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        General >> Problems >> Protecting Fuse boxes
        
(Message started by: Tony_Bradley on Jan 4^th, 2007, 1:26pm)

Title: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Tony_Bradley on Jan 4^th, 2007, 1:26pm

Hi all

Am I being naive or stupid ?

Why would it not be possible to loosen a fusebox, check all is ok and then put a bed of waterproof silicon down to bed it into ? Retighten the mounting and job done. The silicon should only goround the edge and by any internal bolt holes

That way, if the lid was doing its job, water would not ingress the box and any water around the box wouldn't get in either

Any Comments ?

Tony

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by scorpio_man on Jan 4^th, 2007, 2:52pm

hi tony

i think i few people have looked at doing something along those lines.

imo, the fusebox(s) design is just about ok. i feel most of the issue we see is because of
1. lid(s) not on correctly (which is very easily done in the dark).
2. drain holes not cleaned out.
3. battery cover not fitted
i've had my car since oct '02 and never had an issue with the electrics (bar a new battery and starter) and this is a car that gets the engine power washed every now and again (tempting fate)!

'sealing' the lids won't to it any harm (i think), it's making sure they're on correctly in the first place. again this is just my opinion.

now the the wiring is a different matter all togther!!

hth

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Kjetil S on Jan 4^th, 2007, 3:57pm

I've put 10-15 small bags of silica gel in each, and that seems to work ;D

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by harry.m1byt on Jan 4^th, 2007, 6:51pm

What I cannot understand, is why the battery side one has a cover over the battery to protect it, but the other side (OS) does not. The Granada had a recall to fit a a sleave over the OS one, but never had anything to protect the NS one. Design of the fuse boxes was either very similar, or the same.

I must say I have never had an issue with any of my three Grandas or my present Scorp from the fuseboxes.

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by scorpio_man on Jan 4^th, 2007, 7:24pm

hi harry

the battery cover is just that, a battery cover. i think it only covers the aux fusebox because it acts as a support for it. :-/

if it was for fusebox(s) protection, they could have contuined it across as the older granada.

what do you think to that idea?

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Zombie on Jan 4^th, 2007, 7:42pm

If my fuse box ever dries out, I will cacoon it in sandwich bags and silicone. Might make chngng fuses a bit tricky! :-/

If I was more confident with electrics I would move both of them in to the engine bay proper - like with more sensibly designed cars - that don't place them under a waterfall every time it rains heavily. >:(

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by taliban on Jan 4^th, 2007, 9:27pm

i've used plenty of wd40 etc after drying out the boxes but still have the odd problem. im tempted to totally wrap them up in bin liners etc. i think the design with the way water easily gets in is quite pathetic and very poor, unless with all the fuses etc there is an overheating issue?

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Tony_Bradley on Jan 4^th, 2007, 9:49pm

Hi Taliban

Loved the Chav Metro ad.....

What I'm suggesting is that if there is silicon around the edge of the fusebox and its sitting in silicon on its bottom, only around the edge, and the screw mounting holes are silicon protected and the lid is fitted correctly, where the hell is water going to get in ?

I don't think this will cause overheating problems because otherwise ford would have put vent holes in. I'm sure they didn't design it to let water in !

Best Regards

Tony

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by scorpio_man on Jan 4^th, 2007, 9:59pm

hi tony

don't quote me, but i think there are 'vent' hole in the bottom of them. think that's how water gets in if you don't clean out all the drain holes along the full width of the bulkhead. :-/

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by harry.m1byt on Jan 5^th, 2007, 12:05am

on 01/04/07 at 19:24:27, scorpio_man wrote:

I've been giving this some thought and here is my own conclusion, though I appreciate it goes against most of the opinion on this forum....

If you mean the battery cover is only there to shed the water away from the battery, then I agree fully with that. A wet battery will tend to self discharge, so Ford put a cover on.

If they thought the fuse boxes needed further protection, then they would have fitted covers to both sides.

Thinking back to my Granada, it had a plastic battery cover which only covered the battery - it did not extend to cover the fuse box.

