↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > In Car Electronics > Durite 4 way fuse board passes some current with no fuses
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 1
Print this entire topic · 
benniferj



Member Since: 20 Oct 2016
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 361

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
Durite 4 way fuse board passes some current with no fuses
So I've been installing a fuse board on inside of the rear bulkhead for some extra stuff - stereo, rear roof lights, etc. Wired it all up and prepared to test so imagine my surprise when the switch for the radio lights up as soon as I plug in the battery - as does the active FM aerial. Thing is, at this point I haven't actually put any fuses into the board!

It has been suggested that this fuse board actually passes a small amount of current with no fuse - which enables the led to light up showing either no fuse, or a blown fuse. Is that correct? I didn't realise that. So the fusing really only takes anything high current but a few led lights or low power active aerial are basically running unfused? Is this really the correct operation of this board?

I'm aware I need to do some heat shrinking which will of course happen when this is all tested working... Assuming my fuse board isn't wrong!?



Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge
Post #601573 13th Feb 2017 8:29pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
rallysteve



Member Since: 10 Feb 2014
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 2227

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 DCPU Keswick Green
Yeah that sounds right. I think the LEDs should go out once you put a fuse in.

Steve 02' 110 TD5 Double Cab Rebuild Thread
Post #601607 13th Feb 2017 9:18pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Fifth Horseman



Member Since: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Lanarkshire
Posts: 322

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
Indeed a small amount of current is needed to illuminate the LED, typically in the order of 20mA (0.02A) for a LED similar to that on the fuse box. A LED work lamp will require upwards of 0.2A (high power ones can draw a lot more).

The LED in series with a current limiting resistor is connected across the fuse terminals so that if/when the fuse blows enough current can flow through the LED to illuminate it but not enough current to cause any damage, so it is not strictly accurate to say the circuit is operating unfused.

To summarise, the board is operating as intended.


Last edited by Fifth Horseman on 13th Feb 2017 9:23pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #601611 13th Feb 2017 9:21pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17364

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Totally to be expected with that type of box with the daft leds.

The leds are in parallel with the fuses and are normally shorted out by the fuse. In the event of a short circuit to ground on the load side of the fusebox, the high current will blow the fuse and the earth path through the short will ground the cathode of the led and, since the anode is still connected to the (unfused side of the) positive supply, the led lights.

Personally I detest the things, they're unnecessary, and I want a fuse to isolate the fault completely when it blows.
Post #601612 13th Feb 2017 9:22pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Fifth Horseman



Member Since: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Lanarkshire
Posts: 322

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Santorini Black
I agree that although there are applications where "fuse fail" indicators can be useful, the automotive sector is generally not one of them.
Post #601616 13th Feb 2017 9:29pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20334

United Kingdom 
If they are a must, of which I wouldn't use them you can get actual fuses that do the same thing.
You can then pull the fuse in question, if needed.

I'm not a fan either. ⭐️⭐️God Bless the USA 🇬🇧🇺🇸 ⭐️⭐️
Post #601639 13th Feb 2017 10:07pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
benniferj



Member Since: 20 Oct 2016
Location: Basingstoke
Posts: 361

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Oslo Blue
Cheers guys. It's good to understand it now. Makes sense. I would have gone for a non led board if I'd realised that's how they work. But that's fine, .2ma is no problem. At least I can finish the job today knowing exactly how it's all working.
I love the knowledge in this place and how people are happy to explain what's going on in detail Smile
Post #601696 14th Feb 2017 8:21am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
VeeTee



Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1512

Netherlands 
Fifth Horseman wrote:
Indeed a small amount of current is needed to illuminate the LED, typically in the order of 20mA (0.02A) for a LED similar to that on the fuse box. A LED work lamp will require upwards of 0.2A (high power ones can draw a lot more).

The LED in series with a current limiting resistor is connected across the fuse terminals so that if/when the fuse blows enough current can flow through the LED to illuminate it but not enough current to cause any damage, so it is not strictly accurate to say the circuit is operating unfused.

To summarise, the board is operating as intended.


Just thinking... If the fuse is blown, and a high amps drawing device is still connected, would not it be possible then that a too high current flows through the resistor and led, may be causing resistor to burn out? Cheers, Vincent
1959 Polynorm 1/4 Ton Trailer, Olive Drab Green (sold)
1970 M416 Military Trailer (Camping Trailer Conversion), Epsom Green (sold)
1975 Series III 88 V6, Light Green (sadly sold)
1996 Defender 110 CSW 300 Tdi, Epsom Green (sold)
2000 Freelander 1 TD4 3-drs, Silver (sold)
2006 Freelander 1 TD4 5-drs Facelift Automatic, Tonga Green (sold)

MySite
Post #601719 14th Feb 2017 10:15am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
MadTom



Member Since: 10 Sep 2013
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 616

Czech Republic 1999 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Baltic Blue
No. The resistor is designed to limit the current for LED when it is shorted to ground. There is no way, how the current can be higher. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "Blufínek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo Smile
Post #602193 16th Feb 2017 8:00am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Post Reply
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums