[87superduperstang]

Ok so i installed a new dimmer switch on my 87 stang after i installed it it still did not work so i found out it was the 5 amp fuse , i put a new one in and it worked for about 3-5 minutes and blew it again> this is a brandnew switch not used . Does anyone know what the heck is going on. Also i just had a 6 spd conversion done (was original automatic) when i noticed my switch wasnt working right after the conversion i dont know if this has anything to do with it but i have to go back cause i have no reverse lights he said the wires might be reversed for the reverse lights but could that have to do with why my dimmer swtich lights are burning out the fuse cause i thought the reverse lights were on a different fuse and all of my other lights are fine cabin lights only the gauge lights and ac lights r blowing the fuse can anyone please help thanx. I also put another fuse in and put my reverse lights on just for shits and giggles and it didnt blow anything so i dont think it can be that

[87superduperstang]

anyone got any ideas to solve this problem

[FastStang91Lx]

Maybe they f'd something up when they pulled your cluster out to move the speedo cable over to the other hole to allow the clutch cable to use it.

Side note: why didn't the factory run the speedo cable through the same hole regardless of t5 or Auto. Never understood that...

[95tbirdv8]

I would pull the gauges and make sure there's no wire being pinched

[87superduperstang]

The gauge lights work but blow the fuse after a couple of minutes. so would a pinched wire cause that and what kind of problem could make it blow the fuse? Its only gauge lights not drawing that much power. Could the new dimmer be pulling more amps, should i try a 10 amp fuse and see what happens?

[95tbirdv8]

I would try the 10 amp fuse but nothing bigger. If it still blows there has to be a short somewhere

[FastStang91Lx]

Originally Posted by 95tbirdv8 I would try the 10 amp fuse but nothing bigger. If it still blows there has to be a short somewhere

WTF??? Uhhhh.... no. There is obviously a problem somewhere. The size of the fuse is meant to either protect the size of the wire or the device it's protecting before hazardous damage can occur... ie: FIRE.

Maybe it's the electrician in me, but don't suggest that or I will come to your house and oversize all your breakers/fuses in your house and plug lots of shit in.

[95tbirdv8]

It's not that much of a difference 5 more amps won't start a fire, the fuse would just blow. But if he says it works for a while, then blows a fuse, it might not be a short.

[FastStang91Lx]

I beg to differ on your entire reply... I am really an electrician too. Good luck proving me wrong! Look up ohm's law, and resistance values of different gauges of wire then see if you come up with the same theory. My 5 amp fuse for the instrument clusters in all my vehicles aren't blown. HE HAS AN ISSUE, up sizing the fuse IS NOT the answer.

[95tbirdv8]

Originally Posted by FastStang91Lx WTF??? Uhhhh.... no. There is obviously a problem somewhere. The size of the fuse is meant to either protect the size of the wire or the device it's protecting before hazardous damage can occur... ie: FIRE. Maybe it's the electrician in me, but don't suggest that or I will come to your house and oversize all your breakers/fuses in your house and plug lots of shit in.

I might have to take you up on that offer. My bedroom breaker flips every time I turn on my little heater.

[FastStang91Lx]

1500w (I'm betting) divided by 120v is 12.5A if your voltage is higher, amperage will be lower and vice versa. Your breaker is prolly a 15A and between the heater, lights, etc, the breaker is overloading. Plus, the breaker can get weak from overtripping.

[ryanw]

read the back of your heater i bet it 600-700 watts right there, and if you have any thing else like a mini fridge on the same circuit, the second that compressor kicks on....bam BREAKER TRIPS.

[95tbirdv8]

To op. Do you have an aftermarket radio. If so check the dimmer wire. I just thought about it. Sometimes people accidently ground the radio to the dimmer wire since it tests out as ground when the park lights are off. I've seen it done many times.

[87superduperstang]

so now the fuse is blowing instantly could the new dimmer switch have some kind of issue. Im goin to try to put my old one back in and see if it does the same thing. On a side note i did have some one piece headlights installed is there any chance something with those could be causing this ?

[FastStang91Lx]

Nothing to do with your 1 piece headlights. You could always put in a 30amp fuse and look for the smoke...

You need to get a meter out and start tracing down wiring. The Ohms setting will be your friend.

[fogged306]

I've only skimmed so if someone already mentioned this then disregard, but have you unplugged the new dimmer switch and checked to see if the fuse still blows?

[87superduperstang]

Thankyou for everyones help especially 95tbirdv8 . Well i dont know if it was the dimmer wire to my radio but i started to remove it cause im am putting a new one in and i traced the wire lead that says battery on it and it was plugged right into the empty spot on the fuse box right nest to the 5 amp fuse for gauge lights, so i took the radio out disconnected the wiring and no more fuse blowing. Im guessing that some was shorting in or one of the radio wires and since there was no fuse to the radio battery wire it was blowing the fuse next to were it was plugged in , does that make sense?

[fogged306]

Was it an aftermarket radio that was in there? If so then it sounds like it wasn't wired in correctly. You also could have had a short somewhere else and when you removed the radio, you moved the wires enough to stop the short. Check all the wires as far back as you can see for any loose strands of wire sticking out of the insulation, or any spots where they look like they've been worn. Sometimes chasing a short can also be something as stupid as a penny in the cigarette lighter, I've torn apart many a dash only to find out it was something simple.

[FastStang91Lx]

Originally Posted by fogged306 Sometimes chasing a short can also be something as stupid as a penny in the cigarette lighter,.

Too funny you mention that as I've been there myself, lol. Radio's generally have a 10amp fuse to them, and the considering it was on with the dash light fuse, it was probably more that it could hold. But as Fogged said, check it out anyway for safe measure. He knows his shit with car wiring.

[87superduperstang]

well it wasnt the old penny in the cigarette lighter lol but i have heard that before. The radio was an aftermarket and what made me believe it was the radio was 1. when i moved it a little it started blowing the fuse instantly and 2 the wiring that was done to it was horrible (the radio wasnt even bolted in just hanging there )and the radio did have a 10 amp fuse in itself but wasnt blown ,it was an old pioneer cd player half the wires werent even wired to anything only ground, acc ,and battery were wired.