I am posting this here because nothing else makes sense
- Thread starter Pawned
- Start date
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Working in the paint business, I have heard of stories where rags that were soaked in solvent caught fire. Just a possible cause. The most important thing though is that you are safe, and you were there when it happened.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
wall wart: n. A small power-supply brick with integral male plug, designed to plug directly into a wall outlet; called a wart because when installed on a power strip it tends to block up at least one more socket than it uses. These are frequently associated with modems and other small electronic devices which would become unacceptably bulky or hot if they had power supplies on board (there are other reasons as well having to do with the cost of UL certification).
3406pk
Well-Known Member
Kind of related to wiring work safety, but once when young I was working under dash and my big class ring shorted to a hot wire. Got a arc burn on my finger, nothing serious but now don't wear ring working on car.
68383GTS
Well-Known Member
:twisted:The Devil did it?
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
When I arrived at Navy ET-A school at Treasure Island in the fall of '68, the school wasted NO time in starting to indoctrinate us in electrical safety, remove watches, rings, "work with one hand behind you," etc
I "car guy" from Mich. showed me a huge scar on his left wrist. He was working on a buddy's car with an alternator (GM) and got his Spidel "twist - o -flex" watch band WELDED TO HIS WRIST as it shorted from the alternator output to ground.
It had to be surgically removed. I'd bet money that was no fun
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
The fan is not working now. I rang out the wires from the fan back to the fuse block. Contrary to the schematics that shows the blower fan connected to a 20 amp fuse. Mine is connected to the 3 amp fuse. The light for the buttons should be connected to the 3 amp fuse. I see I need to do more verifying the electrical circuits.
I check everything for burn marks or wires melting and nothing. More detective work ahead of me. Also, This house and property is smoke-free. I would have smelled that before I noticed the fire.
It was a single sheet of printer paper that I had a schematic one. Below that was a paper towel that I have placed there to look and see if the heater core leaked. I just never took it out.
I guess it could have been a static discharge. Very unlikely but so is everything else I can think of
I check everything for burn marks or wires melting and nothing. More detective work ahead of me. Also, This house and property is smoke-free. I would have smelled that before I noticed the fire.
It was a single sheet of printer paper that I had a schematic one. Below that was a paper towel that I have placed there to look and see if the heater core leaked. I just never took it out.
I guess it could have been a static discharge. Very unlikely but so is everything else I can think of
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The 3A fuse should be the one at one end of the panel. It should have a tan coming in one end and several orange on the other end
the orange wires feed off to all the instrument dimmer controlled lamps, radio, cluster, heater, shifter quadrant, etc.
If part of the harness has suffered some sort of short, it is VERY common for two wires to melt insulation inside the harness and weld wires together.
the orange wires feed off to all the instrument dimmer controlled lamps, radio, cluster, heater, shifter quadrant, etc.
If part of the harness has suffered some sort of short, it is VERY common for two wires to melt insulation inside the harness and weld wires together.
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
The wire in question is the OEM wiring. I usually use 14awg wire when I replace wires that were melted.
I am not a virgin when it comes to electrical circuits. Before I retired, I was an electrical engineer.
My main problems is the car does not match the schematics I have and/or the schematics I have are incorrect.
varmintjcl
Well-Known Member
I can't believe what 3406pak just said!! Back in 1971 I had a new 71 Duster and burned my finger by crossing my wedding ring across the alt meter terminals trying to wire a radio...I'm still married & after all these years there are still traces of the arc's on my ring!!!
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
So what year model is the car and what do you have for diagrams?
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
Just reading this made me cringe....
metallidart
member me?
Same here, I thought it was bad when my dad arc one of his rings off of his plug terminal on his sportster when I was little, and that ring fused to the ring on the finger beside it. Burned the crap out of his fingers. Cant imagine having it on my whole wrist and having to get medical help removing it!
Lakeeffect
Drive Fast , Take Chances
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
71 Duster 318V The car in my picture on the left. A picture of the manuals should also show up.
1. 71 Duster and Valiant Wiring diagram manual I bought off the net.
2. Chiltons---Auto Repair manual 1972-1979
3. Haynes Repair Manual-- Dodge,Plymouth & Chrysler 1971 thru 1989
4. Chiltons Automotive ServICE mANUAL 1971
5. Motor - Vacuum & Wiring Diagrams (for passenger cars (1971))
For what its worth... Almost every spark/fire story beginning with "Once upon a time in the center dash area" the source was the lighter well/wire. All the same be it Chry', Ford, Chev', whatever. Does this apply to a Nadine or whatever the heck it is ? I don't know. In most it should be red or pink wire. It's hot enough to start a fire for that purpose.
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Hasn't there been another discussion before telling you to get a factory Mopar shop manual for your car or was it someone else? Getting a Mopar factory shop manual will make your life a lot easier.
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
I have the "factory Mopar factory shop manual" But it is on the computer and I could not take a picture of it.
I found the problem what almost cost me my Duster and my house, and possibly me. Tell me if this looks familiar.
Especially when it comes to fire and overheated electrical wiring, I do not give up until I find and fix the cause
Oklacarcollecto
Life is an experiment
Xs2.
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
Agreed. It explains things though. It burnt and fell thru the plenum and out the flap door at the passenger floor, rolled down the heavy rubber floor mat until it reached the paper.
A one chance in 50 million
But now I can relax, because I know the problem and what caused it.
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
Does anyone know what the resistor values of the three "springs" are??
In case I need to engineer one, if I can not find one
Disregard the question, I figured out what I can replace it with
In case I need to engineer one, if I can not find one
Disregard the question, I figured out what I can replace it with
Pawned
N.R.A. Lifetime Member - And damn proud of it
I think God is on my side. I can not locate another one of these. So by my measurements and calculations; The High speed resistor is 1.7 ohms - The Medium speed resistor is 1.0 ohms.
I calculated that the Low speed resistor should be .588 ohms or thereabout.
Do you know what the resistance of a large paperclip is?? No but close, it is .5 ohms, so I will bend it into a coil and see if that will work.
I think I will put a fireproof substance on the vent door to the floor, until I am convinced it is correct
I calculated that the Low speed resistor should be .588 ohms or thereabout.
Do you know what the resistance of a large paperclip is?? No but close, it is .5 ohms, so I will bend it into a coil and see if that will work.
I think I will put a fireproof substance on the vent door to the floor, until I am convinced it is correct
metallidart
member me?
Good job finding what appears to be the culprit!
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