Trying to help a guy with REALLY scary wiring and some opinions. *FUSE HOLDER MELTING*

[Shenker]

Hey guys, so this guy I know asked me to help his buddy solve a problem via facebook, not ideal but i gotta help this guy, its a really really REALLY scary problem. Ill let the picture do the talking, but basically I have asked him to check the entire run of power cable for shorts, make sure the cable is plugged in securely and into the right inputs, says everything looks fine. any opinions on what to do next? ive told him not to do anything else until he finds why its doing this.

This is his amp: http://poweracoustik.com/store/cpt1-3200d.html

He is using what looks like all 4ga, from walmart but it still should be "enough" I said to go get some good quality wire and re-wire it but he insists it all worked fine in his last car.

[dolarbilz]

Don't help ..better off

[OrionStang]

I would "suggest" to him what to check, but wouldnt touch it.

[SnowDrifter]

What was the failure? Did the fuse blow or did the material surrounding melt?

[dolarbilz]

If owner don't know. And you might have better idea what's wrong..you are taking on his problems..now anything forward your fault

[Shenker]

yeah I know I shouldn't have got involved, But i mean common, I cant just watch him burn his car down. but im absolutely not touching it, i can only suggest whats causing it.

Snowdrifter, I would say the casing melted first, he says he cant get the fuse out to check because of the way its melted.

[SnowDrifter]

Almost sounds to me like a crappy connection where the fuse holder is. Either where the fuse mates to the terminals, or the wire goes into the fuse holder, where the set screws are.

This next step assumes all else is sound and the only problem is with the fuse holder. Without having more info, I can't make an assessment and I don't want to guess or assume. If it's not good to go, don't hook it up.

Try replacing the fuse holder that needs terminals on the wire. It's essentially two bolts that hold a fuse and wire. Sky High Car Audio carries them. When you put ring terminals on the wire, use tinned, plated, or otherwise corrosion resistant connectors and solder/heat-shrink them to keep out corrosion(which can cause resistance, in turn heat, and things melt)

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/sky-high-ring-terminal-anl-fuse-holder/

[everybodyknowme]

He's may have a short somewhere in his wiring and you already suggested what he should do (Re-wire) but from the post it looks like he doesn't want to do that.

Also that wire looks more like 8ga and he probably had the wrong fuse size. When his car catches on fire you can help him put it out

[everybodyknowme]

He's may have a short somewhere in his wiring and you already suggested what he should do (Re-wire) but from the post it looks like he doesn't want to do that.

Also that wire looks more like 8ga and he probably had the wrong fuse size. When his car catches on fire you can help him put it out

[Shenker]

Almost sounds to me like a crappy connection where the fuse holder is. Either where the fuse mates to the terminals, or the wire goes into the fuse holder, where the set screws are.

This next step assumes all else is sound and the only problem is with the fuse holder. Without having more info, I can't make an assessment and I don't want to guess or assume. If it's not good to go, don't hook it up.

Try replacing the fuse holder that needs terminals on the wire. It's essentially two bolts that hold a fuse and wire. Sky High Car Audio carries them. When you put ring terminals on the wire, use tinned, plated, or otherwise corrosion resistant connectors and solder/heat-shrink them to keep out corrosion(which can cause resistance, in turn heat, and things melt)

http://www.droppinhzcaraudio.com/sky-high-ring-terminal-anl-fuse-holder/

Thanks snowdrifter, I just let him know, I feel the same way, without him knowing enough to properly communicate the problem to me, I cant make any guesses, I said to disconnect the power cable, and take it to a local shop where someone can actually look at it. Im not paid to be the "guy that some guy knows".