Freaken horn! Replaces all fuses with brass/ceramic - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

funola · #1 01-09-2016, 12:20 PM

My horn would work one day, but not the next- back and forth drove me nuts. I twist the fuse a little (I think #14) and horn would work but then it would not a few days later. Finally ordered some off ebay. I contacted seller to get assurance that they are real ceramic and not plastic made to look like ceramic (I have a lot of those). When they arrived, just the weight of them I can tell they are not plastic. I burnished the contacts clean (they were not real dirty to begin with) with bamboo chopstick shaved to a point like a fuse with a serrated knife to put some teeth and bite into it... works well. I also put some Vaseline on the fuse contact points to slow the oxidation.

Tips:
always disconnect battery when working on fuses.

place a towel below the fuse tray. If you drop one it falls into the drain hole and plug up the drain if you don't fish it out

Hope this fixes my horn and any future fuse problems. Time will tell.

Some pics

mannys9130 · #2 01-09-2016, 08:21 PM

I think the Vaseline will cause contact problems later on. I don't put anything on contacts normally, but if I do I use silicone dielectric grease and nothing else. Dielectric grease is made for protecting the contacts and it won't interfere with the continuity of the contact.

dieselbenz1 · #3 01-09-2016, 08:58 PM

Vasoline melts at 100 deg F it also supports combustion so I tend to use dielectric grease for only those reasons under a hood.

funola · #4 01-09-2016, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieselbenz1

Vasoline melts at 100 deg F it also supports combustion so I tend to use dielectric grease for only those reasons under a hood.

You worried about a fire in the fuse box? It's just a film smeared on the ends. If my car ends up in flames you'll be the first to know.

funola · #5 01-09-2016, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannys9130

I think the Vaseline will cause contact problems later on. I don't put anything on contacts normally, but if I do I use silicone dielectric grease and nothing else. Dielectric grease is made for protecting the contacts and it won't interfere with the continuity of the contact.

Trust me the Vaseline or any oil or grease will not interfere with electrical continuity of contacts.

mannys9130 · #6 01-09-2016, 11:20 PM

If that was the case we'd have no need for dielectric grease. The vaseline will melt once it gets hot and it'll run between the contacts, causing issues. Dielectric grease doesn't get between the contacts, and it won't cause an issue.

You may need to do some more cleaning come summer...

Marshall Welch · #7 01-10-2016, 12:08 AM

I use DeoxIT-5 electrical contact cleaner, and then apply DeoxIT-Shield 5 preservative (Caig Laboratories) to the contacts. Works great.

mannys9130 · #8 01-10-2016, 12:38 AM

Dielectric Grease vs Conductive Grease

As is said here:

"Petroleum grease (Vaseline) was recommended (and was apparently used) on low power antenna installations years ago. While people report using it without problems, I'll never use it in my installations. The primary shortfall of Vaseline is the very low melting point. Most brands or types liquefy at around 100 degrees F, just above human body temperature. While this may be a medical benefit when coating human skin, it is a serious problem with connector applications, unless we do not care about grease running where we do not want or we do not care about drying over time.
The second petroleum jelly issue is Vaseline's release of flammable vapor, even at low temperatures. A cotton ball soaked in Vaseline will burn a very long time, and actually makes a good fire starter. Since connectors are often near insulation or other things that can act like wicks, petroleum jelly is not the best thing. This is especially true when the grease migrates in warm temperatures."

funola · #9 01-10-2016, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marshall Welch

I use DeoxIT-5 electrical contact cleaner, and then apply DeoxIT-Shield 5 preservative (Caig Laboratories) to the contacts. Works great.

They sure know how to market some expensive products! Some of the claims are snake oil like. I doubt any of their cleaners will clean my fuse box contacts better and provide better electrical contacts than the way I burnished the contacts clean down to shiny metal.

funola · #10 01-10-2016, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mannys9130

If that was the case we'd have no need for dielectric grease. The vaseline will melt once it gets hot and it'll run between the contacts, causing issues. Dielectric grease doesn't get between the contacts, and it won't cause an issue.

You may need to do some more cleaning come summer...

Dielectric grease is not conductive, neither is Vaseline, motor oil, grease. What these products do is coat the contact surface and slow down oxidation. Some last longer than others (from evaporation), some have lower melting points, but they do the same thing, slow down oxidation by sealing it from air and moisture.

"Dielectric grease doesn't get between the contacts, and it won't cause an issue." That is also true of Vaseline, motor oil, grease etc. What happens is the pressure of the fuse spring contacts cuts through the grease and makes metal to metal contact. That is the only way electricity can flow. If the grease were so thick such that there is no metal to metal contact, then electricity will not flow. Does that make sense?

mannys9130 · #11 01-10-2016, 05:48 PM

Funola you do your thing. You have been given reasons why you using the wrong product for the job is bad. I predict that your work either won't last very long at the least, or it will cause continuity issues at the worst. You'll need to remove the fuses again and clean the contacts of all the Vaseline in short order. When that time arises, consider using the proper dielectric silicone grease for the job. At least by the second cleaning your contacts will be nice and shiny.

BillGrissom · #12 01-11-2016, 12:56 AM

funola,
Can you relate the ebay seller and cost (if P-P allows)? I have had to remove fuses and sand the ends, then coat w/ di-electric grease many times to keep my power windows and sunroof working. Not sure if that is a long-term fix. Regardless, I have many silver fuses or gold ones w/ plastic bodies. The prices at auto parts stores are high since they sell only in small bubble packs. I want to buy several bricks like you did.

funola · #13 01-11-2016, 09:15 AM

sure, a little over $13 shipped for 60 fuses, 20 ea 8-16-25 Amps.

BMW Ceramic Fuse Set 8 16 25 Amp New Flosser Brand | eBay

BillGrissom · #14 01-11-2016, 02:42 PM

Thanks. Good price. I ordered a set. Note that some of their listings are currently 5% off.