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Keep Blowing Up Fuses!


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Trying to install cold cathode tube lights for boot light..have blue and white tubes, with inverter..

connected up blue one and it worked, then connected white too, and it went off..

checked fusebox in passenger footwell and dome light fuse of 10A has blown..put a new one in, and it's blown again

my question is in order to connect two tubes in boot, do i need to swap to 20A fuse for dome light circuit or should i just keep one tube with 10A fuse..?

thanks! see pics

p.s i pulled out passenger leccy window fuse by mistake and it fell thru the gap, now i only got 3 leccy windows :lol:

86292340-M.jpg

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thats what the inverter converts the 12v too.........

yep undrstand that but if the unit keeps blowing the fuses esp 10Amp the current draw is very high just for 2 tubes, it would be far easier and simpler just to get 12v version ( eg for a computer) and use those instead.

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Wattage is more important than voltage. Assuming the inverter is around 90% efficient you should get about 100 watts out of it drawing 9.26A @ 12V on the input.

Just checked out the Maplins website HERE and they reckon that 1 tube draws 500mA @ 12V so two should only be 1A.

Edited by MacRS200
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  • 1 month later...
Wattage is more important than voltage. Assuming the inverter is around 90% efficient you should get about 100 watts out of it drawing 9.26A @ 12V on the input.

Just checked out the Maplins website HERE and they reckon that 1 tube draws 500mA @ 12V so two should only be 1A.

Right, my cold cathode tube light has blown after a month of it running fine. The US boyz @ clublexus are managing to run two tubes without blowing a fuse, so how come it's a problem with my UK spec GS? Do these cold cathode tubes have a problem with vibration from say, the subwoofer, causing them to blow?

I want to get another two blue tubes, and have two running, so would appreciate some advice about this relay suggestion that Bazza gave.

TIA :o

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Hey Maneesh, i've got 24 of the same tubes you've got... each invertor can supply power to tubes, i'm assuming your invertor does the same?

I've done this sort of stuff in my previous car, and will be doing to my IS soon too... all in all, the bit of your question i can answer is, that the tube itself will not be affected by vibrations. I've had mine fixed to some very shaky places, and they still work (even after 4 years).

First thing i think we need to check is the total amps that are supplied through the blown fuse. Obviously this 1 fuse does more than just a boot light. Figure out all the components that are supplied through this fuse, and them up and you'll see they just fall short of 10A.

My only other suggestion is engine cranks and unstable voltages can fluctuate the amps passed through the wiring loom, possibly tipping over the 10A and blowing the fuse...?

Get an ammeter on the circuit, and see what readings you're getting. :)

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