Check out this car on ebay - burned to toast. This will make believers out of those who resist fuse protection on the main harness and battery feed.
Item #170171053828
Item #170171053828
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Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
My guess is that this was a fuel fed fire caused by a leak. I doubt it was electrical in origin. -
Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
My guess is that this was a fuel fed fire caused by a leak. I doubt it was electrical in origin.Comment
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Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
Whatever the inital cause, once the wiring insulation melts and shorts, there is no turning back. On that car all of the harnesses are burned clean through with only filaments of wire left. What a shame.
Years ago I almost lost a 1969 Olds 442 to the same fate. A heavy gauge ammeter wire chaffed and shorted. Thankfully by dumb luck I had a set of diagonal cutters on board and cut the wire at the battery. Vintage Corvettes have a similar unfused line to the ammeter gauge under that crowded dash. Add in the whip saw action of the exposed wiper cables and there is a disaster waiting to happen!Comment
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Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
Whatever the inital cause, once the wiring insulation melts and shorts, there is no turning back. On that car all of the harnesses are burned clean through with only filaments of wire left. What a shame.
Years ago I almost lost a 1969 Olds 442 to the same fate. A heavy gauge ammeter wire chaffed and shorted. Thankfully by dumb luck I had a set of diagonal cutters on board and cut the wire at the battery. Vintage Corvettes have a similar unfused line to the ammeter gauge under that crowded dash. Add in the whip saw action of the exposed wiper cables and there is a disaster waiting to happen!Comment
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Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
That kinda stuff scares the crap out of me. Then again, that's why I have replacement value insurance. Still, I also have a cut-off switch now.Comment
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Re: Fuse Protection - A Must!
That kinda stuff scares the crap out of me. Then again, that's why I have replacement value insurance. Still, I also have a cut-off switch now.Comment
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That's another distinction of M&H...
It goes over the heads of most, but M&H cites the use of GXL core wires in their harness assy's vs. factory original PVC type GPT wires. What's that mean?
Well, they're talking about the plastic insulation surrounding the core wires and what it's made from. One of the UL safety tests performed on products is a forced 'burn' test.
They place the product on a standard podium and force it to ignite using a torch. The torch is removed and the product is allowed to burn to its natural completion. A standard 'circle' is on the floor surrounding the test site and after the burn, inspectors check for evidence of burned material outside of the circle to pass/fail grade the product's native fire hazard potential.
You can force GXL to ignite, but it tends to melt/puddle and will self-extinguish once the ignition source is removed. PVC, on the other hand, once ignited, burns merrily until it's consumed all of itself...
In a classic car with a fiberglass body, that minor distinction can make a big difference in the car's burn susceptibility. Hey, it's a very minor distinction and we all hope we NEVER have to observe, but (*&^ DOES happen!Comment
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That's another distinction of M&H...
It goes over the heads of most, but M&H cites the use of GXL core wires in their harness assy's vs. factory original PVC type GPT wires. What's that mean?
Well, they're talking about the plastic insulation surrounding the core wires and what it's made from. One of the UL safety tests performed on products is a forced 'burn' test.
They place the product on a standard podium and force it to ignite using a torch. The torch is removed and the product is allowed to burn to its natural completion. A standard 'circle' is on the floor surrounding the test site and after the burn, inspectors check for evidence of burned material outside of the circle to pass/fail grade the product's native fire hazard potential.
You can force GXL to ignite, but it tends to melt/puddle and will self-extinguish once the ignition source is removed. PVC, on the other hand, once ignited, burns merrily until it's consumed all of itself...
In a classic car with a fiberglass body, that minor distinction can make a big difference in the car's burn susceptibility. Hey, it's a very minor distinction and we all hope we NEVER have to observe, but (*&^ DOES happen!Comment
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Re: That's another distinction of M&H...
The real issue is supply, The factory wiring was self extinguishing, however it is no longer produced and the GXL is more readily available.Bill Clupper #618Comment
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Re: That's another distinction of M&H...
The real issue is supply, The factory wiring was self extinguishing, however it is no longer produced and the GXL is more readily available.Bill Clupper #618Comment
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