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I've been driving the roadster in go cart form for a couple weeks and it runs great. Today I hooked up my tail lights using the weatherpack connectors and when I pull the light switch I blew a fuse. I then tried disconnecting all connectors and I'm still popping the fuse when I turn the light switch on. Is it possible the switch is bad? Any other recommendations?
Thanks
Jeff Kleiner
04-15-2020, 07:24 PM
Is the end of your license plate wire touching metal by chance? Ten years ago I was building a roadster for a customer and had verified all the lights, etc. For some reason... maybe checking gauge lights.... I pulled the lights on and heard a "pop" when the fuse blew and in my peripheral vision saw a tiny arc in the trunk. Turned out that the copper inside the cut end was touching the aluminum trunk floor. Hey, it's a long shot but worth taking a look!
Jeff
Is the end of your license plate wire touching metal by chance? Ten years ago I was building a roadster for a customer and had verified all the lights, etc. For some reason... maybe checking gauge lights.... I pulled the lights on and heard a "pop" when the fuse blew and in my peripheral vision saw a tiny arc in the trunk. Turned out that the copper inside the cut end was touching the aluminum trunk floor. Hey, it's a long shot but worth taking a look!
Jeff
Yes, that’s exactly why the fuse was popping. Thank you Jeff. You’re awesome!
TMartinLVNV
04-15-2020, 08:27 PM
Yes, that’s exactly why the fuse was popping. Thank you Jeff. You’re awesome!
It's kinda freaky how he knows this stuff!
Jeff Kleiner
04-15-2020, 08:59 PM
Believe it or not a couple of years after I had it happen another builder posted about suddenly and unexplainable popping the light fuse and I made the same suggestion to check the license light wire...turned out that was his problem too! I mean really, how many times can lightning strike the same place?
Jeff
Ian G
04-15-2020, 09:02 PM
When you are trying to track down a short circuit like that, instead of popping fuses, connect a couple of wires with whatever terminals you might need to a auto reset circuit breaker and use it instead of the fuse. When the breaker stops tripping, you've found it. I kept a few CBs of different current ratings in my tool box just for these problems.
ptstew
04-15-2020, 11:14 PM
Lightning struck me, too. When I built my car I inadvertently wired my license plate lamp frame backwards so that the frame itself was positive and not grounded. Careless mistake, I agree, but I drove my car with no lighting issues for 15 years that way. When I moved to Texas I changed license plate frames and the new one was a bit of a squeeze between the lamp frame and the trunk lock - it touched both. OK, I know everyone has already figured out that when I locked the trunk the running light fuse blew. But at the time, I never thought anything of it and it was several weeks before I realized that the lights weren’t working. When troubleshooting, I always had the trunk open to have access to the battery and I never could find a thing. One day, for no reason, after finishing up and again not finding anything, I just happened to close and lock the trunk while the lights were on. POP. There it was. The frame is now properly installed.