Power Wire to fuel pump almost caught fire!

[Turbo Monk3y]

Well about a year ago i did a fuel pump rewire and everything was done correctly, well today on the highway my car suddenly lost acceleration then gained it back and did this about 2 times so i was like something is wrong... As i was exiting off the highway i could start smelling something burning so i get to the side of the road and pop my hood to find the little Fuse holder that sits inbetween the 10 gauge wire to the battery was charred and smoking.. I just let it cool down for about 30 seconds and then i touched the inline fuse holder only for it to crumble into black burnt rubber/fuse into my hand... So to get home i just rerouted the 10 gauge wire back to the Positive on the battery with out the inline fuse holder and the car started right up, problem solved and my car is now at home... My question is.... What was the purpose for that Inline fuse holder in the first place?? and why did mine over a period of a year or more just decide to get really hot and melt itself to death???? Also Is it safe to run the Rewired fuel pump without an inline fuse holder??? it seemed to get home ok although i did not boost it any... Should i go buy another fuse holder or what Let me know Thanks !!!!
Here is a pic of what melted...

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[steve]

Several people have had problems with the fuse holders going bad. They seem to develop high resistance where the wire is attached to the terminals for the fuse and melt down. I'm not convinced thay don't let water in and it corrodes the copper.

The reason for the fuse holder is to prevent the car from burning up if the power wire happens to rub a hole in the insulation and short to the body. It's not safe to run any power wire without a fuse in the circuit. Replace it.

Steve

 

[Jehu]

The purpose of the fuse holder is to hold the fuse. And the purpose of the fuse is to blow and break the circuit when anything gets shorted out. Was the fuse in the fuse holder blown? It sounds like something shorted in the holder, like steve mentioned.

When a wire shorts, it will get VERY hot from the +ive connection point to the short point. I.e., if you put in a fuel pump wire w/o a fuse, if it shorts close to the fuel pump, the entire length of wire will get very hot and likely get something caught on fire. With a fuse, the short will cause a current increase that will blow the fuse. The circuit's broken and the wire melt/fire will be averted. Replace it.

Basically what steve said in a little more detail.

 

[Turbo Monk3y]

Cool thanks guys yeah i replaced it with a new 30amp fuse holder and the car runs like normal... The other fuse must have been blown and i didnt see it and i guess eventually it got so hot it melted the fuse and the rubber holder together ... I guess i should put one on my power wire to the battery which is to my SPAL slimline fan you think?

 

[psychlow]

you think?

YES. There's a reason that the manufacturer puts fuses on each and every component.... and it's not for shits and giggles.

Imagine what would happen if the pump rewire shorted out right next to the fuel tank and started a fire back there.....

 

[doug]

I've replaced the inline fuse holder on mine twice now-- once because it got wet and shorted out, and once just because it became burnt-looking and brittle for some unknown reason (maybe moisture again, I don't know). I should probably just wrap the whole shebang with electrical tape to try and seal out water better...

 

[Snail Tuning]

i run the cylinder type fuse holder, seems less likly to cause heat. it sounds like your fuse holder shorted in the middled, and bypassed the fuse. this would cause a high resistance in the fuse holder when the fuse burnt. this would cause the holder to get hot and melt/get brittle.

id use the cylinder type, only because there is more space between end terminals on that style than the one pictured.

also when the cylinder type burns, there is no way for it to get fuesed and complet a connection. in the one pictured it would get melted and complet the circut.

also the cylinder type, can be wraped in shrink wrape or electrical tape if water is a problem.

one more thing. what size fuse were you using when it happend? you don;t really want to run a higher amp fuse than what is run for the stock wire. only because your pump shouldn't be pulling more amps to run. just use more volts. and you want your fuse to blow before the line starts to burn. so a 30amp sounds alittle high. but i could be wronge.

 

[psychlow]

30amp sounds alittle high. but i could be wronge.

I believe I have a 10 amp fuse on mine. 30 amps is way too high. It's a dedicated line for one use only - the fuel pump. 30 amps is almost half the output of U.S. spec alternators. If your fuel pump is drawing 30 amps, something is seriously wrong.