Fusible links

[xboxrox]

MY 1986 DODGE POWER RAM50 TRUCK LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER ~ JIGGLED THE FUSIBLE LINK WIRES ON THE POS + BATT POST WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM:

1) Those small wires on my + battery post are not fusible links (THEY SHOULD BE) but they came from a junk yard truck ~
2) 1986 FSM shows one 16ga & one 20ga fusible link feeding the truck's lighting/ignition & carburetor control wiring harnesses ~
3) The 20ga fusible link can't be located premade on Google, but 18ga & 16ga fusible links are available premade ~
4) Just ordered one 16ga & 18ga premade fusible links at O'Reilly's they come 5/16" eyelet & butt connector already crimped ~
5) Ma truck's wiring harness connectors don't have enuff wire coming from the connectors to crimp on the fusible links ~
6) Gotta locate (SJD 32 CONNECTORS) C'mon Google & eBay please be nice in cyberspace ~

I decided safe enuff with 18ga fusible link instead of being anal for 20ga ~

Just sent email to http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/co...ible_Links.htm asking to order 4 each female terminal FLFT7.9 which might fit the SJD 32 connector

PHOTOS:

[tortron]

my truck has been fitted with some re settable breakers instead, im assuming because the wiring was so poor they got sick of actually fixing it

[xboxrox]

my truck has been fitted with some re settable breakers instead, im assuming because the wiring was so poor they got sick of actually fixing it

Smart move unless the breakers often trip ~

[tortron]

breakers trip a bit different to fuses too, slow trip vs fast trip

[xboxrox]

Got these @ O'Reilly's today, gotta accumulate other connector & wire stuff for them to attach onto...


one box says it's 1/4" eyelet & the other 5/16" but they look exactly the same to me 5/16" or bigger ~ at least the wire sizes look different ~ there is a 3rd fusible link under the hood for the alternator ~ will hunt for it someday ~ hope it's there & not just regular electric wire like what was coming off the battery...

[Rehashed]

Does anyone know what 3 fuses go into the small fuse block on the positive battery terminal? I’ve looked over the forums and was having trouble finding anything.thank you

[claych]

this is from My '93 4g, should be same same


YELLOW for lighting,- 60A-
BLUE for MPI control circuit -20A-
BLACK for MAIN/ALT -80A-.

the fuses are P.A.L. design , cable style ends

[Rehashed]

Thank you greatly appreciated!

[SubGothius]

Hm, wondering now if those would work to replace the dodgy-looking wire fusible links on my '87...

[xboxrox]

Hm, wondering now if those would work to replace the dodgy-looking wire fusible links on my '87...

I read that circuit breakers trip too fast ~ not good to use them in place of fusible links ~ read the below Google result about fuses:

"It is difficult to replace fusible links with fuses. Fusible links are compact and handle a lot of current before they blow. To replace the fusible links with fuses you will have to use mega fuses, the smallest will most likely be about 50 amps. And this will take up a lot of room, and be more connections to go bad."

I bought a couple fusible links (wire type) from O'Reilly's one was for Ford the other for GM ~ they were very close to the rating for my Gen1 truck ~ have not installed them yet

[claych]

Had to check notes before reply...
SubG,
Fuse links are easily replaced with more modern protection .
The P.A.L. (pacific auto link) or JCASE (same style/bit longer) style 'fuses' will be just fine as they are really 'fuse Links' in a plastic enclosure.
The design is 'slow-blow', essentially the same as a fuse link but without the insulation.No sizing magic is needed for replacement.

I will use My Max as an example...
There are 4 f/links on the Max each is .5mm² = 20 gauge in awg.
@25°C max continuous load, 15amp is the rating needed for each link.

So,
'Fuse' holder of your choice & one to one sub circuit by circuit with
P.A.L or JCASE design circuit protector with the amp rating of the original
fuse link ,and done.

[xboxrox]

claych sounds like you have got a good way around fusible link wire ~ I'm too scared + ignorant to try anything as sophisticated ~ per a Chrysler FSM sect on fusible links the original fusible link (the two wires off the battery) they are .85mm & 1.25mm size but those exact sizes are not available now (at least nobody I know can find them, even Mark) well anyway, I bought the closest size I could find, both wire links came from O'Reilly's they come with crimp connector ends which don't fit the the truck wiring harness connectors (one of my oem connectors is busted + I am too clutz to crimp a wire no joke) well anywayX2 Google search lead me to a Mark:

at this site http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/co...gmainframe.htm

Mark sent me some brass connectors which I used to confirm the correct size needed for him to make OEM connector ends that will fit onto the truck's OEM wiring harness connectors off the battery... The Mitsubishi (Gen1 anyway) has the same size fusible link wire & same type main harness connectors as the old Toyota FJ40 trucks Jeeps type vehicles ~ so Mark is able to make my truck original again

FWIW since I bought this truck it has never had fusible links off the battery connected to the main wiring harness ~ someone just spliced in regular copper stranded wire ~ luckily no fires or smoke yet (I sent this photo to Mark)


https://www.oreillyauto.com/search?q=et30
https://www.oreillyauto.com/search?q=et35

It just so happens that the O'Reilly links are the proper Mitsubishi OEM wire color ~ Mark is gonna attach ends that fit the two white plastic connectors shown in the photo ~ heck, I am so confused now & just wished if these even need replacing again it would just be a fuse ~ I think you have a better set-up claych but I'm an old stubborn cuss + too scared in regard to electrical stuff and hard labor or thinking + I already got the ball rolling & paid for A.K.A. too late

SubGothius got lottsa info now

[SubGothius]

Just to clarify, these are what I'm referring to, mounted underhood towards the rear of the (US) driver's side inner fender on my Gen2 '87:



Notice how the Headlight one's already a homebrew replacement (courtesy of the PO) and getting pretty well-cooked by now.

