

[Mr.Chips]

I think one or two of the indies offer a 100A fuse relocation conversion. I would like to see just how neat a job it is before I had it done to my T350.

[Tamster.]

icraigmy said:

Looks like a sensible thing to do. I persume that it is the same for the Tamora, so would be interested in how you get on with your modifications.

The Tam 100A fuse for all electrics was situated in the passenger footwell behind the carpet where your feet rest, mine blew in the fast lane of a busy M25 at Heathrow at night, no lights/ignition/power steering, and central reservation only a couple of feet wide to coast onto,the motorway police had to stop all 5 lanes of traffic which took 30 minutes and kindly push it to the hard shoulder,luckily the AA had an 80 amp fuse which got me home. I had to use the rip cord to get out (doors also had no power) and make a hasty getaway as cars behind were having to swerve to avoid it at the last second being black with no lights and mostly parked in the fast lane.

[VARLEYHYD]

Save the hassle of moving and just use a fuse that wont blow when it shouldn't

Racing Green have them



G

[j3gme]

Hi moved mine last year too the drivers side bulkhead also up graded the fuse to a 150amp can at least replace now at the side of the road if I had to with out too much fuss also put the fuse holder inside an electrical water proof box just to be on the safeside

Oh & and Graham, tried wrapping the hid ballasts in foil (gas tape) but too no aval so decided to take the hids off the car and put some PIAA bulbs in (look just as good) as I dont know what damage if any the ballasts are doing to the ECU, etc

j3gme

Edited by j3gme on Thursday 21st August 13:33

[Oat$y]

VARLEYHYD said:

Save the hassle of moving and just use a fuse that wont blow when it shouldn't

Racing Green have them



G

You "should" use a different fuse holder if you use this fuse, it looks like a "Mega" fuse. using the existing holder could add stress to the plate when tightning. I think Durite do the holders for this fuse.

[KillerJim]

Has there ever been a satisfactory answer to why the 100amp pops?

Is it just that the constant pulling of "about" 100amps is causing the fuse to wear, so going for 125/150amp stops it?

J

[mr lock pick]

Hi lads

Firstly thanking you all for all your valid comments and I will let you all know the out-come. In the past my fuse use to blow due to a loose connection on the battery terminals. That got rectified last year so why it blew the other day I have no idea.

[Oat$y]

I would say temperature fatigue, it is located close to the engine, these fuses have an operating temp of about +90/-5 deg or less, What can happen is because the fuse is bolted in place making it rigid, (unlike blade type)as it heats up it expands but there is no where for the expansion to go creating stress, then it cools, after time it will weaken creating tiny hairline cracks, these cracks don't allow the current to flow through them so more current will flow through whats left. (less area) until eventually it blows.

If your car is stored outside it will be more prone to this.

[braders]

mr lock pick said:

Hi lads

Firstly thanking you all for all your valid comments and I will let you all know the out-come. In the past my fuse use to blow due to a loose connection on the battery terminals. That got rectified last year so why it blew the other day I have no idea.

Hi Chris hope your well mate , let me know our you get on with moving fuse as i may get mine done it must be a right pain if fuse lets go at night.
see ya soon Paul (BRADERS) PS are you going to Brit car 24 hour race ?

[zooooom]

SHIFTY said:

I have relocated mine onto the drivers side bulkhead, just below and to the front of the wiper motor.

I bought new cables, new fuse unit and connectors but you need none of these as the existing cables need to be simply disconnnected from the starter motor re routed and reconected to the new location, took about 30 mins.

The alternator cable feeds around the air filter hose and needs to be strapped to the bulkhead (using existing cable tie fixing) to keep it away from the stearing column. The starter motor cable to fuse holder simply routes under the air filter.

What did suprise me is how loose the fuse holder nuts were that held the connectors to the fuse, this could be the reason why so many fail.

Edited by SHIFTY on Thursday 21st August 08:17

Edited by SHIFTY on Thursday 21st August 09:35

Sound a very good idea.

Any chance of a few pics ??????

[mr lock pick]

Hi Paul

I have been very busy matey with the picking courses etc. Have not had a chance to do anything lately other than blow fuses on the old girl. I don't know anything about this show mate, give us a call to discuss.

Also thanking you all once again for all the top comments!