3ed fuse down ,red with white , blowing .

[Lorna c]

ok I'm working on my dash lights switching to LEDs and now my headlights are blowing the fuse . fog lights work everything else works fine blinkers but as soon as I "pull" the light switch pop goes the fuse . things I've checked so far are .. relay , wires , wires wires for headlights and up under dash where I've been shoving my hand I think,. now I'm curious what else is on that fuse besides cig lighter and gage ? seems my horn won't work and headlights switch blows too .. meaning my fog lights won't work either after it blows But blinkers do . what would do to look a bit deeper for a short if I can't see anything under dash ?? ooh and.one more thing , putting in the lights I've shot 2 inside the gages , now would that cause this short I'm getting ? I didn't have this issue last time I drove it , put in LEDs and now I have this going on . I did pop this fuse pretty regularly already but now as soon as I pull the switch it blows . I'm stumped and need refocused in a nother direction please . thanks

[notoptoy]

I would look to see if you bent/moved disconnected anything as you swapped in the LED bulbs. Particularly the blue wire to the lighter, but there are a lot of others there. If "all you did was change the bulbs" you had to have knocked something loose or allowed a bare wire/piece of wire to short out on something else. If you have help, have your head under the dash - replace the fuse, and then pull the switch to see if there are any sparks.

[Lorna c]

yeah I'll look better /again today . and two more things came to mind on things I've messed with lately . one was the ballast resister . I've put it back into the equation. as I followed the wires from the fuse box backwards , it seems to all lead to the ballast . now over messing around with electrical before I took it out but since I've gotten a new alternator and things I wanted to see if it would do fine all hooked up . but . I've cut off the stripe at the end of the wire showing which wire it was . ugh . only on two . haha out of 4 . 'll be asking how to tell the difference between the two I'm sure . . I believe it's the black white /white and the black white / red . they all seem to be tied together just down the way in the same wiring leading to that fuse ... idk it's some hope for today . I spent all day just looking for an exposed wire pretty much everywhere to no avail.. the other thing that came to mind was the two lights that got shot inside the gages itself . I was trying to get the lights in and I somehow loosen up the LED and two of them shot inside all the way and aren't magnetic enough to pull out . they're alllll the way into the gage ,as in I can put in another light without touching the other that's in there fallen . now can those hit something inside and short out my lights . dash lights seem to be involved in the short .. like I've said the dog lights work .only when I pull it blows the fuse and it wasn't doing this before I did LEDs .at least not every time like now . so I'll be looking at those if they play a part in this mess I made . I hope this makes sense to you and you see something that may play a part in this .. I just don't see any exposed wires this time around .. but it only takes a little bit . so as soon as I can talk myself into getting under the dash again I'll check those out . anyway if anything pops into your head don't hesitate to say . haha ok well wish me luck . and say a prayer to the electrical God's .. I need to find this one . my headlamps came in and I'm already thinking bypass ..haha ok here I go .

[Lorna c]

I would look to see if you bent/moved disconnected anything as you swapped in the LED bulbs. Particularly the blue wire to the lighter, but there are a lot of others there. If "all you did was change the bulbs" you had to have knocked something loose or allowed a bare wire/piece of wire to short out on something else. If you have help, have your head under the dash - replace the fuse, and then pull the switch to see if there are any sparks.

that's a good idea ! I've only looked at the fuse box for spark . shoot now it's not evening . easier to see spark . I'm sure it will be before I know it though . hot day already . that's all I did the other day . I have messed with the coil a few days before that though . so idk maybe another three on that too . ugh

[Lorna c]

ok chew on this one . Ipulled out all of the dash lights . just pulled then and that's it . headlights work ! ? huh I said . . now what ? hahah fuse isn't blowing anymore at all .

[fj20spl311]

Replace them one at a time until you find the bad spot.
Could be a bad bulb that is shorted or the holder got shorted.

[Lorna c]

I think the holder got shorted or idk actually . some bulbs must touch other bulba to turn on and some must touch ground on car metal . and when I wiggle them they all go dim . also my water isn't circulating and car is over heating .... ugh idk what to do now .

[Lorna c]

so something is shorting the dash lights bad. and something isn't sending poser or something to my water thermostat or something electrical I'm sure .

[Lorna c]

and when I messed with wires they shorted out the fuse again . I don't see a thing up there but idk what I'm looking for except exposed wire .

[Lorna c]

Replace them one at a time until you find the bad spot.
Could be a bad bulb that is shorted or the holder got shorted.

it was thanks ! theirs solder that touched the ground casing you slip the light into behind the gages .. wow what a pain . all week I've fixed one thing and made 2 more issues . ugh . but I'll get it . I'm familiar with things again thanks to ya'll . thank you!

[dbrick]

One thing to consider, unless the bulbs are dim-able, which I don't think they are, mine aren't, if the dash rheostat is turned down, toward dim, the resistance in the circuit cranks up the amperage. Be sure the dimmer is on full bright and leave it there.
Next thing is go to Harbor Freight, hopefully with the "free" coupon and get their $6.00 multimeter. It does amp testing and costs less than the ammeter fuse in a Fluke. I keep them in my work truck and at home pop one or two a year. Put the meter inline with a 10 amp fuse and see what you are drawing as you make changes.

[Lorna c]

One thing to consider, unless the bulbs are dim-able, which I don't think they are, mine aren't, if the dash rheostat is turned down, toward dim, the resistance in the circuit cranks up the amperage. Be sure the dimmer is on full bright and leave it there.
Next thing is go to Harbor Freight, hopefully with the "free" coupon and get their $6.00 multimeter. It does amp testing and costs less than the ammeter fuse in a Fluke. I keep them in my work truck and at home pop one or two a year. Put the meter inline with a 10 amp fuse and see what you are drawing as you make changes.

yes I need to do that next . I do have a multi meter , I couldn't imagine working on this car without one . the ohm part is my savior on alot of things around the house too . I've narrowed it to these LED lights I put into dash . some have a dollop of solder that huts the metal sleeve inside their case in the gages . but it's not tested yet much if that's the only draw . I never thought about the dash causing a large draw . that for tip . I do have a dimmable dash still so ... I'll make sure their up, and I've put my
resister back into play on the coil . so I'll make sure to do my headlamps again . they were high.

[Lorna c]

ok well . hopefully the last of this now . somewhere in all my issues with electrical someone mentioned how my fuse box wasn't right. I understand better now and hooked them up correctly. I guess it matters what they hook up to and not only that they're there . . huh who knew . ok, well all is well now ,,knock on wood .