park lights on fuse is SMOKING HOT!

[jesusno2]

So to start off everthing works in my 510 wagon right now exept the dome light. I was dickin around with it tonight hookin up my reverse lights and for some strange reason I was entertaing myself looking at my car with the park lights all on. So while sitting their I notice my damn fuse box is SMOKING! The fuse is so hot it actully scalded my finger while I quickly did the super fast touch n grab trying to remove it LOL. So I'm guessing I have a slight short somewhere possibly bad ground? I've douched the box in vinegar and scrubbed it. Anyone had this particular problem before? Could my relay cause some of this its all stock and unmolested harness

[DISLEXICDIME]

clean the socket's

[ggzilla]

Yes, slight corrosion on the fusebox terminals or even on the fuse has resistance, and can burn/smoke.

 

You may be thinking it is caused by a short, too heavy of current draw. But in that case the fuse would blow. The Datsun wiring is heavy duty and won't smoke when pulling the rated 10 or 15 amps.

[jesusno2]

With as hot as that sob gets i would think the fuse would blow. Ive had alot of old cars etc but never seen a fuse box get so damn hot before. I might upgrade that fuse box to a newer blade style one someday. In the meantime im gonna run back over all my connections and check them. the fuse box itself is clean as hell shiny contacts etc.

[DISLEXICDIME]

no i was saying clean the bulb sockets

[datzenmike]

If the bulb sockets were dirty they would get hot. There is virtually no resistance through the fuse but if the clips or the fuse becom corroded the resistance go up and heat will be produced. Heat will also remove the temper in the fingers that hold the fuse and they won't grip as tightly and this only ads to the problem. Clean with emery cloth or a good vinegar soak over night will remove much of the corrosion and replace the fuses.

 

A fuse blows from current flow that over powers the rating and melts the fuse material. It would be unlikely the fuse would melt from the outside heat from the contacts. I'm sure the box would catch fire long before that would happen.

[dryheat]

Mine used to get really hot on my wagon too. I cleaned everything I could and still had the problem. Then I got a decent wiring diagram and I finally traced it down to the relay for the back up lights. Removed/Disconnected the relay and the fuse has been nice and cool ever since.

[MikeRL411]

Very improbable cause but as long as you are checking things out add this. Debris can migrate between the fuse block and the sheet metal. Loosen up the mounting screws and clean below the fuse block. I cut a piece of sheet plastic [six pack wrap thickness] and put it between the fuse box and the sheet metal for insurance.

[lardlungs]

i just had a similar problem on a motorcycle, and it got so hot that the plastic fuse box melted before the fuse blew. I went thru the wiring harness and cut all wire at the connectors, re-stripped wires, put on new connectors. havent had a problem since. the old connections were so corroded that (i think) the regulator was increasing the flow of current to get the proper amount to cross connections and extra juice is extra heat