Do you carry spare fuses/relays?

mike65 · 04-02-2004 6:46pm #1

Today at about 5 pm the fuse which controls the wiper blade motor blew, thankfully the rain had passed and I was under broken cloud and only 2 miles from the nearest garage who kindly gave me a couple free.

Earlier I had been driving on the N7 at speed in heavy persistent rain so thank God it blew when it did...Anyway its taught me a lesson and I'll be buying a set of spares tomorrow!

Mike.

John R · 04-02-2004 7:53pm

I'd be more concerned with why it blew in the first place.

Mocking Burd · 04-02-2004 8:15pm

I always carry a spare few with me these days. Had a bad experience when I was coming back from the UK a few years ago - I knew there was a fault (short) somewhere, but didn't have time before I left the UK to get it sorted. I put a couple of new fuses in before the trip. 20 mins from the house and just on the M25 a couple blew from the middle panel - resulting in me having no radio/cassette and no heater for the 5hr journey to the boat. I tried to replace them enroute though and kept getting shocks off the fuse panel so left it.
I was pretty cold and pretty hoarse when I got to the boat I can tell you!

byte · 04-02-2004 8:19pm

I carry a few spare fuses though don't carry spare relays. I would doubt if many motorists carry spare relays?

Mocking Burd · 04-02-2004 8:57pm

Yeah that's probably true - I was only talking about fuses myself.

mike65 · 04-02-2004 10:44pm

Originally posted by John R
I'd be more concerned with why it blew in the first place.

I suspect age...the car is 1990 and I'd bet this weeks pay check that most, of not all the fuses are the ones that were fitted in Stutgart. This weeks weather has been er wet and I've driven about 20 hours in the car
most of which with the wiper going.

Of course if it blows again I'll have to do some detective work.

Mike.

aodh_rua · 04-02-2004 10:54pm

I carry a pile of different rated ones in the cars ashtray. Never know when they mightr come in useful.

Seth Brundle · 05-02-2004 6:50am

I got a kit in Halfords in Belfast which contains all spare bulbs Im likely to need along with a couple of fuses. Dead handy!

Borzoi · 05-02-2004 8:59am

Originally posted by kbannon
I got a kit in Halfords in Belfast which contains all spare bulbs Im likely to need along with a couple of fuses. Dead handy!

Ah something i've always meant to do - just like joining the RAC:D

DMC · 05-02-2004 9:24am

Yep, I always carry spare fuses and blubs.

Seth Brundle · 05-02-2004 6:36pm

isn't carrying spare bulbs one of those necessary evils for driving on the continent?

mike65 · 05-02-2004 6:52pm

Originally posted by kbannon
isn't carrying spare bulbs one of those necessary evils for driving on the continent?

Yep, in some countries you have to have things like a first aid kit, a spare set of glasses if you wear them etc.

On my fuse problem I got it wrong! A fuse had blown but not the wiper motor one, that was simply the wrong
type of fuse - it was an 8a when it should be 16a. The fuse that blew was for the rear window de-mister. I checked the fuse box in better light today and a number of them are wrong strength with 3 16a fuses missing having been "replaced" by 8 ampers. I'm suprised problems have'nt shown long before now. The previous owner can't have been paying much attention.

Mike.

Do you carry spare fuses/relays?

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