Why does the fuse kept blowing??
12-11-2010, 11:52 AM
#1
Why does the fuse kept blowing??
I have an automatic 04 TL. My left low beam headlight and the fogs light were not working, so I checked the fuse. I found that the fuse were blown. So I purchased new fuse (20A fuse made from Buss Fuses) and installed it (the ATM type not sure what that is). I followed the Amp ratings in the car manual and did the following. I took my key out and replaced the fuse. After installing it, I turned on the car and hit the switch, nothing was working. So I replaced it again and still no results. Can someone please tell me the correct way to replace the fuse and what type of fuse I should purchase?
Thank you.
Thank you.
12-11-2010, 04:15 PM
#2
Race Director
I have an automatic 04 TL. My left low beam headlight and the fogs light were not working, so I checked the fuse. I found that the fuse were blown. So I purchased new fuse (20A fuse made from Buss Fuses) and installed it (the ATM type not sure what that is). I followed the Amp ratings in the car manual and did the following. I took my key out and replaced the fuse. After installing it, I turned on the car and hit the switch, nothing was working. So I replaced it again and still no results. Can someone please tell me the correct way to replace the fuse and what type of fuse I should purchase?
Thank you.
Thank you.
From your other thread, you said you have LEDs hooked into the fog light circuit. I'd start there. Disconnect the LEDs and then see if the fuse still blows.
Last edited by nfnsquared; 12-11-2010 at 04:19 PM.
12-11-2010, 04:42 PM
#4
Race Director
Not sure why your left low beam isn't working, did you check fuse #1 (15A)? Could be coincidence they both quit...
Last edited by nfnsquared; 12-11-2010 at 04:44 PM.
12-11-2010, 04:59 PM
#5
I got the fuse labeled with the correct rating of Ampere. There were two choices, one labeled ATC and one labeled ATM. I chose the ATM one. Not sure what the difference was.
12-11-2010, 05:29 PM
#6
Race Director
I'm pretty sure our fuses are ATM. At any rate, if the fuses were the same physical size as the fuses you replaced, they are the correct type of fuse.
And I don't think an ATM fuse will fit in an ATC socket and vice/versa.
Totally disconnect the LEDs, replace the fuse/s and see what happens...
And I don't think an ATM fuse will fit in an ATC socket and vice/versa.
Totally disconnect the LEDs, replace the fuse/s and see what happens...
12-11-2010, 05:43 PM
#7
I'm pretty sure our fuses are ATM. At any rate, if the fuses were the same physical size as the fuses you replaced, they are the correct type of fuse.
And I don't think an ATM fuse will fit in an ATC socket and vice/versa.
Totally disconnect the LEDs, replace the fuse/s and see what happens...
And I don't think an ATM fuse will fit in an ATC socket and vice/versa.
Totally disconnect the LEDs, replace the fuse/s and see what happens...
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12-11-2010, 06:48 PM
#8
Race Director
12-12-2010, 06:24 PM
#11
Drifting
When a fuse breaks or "blows", then too much current is flowing through that circuit.
And I almost missed this.. Fog lights don't come factory installed on an 04 TL. So, something sounds fishy already.
If you try to run fog lights on the headlight circuit, it may be way too much current for that circuit when both are ON at the same time.
What I would do is disconnect the fog lights and try your headlights by themself. If it works after you disconnect the foglights, then try moving your fog lights to a power supply like the battery and switch them on and off using a relay. A relay can be operated by another relay or another switch.(that's a hint)
The only other reason why you would blow a factory specified fuse, is if there is a short from positive to ground. Such as in the case of a tightly clamped positive wire that has broken through the insulation and is touching a ground wire or the chassis. So, if you have a bolt holding the wires secure, try loosening the bolt. If that doesnt work, disconnect the fog lights altogehter and try the headlights alone... At least get your headlight working by themselves first. Isolate the problem through process of elimination. Then redesign the installation of the fog lights.
And I almost missed this.. Fog lights don't come factory installed on an 04 TL. So, something sounds fishy already.
If you try to run fog lights on the headlight circuit, it may be way too much current for that circuit when both are ON at the same time.
What I would do is disconnect the fog lights and try your headlights by themself. If it works after you disconnect the foglights, then try moving your fog lights to a power supply like the battery and switch them on and off using a relay. A relay can be operated by another relay or another switch.(that's a hint)
The only other reason why you would blow a factory specified fuse, is if there is a short from positive to ground. Such as in the case of a tightly clamped positive wire that has broken through the insulation and is touching a ground wire or the chassis. So, if you have a bolt holding the wires secure, try loosening the bolt. If that doesnt work, disconnect the fog lights altogehter and try the headlights alone... At least get your headlight working by themselves first. Isolate the problem through process of elimination. Then redesign the installation of the fog lights.