My own opinion (until someone persuades me otherwise) is that Ford made a pretty fair job of sealing the boxes against moisture ingress from above - gaskets and an overlapping lip to the lid - but they are not proof against being submerged.

Providing the gaskets are undamaged and the covers are properly snapped into place, I would not anticipate any water getting in.

I never had a problem with water entry into the fuse boxes on any of my previous three Granada models, though I can't quite recall the fuse box design on the first two I had, the last one was similar or the same as the Scorp.

So, I think the only problem is bulk head drain holes becoming blocked with leaves and debris, allowing the water level to rise and get in the boxes from below. I have no idea how or even if they are sealed from below, but I would not expect the gasket in the lids to prevent water getting in if it ever rose to that sort of level.

Sealing the bottom of the boxes help prevent water entry there, but by the same token it prevents the escape of any water which does manage to get in. Nor would I be inclined to add any tightly fitted plastic covers/bin bags etc.. for the same reason.

If I were concerned, then I would fit a water deflector of a similar style to the battery cover, but over the OS box and simply make sure the drain holes are kept clear.

When installing electrical light and similar fittings outside, in the weather - I make sure the sealing is good, but also make sure there is an hole in the lowest point to permit any water which happens to get in to escape.

Ventilation to keep them cool is not normally needed for fuses or relays. They only become hot under conditions where there is a defect - such as a high resistance contact or connection.

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by mr._floppy on Jan 5^th, 2007, 1:12am

To me, the two fusebox lids ( correctly fitted ) are a more than ample protection from rain and the ocassional water deluge when you open the bonnet.

As for power washing the engine, ::) dearie me :-/

I mean, really, some people are just asking for trouble :-*

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Tompion on Jan 5^th, 2007, 2:14am

The battery side fuse box isn’t as well protected, you can see the copper layers down the side of the fuses, whereas the other fuse box has raised shrouds around the legs of the fuses & relays and has a couple of drain holes at that level – not great protection as the box slopes and the drain holes are along the side (not the lowest point, but still better than the battery side fuse box.

I've added a couple of pictures with a white cable tie pushed through one of the holes as they aren't that obvious, the red arrow on the side shows the level the hole exits on the inside.

http://i.imgur.com/1yK6gTV.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/vpVFReZ.jpg

Dave

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by taliban on Jan 5^th, 2007, 6:13pm

excellent info tompion, didnt even know they had holes....

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by bizzay1 on Jan 6^th, 2007, 12:15am

on 01/04/07 at 21:27:28, taliban wrote:

im tempted to totally wrap them up in bin liners

On my L reg Granada Scorpio Estate this is exactly what the leccy that changed my fusebox after it burnt out did !! (they didn't have any type of cover at all) and it worked brilliantly

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by daveyboy19 on Jan 20^th, 2007, 5:40pm

all i have done is cover my fuseboxes with a rubber swimming cap try that worth that couple a pence ;D

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by TiberiuS on Jan 20^th, 2007, 9:54pm

The best place for fuseboxes (and the battery ;)) is in the boot, with a rack of relays and aux fuses in each heelboard under the rear seats ;)

Never had any trouble with ingress into my boxes (thankfully ::)) but I used to get the big autumn clearup, scooping handfulls of rotting leaves from the murky depths of the battery tray...

Regards, Bruce.

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by Spannerdemon on Jan 20^th, 2007, 10:37pm

Quote:

[What I cannot understand, is why the battery side one has a cover over the battery to protect it, but the other side (OS) does not.]

What I cannot understand is why the designers of the Scorpio would have this crazy situation in the first place where water cascades all over the fusebox covers every time it rains.

I mean, it really is a pretty dumb place to put all those vital electrics. ???

I'm sure that there must be far better ways to run rainwater away from the bottom of the screen.

Title: Re: Protecting Fuse boxes
Post by harry.m1byt on Jan 20^th, 2007, 10:52pm

It was the same on the Granada too, but I never had a problem with either the Granada or Scorp. I don't think water by itself has ever been a problem - its water combined with leaves blocking the bulk head drains. When designing they failed to take account of the possibility of leaves and other debris blocking the drains, the water level building up and flooding the fuse boxes from below.