Charging System Troubleshooting--Blown Ignition Light Fuse?

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

A 10A CB will never trip with a test light in series, unless the lamp is 120w.

Gary

Gary,
Why do you say that? I could understand if the lamp was in parallel with the breaker, but in series amps is amps. What am I missing?

Evan

[fintubi]

I didn't have any of your other symptoms, but I recently discovered that the white and pink wires were reversed at the fuel sender in #3014. Since my car has SW gauges and no requirement for the pink hot wire, this means:

1. fuel gauge was inop because the white sender wire was no-connect at the sender; and

2. the 30-240 ohm fuel-level rheostat in the tank was functioning as a 0.6-5 watt heater because it had +12V applied to it via the pink wire.

Bill

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ACHiPo

Gary,
Why do you say that? I could understand if the lamp was in parallel with the breaker, but in series amps is amps. What am I missing?

Evan

Let's not get side tracked on that. Gary is taking 12v and multiplying by 10a and saying that you have to have 120 watts to blow the circuit breaker. Instead, I think you should try this approach: 1) Tape off the pink wire that goes to the fuel sender. We're not going to 'untape' it, for any reason, until we have all other charging system issues fixed. 2) Put a fresh, known to be good, fuse in slot #3 and put the CB tester and test light on the floor. 3) Turn the key first to the ON position, but do not start the car, and observe the charging light on the dash (should be on). If it is not on, stop the testing and report back. If it is on, start the car and see if the light goes out and the ammeter gauge is working properly. Report back.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by ACHiPo

Gary,
Why do you say that? I could understand if the lamp was in parallel with the breaker, but in series amps is amps. What am I missing?

Evan

A 10 amp CB in series with a 4 watt testlamp.

Can you see that only 1/3 amp can be flowing in this series circuit.

I = P/V, so Amps = 4 watts /12 volts.

That is why this CB in series with a testlamp can't possibly trip.

Sorry I can't give any further input to your problem though Evan.

Gary

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by Gaz64

A 10 amp CB in series with a 4 watt testlamp.

Can you see that only 1/3 amp can be flowing in this series circuit.

I = P/V, so Amps = 4 watts /12 volts.

That is why this CB in series with a testlamp can't possibly trip.

Sorry I can't give any further input to your problem though Evan.

Gary

Gary,
I understand your point now. Not sure of the test lamp wattage, or even if it acts as a current limiting device (I'd think not, but then again I'm just a knuckle-dragging metallurgist that has tried for several months to find and fix this gremlin so what do I know?). Here is the video instruction I followed that prescribed wiring the test lamp in series with the CB. Seemed to work?

https://youtu.be/TZrCrBx4uFY

Evan