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#1
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Copper Fuses a "no-no"?
I've been told of the benefits of copper or brass tipped fuses for our cars, but they seem to think otherwise here...
http://mbca.cartama.net/showthread.php?p=74986
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'81 MB 300SD, '82 MB 300D Turbo (sold/RIP), '04 Lincoln Town Car Ultimate Sooner or later every car falls apart, ours does it later! -German Narrator in a MB Promotion Film about the then brand new W123. |
#2
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That's an interesting theory.
Can't condemn it as false out of hand, however. The copper is also quite soft........whether it results in "significantly" less contact area would be questionable. I'd have to see it to believe it. |
#3
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I will condemn it out of hand. It's a crock. The copper fuses corrode badly. The"silver" type are solder coated (Tin/Lead) and don't corrode. All that talk about contact area with soft copper is meaningless with a non-gas-tight corroded connection.
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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88 '01 VW Beetle TDI '05 Jeep Liberty CRD '89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T '78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110 Oil Burner Kartel #35 http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg |
#4
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Quote:
His argument may be valid if the aluminum deforms under the force from the brass, spring loaded terminal block. |
#5
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I changed mine out to all new copper fuses a few years ago. They still look new, havn't needed to touch them since.
Tin coated fuses are not needed on cars, way overkill. Now talk to me about a bilge pump connector that spends 6 months out of the year wet with salt water.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#6
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Quote:
Just make sure the contacts still have good spring pressure.
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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88 '01 VW Beetle TDI '05 Jeep Liberty CRD '89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T '78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110 Oil Burner Kartel #35 http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg |
#7
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#8
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Copper is a much better conductor of electricity than alluminum but more expensive. Alluminum is much cheaper and corrodes like crazy. Big industrial electrical cable is often alluminum due to it is much lighter and cheaper.
I like the copper fuses myself and never had a problem.
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1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair |
#9
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I gotta wonder about this one. I have seen too many problematic fuses of this style in old european cars and many were dissimilar metals and corroded.
Replacing aluminum fuses will continue to be a good idea. Tinned fuses may have their places. The high amperage draw and contact area argument makes sense but I wonder if there is not another underlying problem causing the excessive heat. |
#10
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Quote:
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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88 '01 VW Beetle TDI '05 Jeep Liberty CRD '89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T '78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110 Oil Burner Kartel #35 http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg |
#11
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Don't know about electrical
Don't know about electrical connections with dissimilar metals, but in plumbing you have what is called dielectric unions where one type of metal joins and different type.
The resulting action is the same as what you have in plating metal. Electrons flow from the metal with the higher atomic weight to the metal with the lower weight. This is also why water heaters have a sacrificial anode in them. I suppose this could pose a problem in electrical connections, too.
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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century OBK #55 1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles 2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles 2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles |
#12
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I beleive that you should always use the type and spec. fuses as called for by the manufacturer. Copper does corrode and oxidize. Ever seen a new penny STAY shiny? Tarnishing is the same as oxidizing, and that tarnish becomes a resistor electrically speaking.
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RRGrassi 70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car 13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete. 91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K 90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K |
#13
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For the dissimilar metal thing, google galvanic corrosion or stuff like that. It is a big problem on boats, read about the zincs ( sacrificial anodes? ) that are hung on the bottom of boats.
Calling the fuses copper is probably a misnomer, they are probably a copper alloy. The contacts in the fuse box are probably a harder copper alloy or they may be plated. Almost all metals react to some degree, copper, aluminum and silver included. They call it by different names under different conditions and circumstances, annodization, tarnish, corrosion, rust, etc. Pennies are not made of solid copper after 1982. Put a copper penny on top of your battery and it will corrode but the battery terminals will not. I have meant to find the explanation for this for years and have never done it. Last edited by TwitchKitty; 07-14-2006 at 10:34 AM. |
#14
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Mercedes speced out there fuses 30 years ago, that leaves no room for technoloigical improvements in alloys and manufacturing processes. Some things are good to adher to, but you must be alert to progress in the industry. LOTS of things we have today was not even an option back when these cars were designed....like oil etc.
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1981 300D 147k 1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k 2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k 1979 300D 234k (sold) 1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold) Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair |
#15
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agreed.
have some minor corrosion in the box at the fuses, and thinking copper will be better in the long term despite the tarnish issues. even seems more like stock. AMSoil synthetics weren't around when these rigs were manufactured but man is that some sweet nectar.. |
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