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I tried this question before and got no response, so I hope you all will help this time. In my '73 F-100 there is a fuse that controls current to the dash panel lights, the ashtray light, and other general lighting around the dash. The fuse is missing, so I read voltage on both side of the fuses connector. No voltage!! And it doesn't appear that anyone has bypassed the fuse.
Here's the odd part: All the lights that fuse controlled work fine!!! Beats me! Any ideas?? Polkat
Yes the lights were on. And the wire color mentioned does run to this fuse. Seems to me if the fuse were shorting out, the lights wouldn't work! It is a mystery. Not a problem I guess,but if you're like me, and you think maybe something has been changed in your truck, you wanna know about it. Thanks, Polkat
Your lights work normaly, without a fuse, and you read 0 volts across the fuse holder.
Only thing I can make of this is that someone has performed some kind of a Mod to your wiring. The reason you get 0 volts across the fuse holder is bacause there is 12 volts on BOTH sides. Voltmeter's read the difference in volt levels of two points.
Try this. Take the black lead of the meter and put it on a good ground source. Touch the red lead to each side and you will see 12 volts each.
I have never heard of a fuse box shorting out. Not saying it couldnt happen, just very unlikely.
Somewhere, somehow, the light circuit is getting powered ther than this fuse line.