Post by Marc Jones on Jul 12, 2006 0:43:24 GMT 1
Hi Guys,
Thought I'd put an inline fuse on the fish finder rig last night. So got a waterproof holder from Maplin & a set of connectors (so I can recharge the battery with out removing it) and set to.
I was having trouble getting both cables through the fuse holder & getting heavy handed trying to force it all together (should know better - have got a HND in marine electronics, so this should be a piece of pxxx), when noticed smoke coming from in the yak and a suddenly very hot wire burning me finger!
Must have shorted the battery out, but before the fuse blew the wire was hot enought to burn a slice through the tupperware container the battery was in, burn a line through the hatch it was coming through and also (this is the bit I didn't like) melted a line into the scupper hole mould inside. I'd tucked the cable round the scupper hold mould.
Just thought I'd mention it, as there is a potential for damage before the 1A fuse blows. I assume the fishfinder would have some sort of fuse in it as well. I won't be wrapping the power lead round the scupper mould any more.
One thing I should add, is that it's possible I shorted it directly as well. Though the fact the fuse was blown suggests the short was through the fuse. But that short could have melted the insulation nearer the battery, causing another short... don't know.
Worth fitting a fuse...... ;D
BTW redid the whole thing, bin out tonight at Llandulas, everything working ok. Just caught mackies & dogs. Had to cut the anchor off though - got stuck & strong wind & tide combo was swamping us. Couldn't paddle the yak up tide to loosen it - don't know if it was my bad technique or what, just couldn't turn it.
Marc
Thought I'd put an inline fuse on the fish finder rig last night. So got a waterproof holder from Maplin & a set of connectors (so I can recharge the battery with out removing it) and set to.
I was having trouble getting both cables through the fuse holder & getting heavy handed trying to force it all together (should know better - have got a HND in marine electronics, so this should be a piece of pxxx), when noticed smoke coming from in the yak and a suddenly very hot wire burning me finger!
Must have shorted the battery out, but before the fuse blew the wire was hot enought to burn a slice through the tupperware container the battery was in, burn a line through the hatch it was coming through and also (this is the bit I didn't like) melted a line into the scupper hole mould inside. I'd tucked the cable round the scupper hold mould.
Just thought I'd mention it, as there is a potential for damage before the 1A fuse blows. I assume the fishfinder would have some sort of fuse in it as well. I won't be wrapping the power lead round the scupper mould any more.
One thing I should add, is that it's possible I shorted it directly as well. Though the fact the fuse was blown suggests the short was through the fuse. But that short could have melted the insulation nearer the battery, causing another short... don't know.
Worth fitting a fuse...... ;D
BTW redid the whole thing, bin out tonight at Llandulas, everything working ok. Just caught mackies & dogs. Had to cut the anchor off though - got stuck & strong wind & tide combo was swamping us. Couldn't paddle the yak up tide to loosen it - don't know if it was my bad technique or what, just couldn't turn it.
Marc
