lighting wire circut breaker

[yngrodder]

I have a 41 ford and tonight about 150 miles from home the lights start going off and on and we smell somthing hot.. we narrowed it down to the box under the dash and we un did the wires and wired them together to get to our hotel room, what is this going to hurt to continue the weekend like this? Is this just a circut breaker? Or does it act as something else as well?

 

[4dFord/SC]

It's a circuit breaker and it's telling you there's a problem somewhere, probably worn insulation. Excess resistance causes it to heat up and break the circuit. When it cools down, the circuit is reestablished, the lights come on, and the process starts all over again. It was Ford's way of giving you enough light to get home without causing further damage.

 

[Fibber Mcgee]

I'd be careful , the circuit breaker is there for a reason. You don't want to start a fire.

 

[yngrodder]

Thanks guys.