Fuses keep blowing as soon as I put them in

[ebby_123]

I just install all the components of my solar system and everything seems to be working fine except the BlueSea fuse block. As soon as I switch the system on, all the fuses blow. I've looked everywhere for answers and what I've narrowed it down to it my wire to my fuse block is either too small or all the wiring I've done for my 12v appliances are completely messed up in some way and causing it to short circuit. I've even replaced all the fuses with a higher one and they still blow. What am I missing?...

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

I just install all the components of my solar system and everything seems to be working fine except the BlueSea fuse block. As soon as I switch the system on, all the fuses blow. I've looked everywhere for answers and what I've narrowed it down to it my wire to my fuse block is either too small or all the wiring I've done for my 12v appliances are completely messed up in some way and causing it to short circuit. I've even replaced all the fuses with a higher one and they still blow. What am I missing?...

That indicates a dead short or reversed connections some where. Unplug each appliance and plug them in one at a time time to find the culprit.

A diagram or pics of your system would help.

 

[ebby_123]

That indicates a dead short or reversed connections some where. Unplug each appliance and plug them in one at a time time to find the culprit.

A diagram or pics of your system would help.

Late reply, thanks for your patience. I've checked all connections and nothing is reversed. I've also re-did another connection and a new connection I wired with different connectors and still same problem. As I've stated, all the fuses are blowing in the fuse box and changing up my connections has not seemed to help. I've wired different appliances to different spots as well on the block. What are the odds I've done all the connections wrong or they all have a short? Could the fuse block itself be bad?

 

[MisterSandals]

I've wired different appliances to different spots as well on the block.

What appliances and how big are the fuses?

 

[ebby_123]

What appliances and how big are the fuses?

These are the current appliances:

2 USB Plugs 2.1a with 5a fuse
Maxxair fan 5a with 10a fuse
6 puck lights- 1.5a with 5a fuse
1 dimmer 6am....don't know how this plays into the fuse to the lights.

 

[Brett V]

Fuses are expensive troubleshooting devices, use a multimeter. Disconnect the batteries and inverter. Do you still read a short between the positive and negative bus? If not, connect the batteries but NOT the inverter. Do you now see the expected voltage on the cables that connect to the inverter? If yes, the inverter is the problem. You don't haver a lot of components to go bad here. From the picture you've posted, it can only be the auxiliary fuse block or the inverter.

 

[ebby_123]

Okay. I'm honestly still learning my way around a multimeter. In this moment I cannot test those voltages but want to provide this.

Yesterday I connected everything except the inverter and the same problem happened. When the inverter is connected, also the same problem. This seems like it rules out the inverter. Would take be correct?

 

[Brett V]

Okay. I'm honestly still learning my way around a multimeter. In this moment I cannot test those voltages but want to provide this.

Yesterday I connected everything except the inverter and the same problem happened. When the inverter is connected, also the same problem. This seems like it rules out the inverter. Would take be correct?

Ok, now disconnect the solar charge controller. I was looking at your picture on a phone last night and didn't even see it.

 

[Quattrohead]

Your fuse block is wired between positive and negative of the battery.....Nope it's not.
Never seen or used one of these blocks before.
Anyway, divide and conquer, only 1 fuse at a time and unwire and start simple.

 

[400bird]

If you're unsure on volt meter usage, now's a great time to learn. Grab the meter and sit down with some YouTube.

In the picture, you have a large mega (?) fuse in the positive wire to the fuse box, but no fuse on the wiring to the inverter or charge controller.
I'd recommend changing that, but that's a problem for later.

First, learn the meter and verify the polarity is correct. Then look for shorts using the meter.

 

[Rednecktek]

Look at the wires going into your charge controller, if your red tape is positive then I think those might be backwards.

Also, why is the wire from the battery to the bus block the smallest wire in the setup? That should be honkin huge!

The fact that it's blowing ALL the fuses is disturbing. If it was a short in one of the circuits then it would just blow that circuit, that's what it's there for. Disconnect one of the main wires from the fuse block and check connectivity between it's main lugs. You should see OL on the meter. Anything else is a short in the fuse block.

 

[Hedges]

Use a light bulb (incandescent) in place of fuse.
Is system 12V? An old 12V car headlamp with spade terminals would be good.

If it lights up continuously, there is a short or large load.
If it lights up briefly and goes dim, then off, that is capacitor charge current.

You need to learn to use a DMM.
There are cheap ones and good ones with just leads ($4 ... $40 ... $200), but a DC clamp ammeter is very handy (costs a bit more, $40 ... $100 ... $400)

 

[Bluedog225]

Another vote for stopping. Learn to use the basics of a multimeter. It is a couple of hours max.

Look up things like “how to measure voltage; how to detect a short; how to detect continuity.” You will be miles ahead.

And remember, it you over fuse a wire, then the wire catches fire instead of blowing a fuse.

It’s great that you had this stuff fused so you didn’t have a fire.

 

[Brett V]

I keep looking at this, the fuse should be between the battery and the disconnect switch, not the auxiliary fuse block.

As many have said, step back and learn how to use a multimeter. Understand the system and what should be happening.

 

[mikefitz]

wiring I've done for my 12v appliances are completely messed up in some way

This is possible, the dimmer perhaps. The wiring shown in the picture, apart from too small a gauge from battery to buss bars and lack of series fuses for the inverter and solar controller, seems OK and I guess the MRBF fuse on the battery is not blowing.
Assuming it's the fuses in the 6 way fuse block that are failing it can only be the appliance wiring being faulty.
A diagram or a picture showing how the cables from the fuse block wire in to the appliance may help. The fact that you are using two core cable, red and black, should reduce possible wiring errors.

 

[Pi Curio]

edit:
nm, apparently the fuse block accepts both, the pos and neg from the battery.

 

[SparkyJJO]

That fuse block on the left side has a positive side (top with the fuse slots) and a negative side (bottom with just screw terminals). Basically has a convenient negative bus bar attached to the fuse block.

 

[Pi Curio]

That fuse block on the left side has a positive side (top with the fuse slots) and a negative side (bottom with just screw terminals). Basically has a convenient negative bus bar attached to the fuse block.

Was about to edit the post, saying it seems it accepts both. Haven't used one of these, my bad.

 

[Quattrohead]

Was about to edit the post, saying it seems it accepts both. Haven't used one of these, my bad.

Don't worry it got me too until I looked it up

 

[400bird]

I thought that style of fuse box was lazy or dumb. Then I needed both fuse box and low current ground distribution.
It's great, I love it. Blue Sea offers one, I highly recommend it over the the generic ones.