Joined: Jun 2022 Posts: 129 Threads: 21
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Location: Exeter
17-09-2022, 04:37 PM
(This post was last modified: 17-09-2022, 04:58 PM by JoeRowing.)
Went to start the ruby today and after turning ignition on, clouds of smoke from under the dash.
I've taken the dash off and it's the wire from switch to positive side of the coil that has almost entirely burnt it's insulation.
Is this an internal coil failure? Odd as it's only a couple of months old. Suggestions please!
Well, swapped the coil and that seems to have fixed it but testing the old one seems fine!
Joined: Apr 2018 Posts: 507 Threads: 129
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Location: Staffordshire
Car type: Ruby mk 2
Sounds like a short to the dash board metal.
I am guessing you mean the ignition coil ?
Joined: Jun 2022 Posts: 129 Threads: 21
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Location: Exeter
Yes. Definitely not a short to the dash, the insulation was melted all the way to the coil.
Swapped out the coil, tested everything, spliced in a new wire and all is fine.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 482 Threads: 14
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Location: Dunchurch, Warwickshire
This illustrates the importance of fitting an inline fuse between the battery and the ammeter. If you get a short-circuit somewhere the weakest link will go, and usually that is your rare & expensive ammeter! It's good practice to fuse each circuit of course, but a master fuse is essential.
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 8 Threads: 0
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A master fuse will indeed protect the wiring. However, if you are using a 3 brush dynamo, a blown fuse can create unforeseen problems. If the engine is running when the fuse blows, and the dynamo is generating, the engine will continue to run. Without the battery to regulate the dynamo output the voltage will rise significantly causing possible damage to any voltage sensitive items such as filament bulbs, cutout coils etc.
