What Just Happened? Blew A Fuse..But Why?

[woodnthings]

Originally Posted by bigshoe

OK, same problem with overdrive button. i put some tape around it and made it for awhile but had used all my 10 amp fuses. i put a 30 in it just to get back to camp where i had tools and fuses in my 97 f250 turbo diesel. didn't make it. i had a new shifter brought out to me and put it in with new wires but it didn't blow the fuse and now i have same problem with no blown fuse? just wanting to know if i should start at that wire or at the fuse panel??

By the same problem, you are saying, no gauges, no throttle right? If you have gauges as the O/D cancel switch lights up when pushed, you probably have an issue with the throttle pedal. They can be picky some times.

[bigshoe]

Originally Posted by woodnthings

By the same problem, you are saying, no gauges, no throttle right? If you have gauges as the O/D cancel switch lights up when pushed, you probably have an issue with the throttle pedal. Tno gaugeshey can be picky some times.

no gauges or cluster either...same as when I blew the fuse before

[bigshoe]

No gauges or cluster...same as blown fuse?

[bigshoe]

ANYBODY HELP? I STILL HAVENT FIGURED OUT WHAT TO CHECK NEXT? I HAVE LOOKED GOR ANOTHER FUSE BOX, I AM TRYING TO PIN DOWN A POSSIBLE FUSIBLE LINK? MY TRUCK IS DOING THE SAME THING AS BLOWING FUSE #45 BUT FUSE IS GOOD?? WHAT DID I POSSIBLY FRY INSTEAD OF FUSE?? THANKS ANYBODY FOR ANY HELP I MIGHT GET!

[Belizeted]

A 2013 undate to this thread.

I am a brand new member and I found this thread in the archives.

This described my EXACT problem and the solution was very clear.

Thanks for the expert help!!

Ted
in Belize

[bigshoe]

i ended up replacing the fuse block. the 30 amp fuse burned it up.$350 new from ford

[rockfish3]

Ken,

Your article about fixing the chafed wire and this forum are life savers.

I just repaired my truck in less than one hour using your procedure. The worst thing was getting the plastic covers back in place.

My chafed wire match your photo exactly.

Thanks for this help.

[retiredsparky]

This thread is a very good lesson for all of us. Repeatedly replacing a fuse because of needing to get back on the road or in a dangerous/inconvenient location can cause further damage to other wires bundled with the shorted wire. Over-sized fuses are never a good idea. The fuses are sized to protect the wire, which is sized to handle a certain amount of current flow without overheating. A shorted wire increases the current flow to ground, causing heat. As the current goes up, the heat produced goes up by the square of the increase in current. So 3X current produces 9X heat, quickly damaging fuse blocks, other wiring. If labor is factored in, very costly! Good job finding the problem, bigshoe. Larry