Wiper fuses

[Joe Yakubik <75363.2524@CompuServe.COM>]

Phil Payne, in response to my tale of woe, wrote:

"Had it been the correct 8 amp fuse, it would have [blown].  And protected
yourself and your car.

15 amps for a winder motor?  180 watts?  Didi this not strike you as a tad
excessive?  No wonder the wiring glowed.  

Should you manage to identify and locate the indidvidual who first had the fuse
blow when the motor showed the first symptoms, and who replaced the 8 amp fuse
specified by the factory (which is already borderline excessive) with a
downright suicidal 15 amp fuse, do _please_ tell us what you do to him."

First, a minor correction:  It wasn't the wiring that was glowing (at least not
that I saw; it might have been though).  It was the brass connection in the fuse
block.  Surprisingly, I didn't smell any ozone or tell-tale electrical fire
smells.

Now, as to the person who installed the fuse:  That would in all probability be
the man (the workforce is by and large male, no comments on male/female
sensibilty)  on the assembly line at the Neckarsulm plant.  The factory
recommended fuse in the US '91 200 is 15 amp.  (owners manual, fuse box lid,
Bentley vol I, vol III., etc).  It is, in 20/20 hindsight, just a WEE bit high.
After all, the only thing on this circuit is the wiper motor.  The washer pump
pulls its juice from another circuit.  With a little hindsight, there was
nothing funny about it working, other than interesting design.

There were no previous symptoms of impending motor failure.  It simply seized
up.  No previous slow operation.  It just died (or didn't die, pick one).

Now, as to the Apollo 13 thing....There I was, over the Pacific in my F-4, smoke
pouring from everywhere, total electrics out, BIG thunderstorms between me and
the base....

Joe Yakubik
Planning on a 7.5 amp fuse, maybe a 10.