These link wires have female blade terminals, so I was hoping I could simply pull them and plug PAL fuses in their place, but now I'm guessing the "terraced" connections might not allow for that, even if the other dimensions were suitable for PAL fuses.

In that case, I'd need to replace this entire box with suitable PAL fuse holders, no? Doesn't seem to be any such thing as a generic multi-slot PAL fuse box I could retrofit, so they'd prolly have to be individual fuse holders, unless I could find a used PAL fuse block like Claych showed above.

[xboxrox]

Gosh ? I'm not sure if my truck has that part ?

[xboxrox]

HOORAH..!

Received fusible links from Mark Baker @ http://www.globalsoftware-inc.com/co...gmainframe.htm

He makes wiring for Toyota FJ40 vehicles but it just so happens the FJ40 uses the same fusible link wire & wiring harness connectors as our (mine anyway) trucks... I asked if he would crimp connectors onto the O'Reilly's fusible links and sent them to him, he did it no problem... Mark is a really swell guy, he even added heat sheathing to prevent sparks in the event a link wire gets fried... Not only that, he made an extra set in case they ever blow..!

I am hoping others here might want/need a factory set of fusible links & if so, I highly recommend Mark Baker..! He is the BEST..!

Mark as well as myself thusfar have been unable to locate spools of .85mm & 1.25mm sizes of fusible link wire that's why I bought the O'Reilly's 16ga & 18ga fusible links which are as close as possible to the same size .85mm & 1.25mm wires... Mark still has some stock of 1.25mm & .85mm wire which he used to make the extra set for me...

PHOTOS

[geezer101]

This is a valuable find xbox! Need to have a sticky or something for future reference

[xboxrox]

This is a valuable find xbox! Need to have a sticky or something for future reference

How do I make a sticky & am I allowed to do a sticky..?

[SubGothius]

This is a valuable find xbox! Need to have a sticky or something for future reference

How do I make a sticky & am I allowed to do a sticky..?

Not sure if only Admins and Mods can do that, but since I'm a Mod... Thread stickied.

Also merged-in another relevant thread to keep it all together.

[xboxrox]

Not sure if only Admins and Mods can do that, but since I'm a Mod... Thread stickied.

Also merged-in another relevant thread to keep it all together.

Nice Thank You Sub ~ sometime soon I will add Mark's info at the install photo post ~ I hope others might be interested in using his service

[clunkheads]

I have that same wiring fuse box thing too, I had to play around with it because the fuse to the ignition switch was getting got, do you think it could be because of this?

[geezer101]

I have that same wiring fuse box thing too, I had to play around with it because the fuse to the ignition switch was getting got, do you think it could be because of this?

Fuse could be getting corroded internally or it has a crap connection. It gets a fair amount of current going through it so it will get on the warm side.

*check your ground lead connections too - dirty/corroded grounds will cause all kinds of mayhem.

[xboxrox]

The wire type fusible links in this thread protect the trucks wiring harnesses ~ if they get hot enough they will cut power to the ekectrical system (they are small gauge wire & can melt easily which cuts power) I am not certain which part or fuse you are refering too..?

[ellordito1]

What are these gauge wires?

[SubGothius]

Copy-pasta from https://ratsun.net/topic/77764-shopp...fusible-links/ :

A) common wire sizes
B) their name as a given gauge (AWG=American Wire Gauge)
C) permissible current when used in the engine compartment (176degrees) and
D) other areas.

A	B	C	D
0.3	AWG22	-	5A
0.5	AWG20	7A	13A
0.85	AWG18	9A	17A
1.25	AWG16	12A	22A
2.0	AWG14	16A	30A
3.0	AWG12	21A	40A
5.0	AWG10	31A	54A

Mitsubishi fusible links by color and size. Size shown is millimeters squared.
Color and Wire Size
Brown 0.3
Green 0.5
Red 0.85
*Black 1.00 (diesel glow plug circuit)
Black 1.25

Fusible links are to be two wire sizes smaller than the wire they protect would would mean the following:
A Brown fusible link is used to protect an 18ga wire.
A Green fusible link is used to protect a 16ga wire.
A Red fusible link is used to protect a 14ga wire.
A Black fusible link is used to protect a 12ga wire.
Mitsubishi uses these colors, others may NOT so you'll have to look at the wire size to be certain.

Tl;DR: On Mitsubishis, green fusible link wires are apparently AWG20, so if you want to make new replacements, get 20 ga. fusible link wire. This may or may not have green insulation, and it is different from regular wire, having thicker insulation that's flame/spark retardant.