Last edited by Chad05TL; 12-12-2010 at 06:28 PM.
12-12-2010, 06:31 PM
#12
When a fuse breaks or "blows", then too much current is flowing through that circuit.
And I almost missed this.. Fog lights don't come factory installed on an 04 TL. So, something sounds fishy already.
If you try to run fog lights on the headlight circuit, it may be way too much current for that circuit when both are ON at the same time.
What I would do is disconnect the fog lights and try you headlights by themself. If it works after you disconnect the foglights, then try moving your fog lights to a power supply like the battery and switch them on and of using a relay. A relay can be operated by another relay or another switch.
The only other reason why you would blow a factory specified fuse, is if there is a short from positive to ground. Such as in the case of a tightly clamped positive wire that has broken through the insulation and is touching a ground wire or the chassis. So, if you have a bolt holding the wires secure, try loosening the bolt. If that doesnt work, disconnect the fog lights.. At least get your headlight working by themselves first. Isolate the problem through process of elimination.
And I almost missed this.. Fog lights don't come factory installed on an 04 TL. So, something sounds fishy already.
If you try to run fog lights on the headlight circuit, it may be way too much current for that circuit when both are ON at the same time.
What I would do is disconnect the fog lights and try you headlights by themself. If it works after you disconnect the foglights, then try moving your fog lights to a power supply like the battery and switch them on and of using a relay. A relay can be operated by another relay or another switch.
The only other reason why you would blow a factory specified fuse, is if there is a short from positive to ground. Such as in the case of a tightly clamped positive wire that has broken through the insulation and is touching a ground wire or the chassis. So, if you have a bolt holding the wires secure, try loosening the bolt. If that doesnt work, disconnect the fog lights.. At least get your headlight working by themselves first. Isolate the problem through process of elimination.
12-12-2010, 06:49 PM
#13
Drifting
ok ok .. right the fog lights are in the top on the 04's and the 05's.. right. I forgot. I was thinking the bottom.
When you say you "spliced the fog light wire" and moved it to the lower fog lights, it sounds like now you dont have that fog light wire running anything but a few LED's and the lower fog light... One wire for the passenger side and one wire for the drivers side... correct?
And Tell me the fuse position you are changing. Is it Fuse #10? The book says that is a 20amp fuse.
I have the helms schematic.
When you say you "spliced the fog light wire" and moved it to the lower fog lights, it sounds like now you dont have that fog light wire running anything but a few LED's and the lower fog light... One wire for the passenger side and one wire for the drivers side... correct?
And Tell me the fuse position you are changing. Is it Fuse #10? The book says that is a 20amp fuse.
I have the helms schematic.
Last edited by Chad05TL; 12-12-2010 at 06:56 PM.
12-12-2010, 08:58 PM
#14
ok ok .. right the fog lights are in the top on the 04's and the 05's.. right. I forgot. I was thinking the bottom.
When you say you "spliced the fog light wire" and moved it to the lower fog lights, it sounds like now you dont have that fog light wire running anything but a few LED's and the lower fog light... One wire for the passenger side and one wire for the drivers side... correct?
And Tell me the fuse position you are changing. Is it Fuse #10? The book says that is a 20amp fuse.
I have the helms schematic.
When you say you "spliced the fog light wire" and moved it to the lower fog lights, it sounds like now you dont have that fog light wire running anything but a few LED's and the lower fog light... One wire for the passenger side and one wire for the drivers side... correct?
And Tell me the fuse position you are changing. Is it Fuse #10? The book says that is a 20amp fuse.
I have the helms schematic.
For the fuse I changed Fuse #10 (20A) and Fuse #1 (15A)
Last edited by Sondinh; 12-12-2010 at 09:01 PM.
12-12-2010, 09:37 PM
#15
Drifting
take the LEDS's off the circuit. Leave only the fog lights.
My guess is that you have the LED's in parallel with the fog lights. That would be like connecting the + side of the LED's to the + of the fog lights. *and* your - terminal on the LED's is connected to the chassis ground.
If you have it in "series or serial", the + end of the LEDs would be connected to the + wire from the OEM wiring harness, and the - lead on the LEDs would be connected to the + lead on the Fog light.. and then the - foglight wire would be connected to ground.
