The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Heavy duty fuse

Today I was disassembling the dash of my 41 gmc coe and was pulling the headlight switch out when something dropped out. It seems that it must have a real heavy duty electrical system as the part that dropped out was a piece of steel rod put in place of the fuse. I can't even guess at what amperage it would open at. Dave

I have no experience with the 40's trucks but sounds similar to my '57 light switch. The headlights are on a thermal circuit breaker on the back of the switch, the dash panel and interior cab light are on a 3 -5 amp fuse on the back of the switch. It kinda' sounds like someone stuck the metal rod in 'cuz they couldn't find a fuse to fit.

homer52, Your topic fits best in the Electrical Bay, so it's been moved there for further conversation.

I'm with 78buckshot on somebody using what they had in place of the correct fuse. When would that steel rod open - when the whole she-bang shorts out and melts and lets all the smoke out.

Might be safer to wrap an original fuse in tin foil. At least it should burn off before all the wiring to headlights melts. My dad use to place a penny behind blown fuse when using his 110 amp welder. Just played it smart and welded small lengths at a time and let wiring cool down. So, just drive short distances at night with that rod in your headlight switch. 🥴

I had a high school friend who blew a fuse late at night, out in the boondocks- - - -no replacement handy, so the mental midget used what he had in his pocket- - - -a .22 Long Rifle cartridge. Yes, it was "unfired". He actually made it about 5 miles before the cartridge got hot enough to cook off the powder. No real damage, since the blast wasn't contained in a chamber, but the loud bang under the dash got everybody's attention! A tail light wire that had shorted out in the trunk of the car was the culprit!
Jerry

I put this in general truck talk just for giggles, not serious electrical problem. I knew better but just sharing an interesting find with the largest group possible. Dave

Dave, I definitely appreciate the funny factor and think it will get just as much viewing traffic here. I'm sure there are lots of us that can share similar stories, both found done by others and maybe some self-inflicted - OOPS!!!

Jerry's mention of someone using a live round for a fuse tops the charts of "What were you thinking - DUH???" - LOL!

I grew up around .22LR, and always thought that fuse story was just an urban myth.
Some of the ranchers around were 'slow' enough to not get the dangers of doing that, but never heard of anyone trying it....with a live round that is. Plenty of spent shells laying around the floors of almost every vehicle in the county to throw those in place.

When ammunition cooks off, the brass casing becomes the projectile while the lead remains nearby. Not much damage occurs. Its physics.
I'd explain it but I traded my Chemistry final exam for the Physics final exam with a buddy of mine...

I would have to disagree on the "not much damage" statement. A flying brass cartridge case is gonna sting if it hits you at best. Not that I have any personal experience with that. It's physics - trades mass for velocity.

Probably best to use a fuse, just saying!

Amen to that!