"Pop goes the fuse-el"

jfrankhash

jfrankhash

Junior Member
Just changed headlight bulbs in my "new to me" 30 Closed Cab Pickup.
Had one bad bulb, so decided to change both. Used 50-32 candlepower 6 volt bulbs from Bert's.
Now, whenever I turn on the lights, the 15 amp fuse pops.
Am I drawing too much power for a 15 amp fuse?
What aperage fuse do most of you use? Thanks, John
 
You've more thaan likely got a shorted wire somewhere in the h/light harness. Remove the bulbs, replace the fuse, turn on the lights. Does fuse blow?? Ck wires as they enter the h/lamp housing and the lamp recepticles.
paul in CT
 
As 31 flamingo says, pull the bulbs, put in new fuse, turn on lights. if it does not blow, the spring under the thick cardboard base in the bulb socket may be shorting, a very common issue if the socket is repro. a fix would be to isolate the spring from the socket or to install original sockets. If you have the starter mounted fuse holder, the supplied fuse is usually 30 amp. Post your findings and good luck...
 
Another place to look is the socket at the base of the bucket. A lot of times these aren't done correctly and will tend to short out very easily. According to Snyder's catalog "Not one of Henry's better ideas"
 
I know my Halogen bulbs take 15 amps including the 2 tail and panel bulb ---probably 18 -20 with the brakes ---when I had 50cp regular bulbs in the headlights it took more amps --about 18 just for the lights ---where is the fuse in your system? just the lights, or for all power except starter?
Probably your 15A fuse is too small.

I don't use a fuse anymore ---it created reliability problems and caused a generator failure ---a blown main fuse as commonly used can cause a generator to burn up if the fuse blows or causes a bad connectiion due to a low quality fuse holder or connections --1 year with the fuse--4 stoppages,1 generator ---40 years without a fuse--no problems
 
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I heard you can also hot-wire your headlights directly in the buckets without using the disconnect socket setup.
 
My inline fuse is 30 amp. Headlight sockets can be tricky but just inspect them for any shorts.
 
I was told to use a fuse of 20 to 30 amps - with 25 as highly recommended...

15 amp fuse sounds low - a 32cp bulb can take as high as 5 amp & a 50 cp can take as high as 8 amp (depends on the mfg) - so headlights alone taking from 10 -16, not counting the tail light and any other draws... as long as your resonably confident of the wiring, try a 20 or 25 amp fuse - if that still pops, then look for the short...

JMHO
 
I've almost always used a fuse.I've had them blow when on the road,you will know it a half second after it blows.When that battery is suddenly taken out of the circuit the generator dumps 30 or 40 volts to the ignition system.The banging and backfiring you get will scare you half to death.The glass fuses mounted in a rigid holder on the starter are subject to way too much vibration,they just give up the torture after a while.An inline one would be the way to go,but I already have the rigid mounted ones,and they blow so seldom I never bother changing them.I've had ammeters melt,ignition switches melt,headlight wires chafe,and horn insulating plates crack letting the wires ground out.I was glad to have the fuse.
 
The "fuse" as installed on most model As is not in the proper place ---a fuse to protect a lighting circuit should not affect the charging circuit, done properly in my opinion would be a fuse at the lighting system feed ---and a fusible ling at the main feed (basically a short length if a wire 1 size smaller than the generator--ammeter main harness ---you don't want the generator, ignition main function electric being interrupted for a lighting system fault.
 
Does the fuse blow on both high and low ?? 15 amp is pretty lite.. Like Carl said, those connectors are not one of Fords better ideas.. I eliminate them too.. You could unhook one light and see what happens, 50/50 shot at finding the problem light..
 
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