So if you are in parrallel, and since current takes the path of the least resistance, I am pretty confident the least resistance would be the LEDs.. So with such low resistance compared to the fog lights, most the current is shooting out fast through the LED's.
Plus, if you recalculate the new resistance of the entire circuit from the OEM wire, as it "see's both LED's and Fog light"... The resistance is greatly reduced because when loads are in parrellel, you add the resistance values inversely.
What happens when you put 2 items in parrallel, the total resistance is always a little less the the SMALLEST load. In this case, the smallest load are the LED's.
for example. if the LEDs are 5 ohms. and the Fog lights are 50 ohms.
In series, the resistance is 5+50 = 55ohms. Thats not much difference.. and you may not see any problems.
But in parrallel.. The new resistance is added light this:
1/5 + 1/50 = 1/x
.2 + .02 = .22 then take the reciprocal of that. which is 1/.22
new total = 4.5 ohms.
So just like I thought, you basically reduced the resistance in the circuit by placing the LEDs in parrellel with the foglight.. So current is spiking really high, like a a short. And so it pops the fuse. So, basically you either have to remove the LED's or you may be able to greatly increase the resistance on the LED string so much so, that most the current flows through the fog light instead of the LEDs. And in order to do that, it would take more calculations. Best thing to do is find an alternate place to power the led's. Like your parking lights. probably.
My guess is that you have the LED's in parallel with the fog lights. That would be like connecting the + side of the LED's to the + of the fog lights. *and* your - terminal on the LED's is connected to the chassis ground.
If you have it in "series or serial", the + end of the LEDs would be connected to the + wire from the OEM wiring harness, and the - lead on the LEDs would be connected to the + lead on the Fog light.. and then the - foglight wire would be connected to ground.
So if you are in parrallel, and since current takes the path of the least resistance, I am pretty confident the least resistance would be the LEDs.. So with such low resistance compared to the fog lights, most the current is shooting out fast through the LED's.
Plus, if you recalculate the new resistance of the entire circuit from the OEM wire, as it "see's both LED's and Fog light"... The resistance is greatly reduced because when loads are in parrellel, you add the resistance values inversely.
What happens when you put 2 items in parrallel, the total resistance is always a little less the the SMALLEST load. In this case, the smallest load are the LED's.
for example. if the LEDs are 5 ohms. and the Fog lights are 50 ohms.
In series, the resistance is 5+50 = 55ohms. Thats not much difference.. and you may not see any problems.
But in parrallel.. The new resistance is added light this:
1/5 + 1/50 = 1/x
.2 + .02 = .22 then take the reciprocal of that. which is 1/.22
new total = 4.5 ohms.
So just like I thought, you basically reduced the resistance in the circuit by placing the LEDs in parrellel with the foglight.. So current is spiking really high, like a a short. And so it pops the fuse. So, basically you either have to remove the LED's or you may be able to greatly increase the resistance on the LED string so much so, that most the current flows through the fog light instead of the LEDs. And in order to do that, it would take more calculations. Best thing to do is find an alternate place to power the led's. Like your parking lights. probably.
Last edited by Chad05TL; 12-12-2010 at 09:40 PM.
12-12-2010, 09:47 PM
#16
take the LEDS's off the circuit. Leave only the fog lights.
My guess is that you have the LED's in parallel with the fog lights. That would be like connecting the + side of the LED's to the + of the fog lights. *and* your - terminal on the LED's is connected to the chassis ground.
If you have it in "series or serial", the + end of the LEDs would be connected to the + wire from the OEM wiring harness, and the - lead on the LEDs would be connected to the + lead on the Fog light.. and then the - foglight wire would be connected to ground.
So if you are in parrallel, and since current takes the path of the least resistance, I am pretty confident the least resistance would be the LEDs.. So with such low resistance compared to the fog lights, most the current is shooting out fast through the LED's.
Plus, if you recalculate the new resistance of the entire circuit from the OEM wire, as it "see's both LED's and Fog light"... The resistance is greatly reduced because when loads are in parrellel, you add the resistance values inversely.
What happens when you put 2 items in parrallel, the total resistance is always a little less the the SMALLEST load. In this case, the smallest load are the LED's.
for example. if the LEDs are 5 ohms. and the Fog lights are 50 ohms.
In series, the resistance is 5+50 = 55ohms. Thats not much difference.. and you may not see any problems.
