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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!?



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Post #601573 13th Feb 2017 9:29pm
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rallysteve



Member Since: 10 Feb 2014
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 2199

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.

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Post #601607 13th Feb 2017 10:18pm
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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 10:23pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #601611 13th Feb 2017 10:21pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 16876

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 10:22pm
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Fifth Horseman



Member Since: 08 Mar 2011
Location: Lanarkshire
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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 10:29pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 19572

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. Diesel$ Live$ Matter. ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️ RED, WHITE & BOOST! 🇬🇧
Post #601639 13th Feb 2017 11:07pm
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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 9:21am
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VeeTee



Member Since: 06 Mar 2011
Location: Somewhere
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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
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Post #601719 14th Feb 2017 11:15am
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MadTom



Member Since: 10 Sep 2013
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 573

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 9:00am
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