[Vwdiesel] Glowplug issues. ---( Old Rabbits mostly )

[Val Christian]

Did I say 14?  I guess I did.  I meant 18.  And it's stranded, with some 
strands probably missing.  Too big?  Probably.  I just got tired of the
fuse failing when it was -20 below.  That's when the current is highest,
and that's when the fuse is needed the most to be conducting.   

Call me a hillbilly, if you wish.  Coming from you, that's probably a 
compliment.  

There's also common sense. If you turn on the glowplugs, and the lights
go out on the car, you have a problem.  Shorted glowplug (never seen it),
or perhaps a low (or cold) battery.  The low battery is the one I am the
most experienced with.  

I've just gotten stranded too many times out in the boonies with out
a spare germanfusenlittlestrippenofpotentiallymeltenmetal.

The truth is that the stranded copper wire was an upgrade from the 
field fix, which was to put both wire lugs onto the same screw.  Good
thing I had a #2 phillips on hand!

Val

ps: Landed last week at "French Lick, IN" (KFRK).  That's almost hillbilly.
The guy who fueled me was real nice, and his 4 year old daughter was
cute and airplane savvy.  He said that he saw a Caravan with the outboard
right wing, from the strut outboard land one day (CVG).  The pilot
didn't even know he lost part of a wing on a telephone pole, and said it
flew fine.  That's robustness.  Now if I could wack a Jetta on a phone
pole and still fly it home, I'd be doing great.  At least it already burns
JET-A sumpings.  Picked up a JET FUEL ONLY window placcard at Bradford PA
airport.  I jsut haven't had the guts to stick it on the window by the 
filler.





> 
> First of all I have a lot of respect for the technical and hands on =
> experience
> of Val Christian and Loren and Roger Brown and Gavrik Peterson and=20
> so on and --- WHY ?  well partly because they are kind enough to take =
> the time
> to let the rest of us know.
> 
> If I did not mention your name it was not intentional.
> 
> Val Chistian is using  # 14 copper wire for a jumper on glowplug fuse. =
> Remember fuse
> is aluminium or Zinc and it protects your Rabbit from fire, by melting.
> 
> Copper has a way higher melting point so you may wind up with a Rabbit =
> pile
> of ashes from instantaneous combustion (joking).
> 
> The fuse link must burn fast in case of short circuit in a plug or =
> wiring. So jumping
> fuse now becomes a Hillbilly issue --right?  or a highly technical issue =
> if we ask Roger Brown.
> (Charlie Brown)    Us hillbillies can handle that one.  We use the =
> smallest copper wire that will carry
> 50 amps for say 10 minutes.--in death Valley in summer without melting.
> 
> IMHO   # 14  copper is way too big.     --------I have access to =
> industrial motor overload
> testers ,so for me ?  piece of cake.  Stick a piece of wire across =
> terminals --look at
> meter and see what amps and for how long to melt.   Testers have a =
> Variac inside
> so amperage can be set by operator.------  thousand AMPS ?  sure no =
> problemo.
> 
> 1 Amp ?  sure no problemo.  =20
> 
> For us hillbillies where is the FUN ?    ----  the trip to death valley =
> Ca. ---that's where.
> 
> Use the VW fuse if you carry insurance ----- that is my advice.    And =
> make sure you
> keep the bill handy.
> 
> #  18  copper may be too big ?
> 
> IF you jumper fuse --like I know some of you did ----get the right fuse =
> and install.
> I think it is 50 Amps ?    Get a link from a factory --they used to have =
> replaceable
> links made out of Zinc.  and they were calibrated and marked. They work =
> like
> hot damn on VW's. And they are dirt cheap.
> 
> Is a VW fuse more critical than a house fuse ?  bet your ass.   Any fuse =
> on DC is
> difficult to design , because it is like a DC welder when it lets go. =
> Get an arc going
> and you got a fire.   On AC the problem is not so complicated. It will =
> interrupt when
> voltage go to ZERO.
> 
> If  you jumper   --- use say  #  20 or 22   if it is copper.
> 
> Remember in a short circuit situation  fuse will carry hundreds of amps =
> for some time.
> 
> If a fuse is marked 50 Amps  ---it does not blow at 51 amps.   VW =
> designed that
> fuse to protect Rabbits from catching fire.
> 
> Have fun  =20
> 
> 
> Hagar.
> _______________________________________________
> Vwdiesel mailing list
> Vwdiesel at vwfans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/vwdiesel
>