Club 80-90 Forums

The fridge, heater, water pump and control panel lights in our Westy have been rather unreliable in the few years we've had it. At some point in its history, I think the wrong fuses were fitted in the fuse box behind the drivers seat, and the box melted resulting in the fuses being unstable. I'm looking at replacing the box, and found something very similar. But I want to get the fuses right so the same issue doesn't happen again.

I've seen people mention using 8A and 16A fuses in the box, mine came fitted with 2x16A, and my reading of the wiring diagram suggests that it should be 25A and 16A fuses.


Can anyone share what fuses they have, and which is on the left and which is on the right?

E D I T: annoyingly the replacement fusebox I found despite being exactly the same dimensions, is critically different - the original only has a single input, with the lower two fuse contacts being joined together by a metal strip at the back. The new one has a different input for each fuse.

Yes..these fuse holders are notoriously unreliable, scrap it and fit an equivelent blade fuse holder. Originals used a white and red bullet fuse (8 &16amp) red 16 on the eberspacher heater.

Martin

Neither of those fuses are inserted correctly into the holes in the lower brass blocks which will not help with making a good contact.

I found a replacement that used the original style fuses. That is when I discovered that the fuse box is not standard - the input from the battery connects to one fuse input, which is connected to the other fuse input by a metal strip in the fuse holder. The fuse holder I found assumed separate inputs for each fuse. The wiring diagram for the Club Joker shows this but I'm not even sure how to describe it.

So to replace it, I'd need to split the wire from the battery into two, which will then work with a wider variety of fuse boxes. Can anyone suggest a blade fuse box for two fuses that will fit into the same space or therabouts?

Another thing I discovered was that with the fridge running on battery and using a red (16 amp) fuse, the fuse melted. Not the metal though - the plastic. If you are driving around with 2 red fuses in that box, you want to swap in a white to avoid a fire!

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Neither of those fuses are inserted correctly into the holes in the lower brass blocks which will not help with making a good contact.

Yeah - they don't stay still. Definitely would be better with blades. And the correct rated fuses, which I now have.

They will stay still if you insert the fuse into the hole first then clip them into the spring contact. You mustn't have any wire entering the block protruding to obstruct the fuse though.
The new fuse box is easy enough, just loop some wire of the same diameter into the second fuse input block. I have got the same fuse type in my Merc and they are certainly a pain. Every now and then I run my hand along them all to ensure that there is good contact. I tested my horn before I set off for an MoT but it didn't work 20 minutes later due to one of those bliddy fuses.

Nothing more to add really, apart from 'ceramic bullet fuses' note the word ceramic..and then note the cheap plastic ones you have fitted. A bit of heat generated through poor contact resistance ... thats why 'PLASTIC' ones melt.

Martin

Finally fitted the replacement fuse box, with some 2.5mm earth wire connecting the two inputs at the bottom. Power is flowing through the heater and fridge now, but I'm not convinced a white (8amp) fuse for the fridge and a red fuse (16 amp) for the heater is right.

The wiring diagram shows 25amp (blue) fuse for the heater and 16 amp (red) fuse for the fridge.

Annoyingly I don't have any blue fuses to hand... I've left out the fuse connected to the heater for now.

D2L main fuse is 16A. 21A /25A is incorrect, provided that is all that is supplied by that circuit. ( If you have the factory fit heater ) See installation wiring diagram for them.
Fridges usually draw 8 - 12A on 12v so 16A for that also.Check the manuals for your particular fridge and pump and add together the 2 requirements for ascertaining the correct rating - I would expect a pump to be 2 to 3A area. ( Depending upon what pump has been fitted of course)
The fuse is to protect the wiring and prevent a direct short causing fire etc. Rate the fuse below the capacity of the wiring and slightly above the draw of the appliance/s.

Here's a picture of the wiring diagram I have for the Club Joker, with the fuses shown highlighted in red and the corresponding translated key.


E1 goes to the heater (D1 which is the original Eberspacher running from the petrol tank).

But you definitely think two 16A fuses is correct?

Oldiebut goodie wrote:D2L main fuse is 16A. 21A /25A is incorrect, provided that is all that is supplied by that circuit. ( If you have the factory fit heater ) See installation wiring diagram for them.
Fridges usually draw 8 - 12A on 12v so 16A for that also.Check the manuals for your particular fridge and pump and add together the 2 requirements for ascertaining the correct rating - I would expect a pump to be 2 to 3A area. ( Depending upon what pump has been fitted of course)
The fuse is to protect the wiring and prevent a direct short causing fire etc. Rate the fuse below the capacity of the wiring and slightly above the draw of the appliance/s.

Brilliant - I have the B2L. Tracked down the wiring diagram for that (I think in the same manual you found the D2L diagram) - for item 14 it just says Main fuse, then no rating is shown. Amazing. Of course, the Club Joker wiring diagram says 25A for both D2L and B2L. I think I'll start with a 16A fuse - the worst that can happen with a low rated fuse is it blows right? As opposed to melting cables and fire for too high a rating...

Here's the diagram for the B2L I have, which is slightly different one from the one you posted for (it has the heating coil). I've confirmed this by checking the part number.
I now have 25A and 16A fuses, so can test out and will report back what I find.