<VV> Re: Fuses

[burkhard at rochester.rr.com]

Bob-

You are of course correct that there was some sort of short (or at 
least a massive overload) in the electrical system ... This is 
undoubtedly why the OEM fuse was no longer in place!  A fuse blew 
(maybe repeatedly) and ratehr than solve the problem, the owner tossed 
fuses at it until he got to these joker fuses which were the equivalent 
of "putting a penny in the circuit".  Maybe there was a weak point in 
the electrical system design (wire prone to rubbing, a pinch point, 
&c.) or maybe the owners did an ugly job installing a massive stereo 
system ...  I'm sure the underlying cause of the high current draw will 
be found as well.  That's neither here nor there, though ... 

Regardless of this, fuses are relied upon to protect wiring by popping 
before the wiring does in teh event of a system fault or other 
overload.  If they were not important, we wouldn't bother with them, 
and everything would be direct-wired.  These fuses were the equivalent 
of direct-wiring and predictable results.

Ultimately 2 things caused the problem:  1) some sort of circuit fault 
or overload and 2) bad fuses. If EITHER had been not present the wiring 
would not have smoked.

Jim Burkhard