Help - blowing a lighting fuse

[phxtoad]

Hi,

I'm a novice at wiring and I'm stumped. I have the IPF reverse light kit. I installed it per instructions 5 years ago and it's worked fine till this year. It's inoperative when switched to ON or to AUTO.

It's a lighted switch, and it still signals when in I put it in reverse with the switch on AUTO - but the reverse light itself is INOP. It does not signal or work when switched to ON however.

I've gone over the wiring from end to end and the connections including grounds. All check out. I've replaced the relay with a new IPF replacement unit as well.

I'm not sure if the bulb is out, but when I checked the fuse between the battery and relay it was blown. I'm not positive it was 15A however (it wasn't clearly stamped and it's long gone). Putting a new 15A fuse in and hitting the ON switch fries it instantly. If the bulb was blown it wouldn't cause the fuse to blow, would it?

Any help would be appreciated!

Todd

 

[SunTzuNephew]

no, a burned out light wouldn't blow a fuse. A dead short would. Check your wiring.

 

[phxtoad]

Would it be a short after the relay or before, do you think?

 

[UK4X4]

A failed lamp can blow a fuse, it depends on where the bits fall

check lamp- easy, remove lamp and connect direct to battery or test with multimeter.

with lamp disconected check power

if it still blows the fuse, its the wiring, done

 

[phxtoad]

Lamp works! Guess I'll re-trace the wiring again. Thanks!

 

[phxtoad]

Unfastened then tightened all the grounds. Poked all the connections with a multi meter to check the grounds then it fired right up. Success! I derived momentary joy: I threw my arms in the air, but held in the Woo Hoo so as not to frighten the neighbors. Sometimes its the little things.

:wings: