Fuses and the effects of oxidisation

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Peter & Sandra James Oka 374
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Posts: 412
We usually buy vehicles at about three years old and keep them forever so have come across this problem a few times on older vehicles and now the Oka.
Vehicles that use the blade type fuses quite often have a problem with the fuse blades oxidizing which causes resistance which then causes heat to build up and eventually fuse and fusebox meltdown.
On my old Volvo I wasn't aware of the problem until smoke and flames started issuing from behind the radio and centre console.
I was chasing an intermittent problem with the interior lights on 374 and found that the problem was the fuse had melted! It had got so hot that the fusebox had changed shape as well around that fuse.
So I then did what I've done to other vehicles and cleaned/polished the fuse blades, cleaned the fusebox contacts and will do it regularly about every 12 months from now on. I just use a bit of fine wet and dry paper on the fuse blades, then wipe clean with a rag moistened with Lanotec or similar, which should also slow the oxidisation down a bit.
It is also a good idea to unplug and reinsert all the relays regularly to prevent poor connections developing there too. They aren't usually a big problem as the terminals are brass on brass.
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Oka 374 LT Van

December 22, 2010 at 9:39 PM