<VV> Safety First ! Prevent car fires!

[Jim Simpson]

<Most of us just install a 50 amp Fuse or Fuseable link at the  main  battery >
</ alternator / Body Harness junction.>
<>
<Matt  Nall>

Fusible links are a great idea, but that wouldn't have prevented the 
problem in this fire.  Many wiring harness fires are caused by 
currents much lower than the 50 amps that the fusible link will 
allow.  Think about this -- a twisted wire connection (not soldered, 
not crimped) that has 1 ohm of resistance.  (Not a lot, but 
significant.)  There's a short downstream of that connection to 
ground.  Assuming a nominal battery voltage of 13 volts, that short 
will allow 13 amps to flow.  (I = E/R)  The heat (watts) at that poor 
connection will be I^2 * R or 13 * 13 *1 or 169 watts.  That's 
HOT.  Hot enough to start a fire.  And the fusible link won't do you 
a bit of good until the fire spreads far enough to short a MAJOR wire 
to ground -- if it ever does.

Bottom line is to do wiring RIGHT.

Jim Simpson
Group Corvair