Thread: Close Call

While trying to track down the cause of blown fuses today, nearly set fire to the Defender. Could not find anything that looked liked blowing fuses so replaced the fuse 20Amp for stereo / instruments. Fuse blew again then noticed smoke coming from the overhead console. Mad rush to pull out the console quickly. The main power wire had melted and the sheath caught fire, scorched part of the roof lining and melted the wire onto the console. Looking at the size of the wire compared to the harnes wiring that feeds it I can see why. It was about half the diameter. So rewiring needed so off to the shop to get som 1.5mm2 or 2.0mm2 wire that should be better. Only the console lighting power wire melted. UHF power supply that comes from the same feed was all OK. I think the wiring may be under gauge to start with. Something worth keeping an eye on if you have an overhead console. Good consol cheap wiring. Will be replacing all, not just the main power wire. It was not pinched or caught or cut either.

As said for 20amp 4mm wire should have been minimum, however console manufacturer seems to have over looked this and only used 2mm possiblly 5 amp wire. The wire sheath just melted completely.
The Defender light / radio wire is OK and appears to be 4mm, but the console wiring was not.
Have replaced with 4mm 1.85mm2 wire and all seems good, plus additional fuses.
There were no shorts and that is what suprised me as that is what I was looking for. No pinched or cut wiring that I could see (no where to pinch on), but the main power wire was completelly melted and stuck to the console plastic and because of this did some damage to the other wiring. I have completelly rewired and it is sound now.
Have also checked the feed wire, standard Defender wiring and that is all Ok with no signs of stress.
I think a case of the console manufacturer cutting costs maybe.
I should add the console had been in 4 years before it started doing this and has blown 2 fuses in the last week and 2 in the 2 years before, but when looking before could not find any trace such as wiring melting until today.
A lesson learnt as I suspected the wire may be a bit light when I first got the console but was assured by the manufacturer and retailer it was up to the job.
As said the main power wire was the only real issue, the others were OK but have upgraded all anyway.
Cheers
Craig