Fuse panel or not?

pommie vic · Member

Fuse panel or not?

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang pommie vic, enjoy here and out in the playground.

Check either side panel under dash area or under a seat for fuses. Maybe some in engine compartment as well. As for the Solar, have a read through the 'Solar' 'Sticky' above as there is some great info to be read there and might help a bit.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

Possum3 · Guru

Pommie,
If the Franklin has a battery compartment your electricals will be somewhere close by in all probability - see if you can follow cable route from solar panel - search all cupboards it will be there somewhere hiding in plain sight.

pommie vic · Member

thank you will have get down on my knees to peer into cavity then.Oh is twodogs related to you?Sorry poor attempt at humor very grateful for all replies

-- Edited by pommie vic on Wednesday 3rd of May 2017 07:38:57 PM

oldtrack123 · Guru

pommie vic wrote:
Hi my problem is we have a 1978 Ford transit with a Franklin camper factory fitted but i cant find a fuse panel for interior lights and power outlets > Any one got any clues Its also fitted with a large solar panel on the roof and I know nothing about solar ,clues here too would be welcome cheers everyone

Many of those very early vans did not have a "fuse "panel or even a main switch

Only when the risks became evident did a Standard cover them, so it is quite likely you will not find anything like a fuse panel

The solar panel would be an aftermarket set up & there should be a solar reg somewhere for that

Does the van have batteries fitted ?

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 3rd of May 2017 09:39:55 PM

pommie vic · Member

yes 2 in engine compartment 1 in cupboard for solar in kitchen at rear

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Looks like you'll have to fit some fuse or breakers ? Do you have no supply to lights ? Etc . My motorhome ( Winnebago) has taken me 4 years to work out "ALL" the light switches etc . Sometimes there's MORE than one switch ahhh !!

PeterD · Guru

pommie vic wrote:
Hi my problem is we have a 1978 Ford transit with a Franklin camper factory fitted but i cant find a fuse panel for interior lights and power outlets

I don't think many of the respondents here have much experience on old vans, they seem to be giving answers as though they are like modern vans in the electrics. Looking through 80s and earlier vans I have not seen one with a fuse panel. Their wiring was heavy enough to carry the current from a 10 or 20 A fuse that was in the hot wire from the battery. Mostly the bloke wiring that hot wire in the tug remembered to put a fuse in line near the battery. They looked like this with a 3AG glass fuse in them.

Fuse Holder.jpg

Or like this

high-current-in-line-3ag-20a-fuse-holderImageMain-515.jpg

If subsequent owners have not altered the battery wiring then I would be looking for something else. As it is a built on unit then the installer may have piggybacked the house power onto one of the accessory fuses in the Transit van.

pommie vic · Member

Thanks Guys have located a fuse panel under Right side of dash and a blown porcelain fuse, will replace when i can get 1,second i have disconnected battery that is run on solar and hooked in a battery charger Solar panel to bring that up to speed (hopefully).Will keep you posted .Many thanks

macka17 · Guru

Hi Vic.
You'll need at least an 80\85w panel to do any good if using.
With a little 6\10A regulator.

If they the old slide in fuses.
MAY pay to buy a 6? fuse block from Jaycar? and do a little wiring.

The modern Blade type fuses are a lot better, and safer.

pommie vic · Member

put the blooming thing down now misplaced it but it was 25amp blue one will replace to see if that fixes things then update fuse panel,maybe leaving it to a pro for safeties sake but cheers anyway
.have some misgivings on solar controller also when i connected house power to camper and plugged in control house fuse was tripped.But at least narrowing iy down now .

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

It MAY not have isolater relay when another power source is connected ?? If you have an inverter or generater.

pommie vic · Member

seems i have an inverter at least thats what it says on the case ,has to be connected thru 3 pin house type plug then turned on

pommie vic · Member

have found 1 of each of these under bonnet but fuses seem ok also found blue porcelain fuse 35 amp under rh dash panel this is blown will replace if i can purchase 1.

PeterD · Guru

pommie vic wrote:
. . . blue porcelain fuse 35 amp . . .

What size is the fuse physically? Is it a 3AG - 6.35 x 30 mm or 5AG - 10 x 38 mm? Jaycar have a 25 A glass 3AG fuse that should get you by. They also have a selection of 5AG fuses - half way down the page.

pommie vic · Member

Thanks PeterD local jaycar didnt stock fuses for me but Burstons did so got 2packs of various fuses for saftey sake. When weather improves will replace and resume detective work cheers

Tony Bev · Guru

Hello pommie vic

I hope that I am not too late to welcome you to the forum

Put in an extra fuse, on the positive wire, as close to the house battery as you can

This should ensure that your old wiring, (which may be chaffed, in areas you can not see it), does not go on fire, while you are sleeping

pommie vic · Member

thanks Tony will look at that once ive got to grips with system working again

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Tony yes . A breaker is possibly better as it trips much faster and can have higher rating .. Also easier to reset ? Are you overloading DC side through inverter load ?

pommie vic · Member

Hello all just to keep you in the know I relaced blown ceramic fuse dont know what it protects but slave battery in cupboard in kitchen now fully recharged guess what now have solar working all 12 volt lights ok 240 with inverter in open position now working even tv fires up so i suppose its now ready to go.must get onto roof and clean panel over winter. thanks for all your suggestions and tips cu on the road sometime . cheers

Tony Bev · Guru

Thanks for coming back, to let us all know what the outcome was, pommie vic