CUCV in the dark

[Cletus09]

I was driving along one night and all of a sudden I got a hot plastic smell and all my lights went out. I had no interior lights, dash lights (except for the dummy lights and glow plug wait light) head lights, tail lights, blinkers or flashers. NOTHING. However the starting system still worked and the vehicle (m1009) ran just fine.
The problem turned out to be a 30 amp fuse that had melted into the fuse block, but had not blown. This sounds like a dead short to me (but I KNOW nothing). The fuse was the fuse for the headlight system according to -20 TM. What I don't understand is why this would cause me to loose every thing, even stuff on separate circuits, like the brake lights. I still have windshield wipers and heater though.
I had the panel that the starter relay was mounted to hanging from the dash because I had just done the doghead mod and had yet to put everything back together. Other than that, I had made no recent changes in the electrical system.

I guess I just don't know exactly where to start other than replacing the fuse and putting my starter relay shelf back together.

 

[Matt65]

Before you change the fuse you need to know what caused the short. I would physically trace everything on the circuit that blew/ melted. Replacing the fuse without finding the short may result in the same outcome.

There are a few CUCV electrical gurus that will probably chime in. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them.

 

[Warthog]

The fuse doesn't have a short. It is overloaded.

Read the CUCV headlight sticky.

 

[2002ford]

Mine did that during a night run at the GA Ralley. I dont know why or what caused it. I did put a 30 amp circut breaker in it given to me by some really nice folks on this site. I have yet to have anymore issues.

My fuse heated up and bent from the heat causing it to loose contact. I had no lights what so ever and we were deep in the woods. It was a fun drive back. Lol. Try a circut breaker and see. I think its larger size and metal construction will release more heat than a fuse. I have some pics somewhere on here of my fuze block carnage. Good luck.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

I had the same problem and switched to a circuit breaker as well. Still happens. Looking to do the headlight rewire in the near future. I wish the thread was updated with the wiring diagram, but it's locked.

 

[Cletus09]

The fuse doesn't have a short. It is overloaded.

Well then what could cause it to be overloaded? The only thing I could imagine that would overload anything would be the stereo system that came in the vehicle. Its on it own circuit but plugged into the brake light slot with a "add a circuit" from Autozone. I play it loud, but I don't have any big amps on it or anything. The fuse for the stereo is only a 10 amp, but I did loose power to it too. But its been in there forever, I would have thought that it would have caused problems earlier if it was too much.

 

[Cletus09]

Read the CUCV headlight sticky.

I read the sticky, everything makes sense now, thanks. Now I need to sit down and STUDY the sticky.

 

[Warthog]

The headlight fuse supplies power to the following:

headlights
stop lights
park lights
dashlights
courtesy lights
horn
and now your stereo

Between all the loads and dirty connections, it can overheat and melt the fuse.

I had the same problem and switched to a circuit breaker as well. Still happens. Looking to do the headlight rewire in the near future. I wish the thread was updated with the wiring diagram, but it's locked.

Thanks for reminding me to do the wiring diagram.

 

[Cletus09]

Nothing ever happens the way its supposed to wit these things.

I went out and bought a circuit breaker from Napa for a temporary fix. When I put it in I got a little spark (thought that might be bad). Then when I went to test the lights and everything else on that circuit, the only thing that worked was the headlights. The stop lights, park lights, dash lights, courtesy lights, horn, and stereo. still don't work. Could this be because of that un-diagramed crossover bar between the headlight fuse, and the stop light fuse? Do I need to just take apart my fuse block?

 

[Cletus09]

This evening after it got dark, I went back out to try it again. I was also going to test for a short by disconnecting the negative battery terminal and measuring the voltage between the ground post on the forward battery with different circuits on. When i tried the light everything worked. Dash lights, stop lights, blinkers, the whole works. So I guess the problem is temporarily fixed anyway. I still think I am going to add that harness from LMC when it warms up outside.

 

[V8Astro]

Mine used to do the same thing. The 30A fuse would get so hot it would melt and fall out. I checked the connections at all the lights and found the left rear reverse light socket full of rust. I took the socket apart and used the little wire dremel brush to clean everything. That was almost a year ago. No problems since then.

 

[998Junkie]

Brings back memories...

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?78367-need-help-fast/page2

Had the same problem. Glad you got it fixed before you replaced everything.