So My Truck Almost Caught On Fire Today

[carneyman]

So I was leaving work, and my truck wouldn't start (remote wouldn't unlock the doors either), so I figured it was the toggle switch I put on it to keep the battery from dieing (if it sits for 3 days, the remote start drains it...needs to be fixed). Sure enough, if I rocked the switch it would start. I get on my way and stop by the vets for some flea medicine. Go back out, and truck won't start again. Rock the switch, and smoke starts pouring out from under the dash. I jump out, look underneath, and see wires melting, so I grab some wire cutters and cut 2. Smoke stops. Pull off the panel under the steering wheel and see that the switch is really loose, so I take it apart. Turns out the damn cheap ass thing broke, and the wire started shorting out against a metal brace. Needless to say, the truck really wouldn't start then, so I called my friend to tow me back to my house (which is across a really busy loop, with stupid medians in the way...idiots). We make it home and get the truck up my steep ass driveway, and I start pulling wires. I ended up burning one wire up completely from the switch to the power terminal by the alternator. Luckily it was a pretty easy fix, but it was also a pretty unnerving experience. Definitely not something I want to repeat any time soon.

 

So I learned 2 things: It could have been alot worse, and radio shack toggle switches are too cheap to use.

[dietz4ibanez]

Dang dude that sucks... Good thing you didnt get hurt and that you were able to fix it!!!

[carneyman]

Yeah...and I almost bought a new switch at work today, but the guy didn't know which were which, and they weren't labeled, so I have to wait till tomorrow...

[dietz4ibanez]

where do you work?

[carneyman]

At Arrick Robotics (robotics.com). I can get stuff at whole sale there, and its better quality than RS.

[dietz4ibanez]

sucks that you had to find that out the hard way... Thats always happens to me when I buy crap from there... I bought some resistors from there and they shorted out my mids in the family room speakers...

[carneyman]

Yeah...I thought about suing, but people are too sue happy as it is...

[DofD]

I am glad that you are okay and your truck will be okay. Definitely a scary situation.

 

Yeah, you get what you pay for with switches and stuff like that. Lesson learned.

[pennzoil29]

Glad you're ok, and you and your truck didn't burn up.

[merlin5577]

That sucks, glad no on got hurt and the truck can be repaired.

[95Sierra2500]

Just a word of caution - if you bought a toggle switch to kill the battery - you pretty much NEED to get one from a performance magazine. Sure, it's not alot of volts, but that's a HECK of a lot of amps for one of those cheap toggle switches to handle. You'd be much better off with one from Jeg's.

[thecraft]

It wasn't fused?

[Draenor]

You need a battery cut off switch, or possibly wire up relay and a switch. As Kyle mentioned, You should always run an inline fuse on any circuit.

[matthuber1]

yeah, im sure those switches arent rated at more than 30 amps. Fuses are cheap and easier to replace than wires.

[L29er]

sorry to here about the fleas? can`t beleive somebody else didn`t say anything about that! lol