Voltage Stabiliser. What an idiot I was...

Post by **rsawatson** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:12 pm

I was fitting a temperature gauge today, and stupidly chose the wrong wire to 'piggy back' from - one leading IN to the voltage stabiliser to do with the petrol gauge (careless mistake I know). Anyway, the scotch clip I used had damaged the wire so when power was resumed, it sparked and fused.

Knowing that I only had one spare fuse, I decided (again very stupidly) to go inside and get some household fuse wire to use as a temporary fuse; this time rather than the fuse blowing - the instrument voltage stabiliser started smoking and is now kaputt.

Great. Especially with no petrol gauge or windscreen wipers (but I suppose I do deserve it for being a prat).

When I get hold of another voltage stabiliser, should it be a simple case of replacing it PROPERLY - choosing the 'out' wire and using a spade connection (should everything then work)? I sincerely hope the answer is "yes".

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:17 pm

Sounds like the temp gauge has a short somewhere - there is no reason that a wire that gad been scotch clipped would spark and fuse unless the damaged bit of wire was shorted out. Are you certain you have wired the temp gauge correctly? What are your connections going to? I wouldn't put another voltage stabiliser in until you sort the problem....

Post by **bmcecosse** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:21 pm

I agree - even the wrong terminal should not have caused this problem- sounds like you have the volts regulator shorted dead to earth. These 'Scotch clips' (nothing to do with Scotland - why do we get the blame?) are terrible things - don't use them! Do the job properly with Lucar connectors.

Post by **alex_holden** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:23 pm

I never use Scotchlocks! They are horrible unreliable things IMHO.

Post by **Alec** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 7:45 pm

Hello RSA,

firstly, :-

"These 'Scotch clips' (nothing to do with Scotland - why do we get the blame?) are terrible things - don't use them! Do the job properly with Lucar connectors."

I cannot agree more, I just cannot believe that such a large corporation (3M) ever felt that this was a good product to sell. Absolute rubbish.

Whether your gauge had full voltage or reduced (voltage stabiliser output) voltage shouldn't have blown a fuse merely given an inaccurate reading on the gauge. And of course you have learnt about correct sized fuses:-)

Alec

Post by **rsawatson** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:07 pm

Yes, I won't be using scotch clips again - I can tell you that much. I managed to get another voltage stabiliser today from my local spares shop, so I was lucky in that respect. It is all working now.

However, I think the gauge is over-reading.

Post by **PSL184** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 11:23 pm

rsawatson wrote: However, I think the gauge is over-reading.

Voltage stabiliser not wired correctly or kippered.....