Auto stuck in P

"Phian" wrote

I now carry spare fuses and will have my garage check it out

As cars get older their electrical systems' draw more current and your first move should be to replace the fuse with one rated 5 amps higher.

Obviously you shouldn't mention me to your insurance company when you put in your fire claim ;-)

Vince

Knight Of The Road ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

I've seen some misinformed s**te on Usenet in my time, but that takes the biscuit.

The only possible way that more current will be drawn is in attempting to rectify problems - poor earths, corroded contacts et al. They won't just mysteriously "work harder".

Whoosh?

Malc ( snipped-for-privacy@lightindigooverthere.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Perhaps, but...

Look at who I was replying to. There's many that I could see posting that kind of post, but not KotR.

Fair enough. Quiet in here tonight innit.

"Adrian" wrote

Well done Einstein!

I don't believe that was a completely serious post.

Motors gumming up, through grease hardening, dust and crap getting in, ... will cause them to use more power.

"Ian Stirling" wrote

Someone else who understands car electrics!

Vince

My thought exactly. I've seen the ramifications of doing this.

The only reason brake lamps would though is if there's a short or semi short to earth somewhere - probable water ingress into lamp assembly.

Equally, as the bearings, gears and linkages that the motors drive wear in, the motor will draw *less* current...

Either way, the difference is never likely to be more than a few percent of the motor design current, so the fuse ratings in this respect are totally immaterial.

Chris

Temperature decreasing in the lamp holder, for whatever reason, will cause a lamp to use a very small amount of extra current.

Not measurable without special equipment I suspect.

Or Mr Chav swapping the bulbs.

Knight Of The Road ( snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Sorry, you seem to be thinking that's unavoidable, and the only way round it is to fit a bigger fuse instead of fixing the problem?

Ian Stirling ( snipped-for-privacy@mauve.demon.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

So strip 'em down and clean 'em.

Hmm. Fuses are also harder to blow when cold!

Not sure what it's got to do with the bulb holder. However the most likely problem is a worn wire and a short. Finding it will likely be a problem and in the past I've run a new wire along the loom to bypass the short.

Has it got towbar electrics?

No towbar, no modifications of any kind.