But in parrallel.. The new resistance is added light this:
1/5 + 1/50 = 1/x
.2 + .02 = .22 then take the reciprocal of that. which is 1/.22
new total = 4.5 ohms.
So just like I thought, you basically reduced the resistance in the circuit by placing the LEDs in parrellel with the foglight.. So current is spiking really high, like a a short. And so it pops the fuse. So, basically you either have to remove the LED's or you may be able to greatly increase the resistance on the LED string so much so, that most the current flows through the fog light instead of the LEDs. And in order to do that, it would take more calculations. Best thing to do is find an alternate place to power the led's. Like your parking lights. probably.
My guess is that you have the LED's in parallel with the fog lights. That would be like connecting the + side of the LED's to the + of the fog lights. *and* your - terminal on the LED's is connected to the chassis ground.
If you have it in "series or serial", the + end of the LEDs would be connected to the + wire from the OEM wiring harness, and the - lead on the LEDs would be connected to the + lead on the Fog light.. and then the - foglight wire would be connected to ground.
So if you are in parrallel, and since current takes the path of the least resistance, I am pretty confident the least resistance would be the LEDs.. So with such low resistance compared to the fog lights, most the current is shooting out fast through the LED's.
Plus, if you recalculate the new resistance of the entire circuit from the OEM wire, as it "see's both LED's and Fog light"... The resistance is greatly reduced because when loads are in parrellel, you add the resistance values inversely.
What happens when you put 2 items in parrallel, the total resistance is always a little less the the SMALLEST load. In this case, the smallest load are the LED's.
for example. if the LEDs are 5 ohms. and the Fog lights are 50 ohms.
In series, the resistance is 5+50 = 55ohms. Thats not much difference.. and you may not see any problems.
But in parrallel.. The new resistance is added light this:
1/5 + 1/50 = 1/x
.2 + .02 = .22 then take the reciprocal of that. which is 1/.22
new total = 4.5 ohms.
So just like I thought, you basically reduced the resistance in the circuit by placing the LEDs in parrellel with the foglight.. So current is spiking really high, like a a short. And so it pops the fuse. So, basically you either have to remove the LED's or you may be able to greatly increase the resistance on the LED string so much so, that most the current flows through the fog light instead of the LEDs. And in order to do that, it would take more calculations. Best thing to do is find an alternate place to power the led's. Like your parking lights. probably.
12-12-2010, 09:51 PM
#17
Drifting
well, that was going to be one of my questions about how long.. And to be honest.. I nor anyone else can really only guess what's happening. I've seen GM circuits and its some amazing engineering they have used to reduce the number of compoents (for cost effectiveness) and I am sure Acura does similar things. So you never know.. I may be totally wrong.!
maybe a short
maybe a bad wire
maybe the contact points are burned up in a relay? (after 6 months of use)
no telling.
maybe a short
maybe a bad wire
maybe the contact points are burned up in a relay? (after 6 months of use)
no telling.
12-12-2010, 09:56 PM
#18
Race Director
12-12-2010, 09:58 PM
#19
Drifting
tell him to draw a picture then
he didnt mention where his negative wires are connected .. that matters
he didnt mention where his negative wires are connected .. that matters
Last edited by Chad05TL; 12-12-2010 at 10:11 PM.
12-13-2010, 08:11 AM
#21
Race Director
As I said in your other thread, you really need to take it back to your installer and have him look at it. Very difficult to diagnose a non-standard modification from afar. Good luck...
12-16-2010, 01:21 AM
#22
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check if the ballast connection got wet i used to have a 2 gen tl and the right headlight didn't work. I replaced the fuse and it blew so i removed te ballast and it was filled with water probably because of high humidity so i got a new pair of hid's and did the conversion and problem solved so check if it got wet an let me know.
12-17-2010, 06:52 PM
#23
check if the ballast connection got wet i used to have a 2 gen tl and the right headlight didn't work. I replaced the fuse and it blew so i removed te ballast and it was filled with water probably because of high humidity so i got a new pair of hid's and did the conversion and problem solved so check if it got wet an let me know.
01-01-2011, 06:49 PM
#25
I have discovered the problems. The fog lamp were hooked up to HIDs and found that the ballast had water in it. So I decided to run everything to OEM wiring, which solved the problem. As for the the headlamp, a piece of the wire inside the headlight came off which was the reason why the fuse kept blowing. So after solving those problems, and replacing the fuse, the problems were solve. Thank you for those who helped me with tips and hints.
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