Blowing main charge cable fuse

[willives]

I had a problem a few weeks ago where the main fuse from the alternator charge cable on the top of the battery kept on blowing. I replaced the battery as it was knackered and its been fine for the last few weeks.

Anyway, tonight I drove around 80 miles, and the fuse melted twice. Fortunatley I had a few spare fuses and a couple of spanners.

Has anybody got any ideas what the problem may now be?

When ticking over the cable has around 12A going through it, but I can only assume that for some reason it starts to draw a much higher current. Its a 60A fuse btw.

 

[willives]

Now its daylight I had a proper look at it. The main thinner body of the fuse itself is not melting, its the thicker end part where it joins the charge cable. The nut/bolt, crimp and approx 20mm of cable are red hot, then it cools down. The battery end of the fuse is cool as well.

The copper wiring of the cable looks pretty burnt out where the crimp is, and the crimp itself doesn't look brilliant.

I was wondering if due to the constant overheating the connection in the crimp has had it, causing just that end to overheat, thus causing the fuse to melt where it joins the crimp.

I suppose ideally it could do with a complete new cable, but for now, would it be ok to just chop out the damaged piece of wire and replace it with a new crimp?

Its the only thing I could think of. The problem being I'm away on holiday, so I'm stuck with Halfords parts.

 

[Lambchop]

i think you'll need a new fuse box

if it's the fuse box by the battery
Just fit a new fuse box (about £25) comes with fuses, crimp a new terminal on the end of that wire and Problem will be solved.
The heat is created by a high resistance between the wire and the terminal, melting the box. If was anything else, the whole wire would get hot, not just the end!

 

[Seat Adam]

I would get the whole wire changed as you won't know the condition of the length of cable unless you remove the outer sheeving. If you change the fuse box as well then it would probably be best to do the wire so it doesn't do it again to the new one.