Once again necessity is the mother of invention. While installing a new alternator I managed to break the in line fuse holder. ( Another story in itself.) I had a spare fuse holder on board, but it was too small to handle the 30amp fuse on the alternator. The fuse holder was one of those that the little clips hold both ends of the fuse, and the flimsy plastic case folds over the whole deal, and supposedly latches. Anyway, to get it fixed temporarily, I removed the little plastic case. Slid a piece of heat shrink tubing, about an inch longer than the fuse, onto the wire, put the fuse in the clips, slid the heat shrink down over the whole mess, and heated it up. I did it as a temporary fix, but like it so much, I may just leave it alone. Seems to me to be a better way of doing it than the stupid little plastic case.
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Like it too, but won't prevent breakage
of the glass fuse as the shrink tubing does not have the rigidity of the plastic holder. Good idea for a temporary jury rig but I would replace with the proper holder as soon as you have a chance. Unless it is located in a protected place and the tubing only serves to keep the fuse held in place and as insulation. Furhermore, if you need to replace the fuse again while at sea, it is not a quick and easy fix as just opening the case and replacing the fuse. Besides, you are not talking about an expensive item to replace, or even hard to reach ! If you don't like the type of holder you had, get an automotive type in an auto parts store. There are models that are threaded and where both ends get screwed together to close. I like those more than the latch type as they seem to be less prone to break when handling. Ah well, decisions, decisions..., Good luck
of the glass fuse as the shrink tubing does not have the rigidity of the plastic holder. Good idea for a temporary jury rig but I would replace with the proper holder as soon as you have a chance. Unless it is located in a protected place and the tubing only serves to keep the fuse held in place and as insulation. Furhermore, if you need to replace the fuse again while at sea, it is not a quick and easy fix as just opening the case and replacing the fuse. Besides, you are not talking about an expensive item to replace, or even hard to reach ! If you don't like the type of holder you had, get an automotive type in an auto parts store. There are models that are threaded and where both ends get screwed together to close. I like those more than the latch type as they seem to be less prone to break when handling. Ah well, decisions, decisions..., Good luck
Replace it
Point well taken about breakage. It is sort of protected, but not totally. Will probably replace it with one of the ATM fuse holders. Biggest problem is it's down beside the starter, with about three inches maybe, between it and the bulkhead. Not sure about getting in there to solder things together. At least it will keep me busy and out of trouble.
Point well taken about breakage. It is sort of protected, but not totally. Will probably replace it with one of the ATM fuse holders. Biggest problem is it's down beside the starter, with about three inches maybe, between it and the bulkhead. Not sure about getting in there to solder things together. At least it will keep me busy and out of trouble.
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