Rabbit Glow Plug Fuse availability?

[RabbitJockey]

I'm having trouble finding the 50 or 80 amp fuse that goes in the box on the firewall, i don't know the name of that style so i really have no idea where to start looking, but they seem to be the same kind goes on the top of the battery in a mk4, thanks for any help

[theman53]

I found either for .76 each or .48 each for the other style on autohaus. I looked under electrical for an 01 jetta TDI

[RabbitJockey]

napa can get them for the mk4's, awesome thanks.

[ORCoaster]

I make my own out of some really thin tin I have from some project back before the plants did the diesel conversion thing.  If my last one ever blows I will swap with the newer style waterproof box and those larger fuses used in audio equipment.  I think they are the same size as we use. 

[libbydiesel]

How do you know that what current will burn it out?

[ORCoaster]

Yeah, maybe they never will and should have just wired the two ends of the fuse block together and not bothered with the fancy duplicate the notch cutting.  I can't say what amperage it would pop at.  But in reality I am banking on the individual 15 amperes ones connected to the individual wires that go to the glow plugs themselves to be the safety on the system.   

[libbydiesel]

Ah, you added the individual fuses?  At that point I wouldn't bother with the stock fusible link. 

[ORCoaster]

Like I said, might as well just wire it up and forget that stock fuse.  Don't really know why I didn't.  Must have wanted it to look stock then modified it later.  Have had the car nearly four years now and the history of changes of this for that are getting long and overlapping.  Like all of us that like to tinker as well as fix, the reason gets lost in process. 

What I am laughing at now is that over the weekend I was digging around in the jocky box and lo and behold there in the back was one of them there stock fuses.  Fancy that. 

[Renax]

My old car had a 80a original fuse, and a 50a big flat fuse, not in series, but parallel. I remember just wondering why, removing one, and the other popped first try. Yea, there was a short to ground, and someone thought it was a good idea to just double up the fuses...

I have also once needed a fuse, i got one thin copper wire, it popped, doubled, still popped, triple was just enough, but i could see it glowing red, so i used 4. Worked like a charm for 2weeks til i got my new, an just for fun i grounded it and it burned out in less then a second.. DIY fuse right there:-) could do the same thing with a small piece of tin, cut it bigger and bigger until its enough.

[ORCoaster]

That is a nice and handy tip but like Libby points out we really don't know the rating of those things that we fab up on the fly.  But hey they work enough to get us by and that is what matters most.  Just hope we don't over do the safety valve and turn it into a pipe that won't stop delivering.

[TimpanogosSlim]

Strip fuses are a thing.

I mean not just a VW thing. Electronic supply houses sell them.

Looks like Mouser doesn't carry the 80A version. *shrug*. http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/15656105801/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsh2y49K8ANrUFDYiXijkKF05AH9FvtBkE%3d

When i got my coupe the factory glow wiring had been removed already, so i went straight to the pimped configuration. If i were more invested, I'd measure center to center in the old fuse holder and figure out whether one of the housed fuse variations are the same length. Chances are mini-ANL or "megafuse" or something works.

Or just pimp your glow plugs. But i know that's no help when you are just trying to start your car in the morning.

[RabbitJockey]

Strip fuses are a thing.

I mean not just a VW thing. Electronic supply houses sell them.

Looks like Mouser doesn't carry the 80A version. *shrug*. http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/15656105801/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsh2y49K8ANrUFDYiXijkKF05AH9FvtBkE%3d

When i got my coupe the factory glow wiring had been removed already, so i went straight to the pimped configuration. If i were more invested, I'd measure center to center in the old fuse holder and figure out whether one of the housed fuse variations are the same length. Chances are mini-ANL or "megafuse" or something works.

Or just pimp your glow plugs. But i know that's no help when you are just trying to start your car in the morning.

right, and i don't care to introduce that mess to my engine bay, i have never had that much trouble with glow plugs.  i have a nice set of ratcheting wrenches that makes glow plug replacement a breeze.

[libbydiesel]

To be clear, if your glow plugs are individually fused with 12 amp fuses or the like then there is no need for the 50 amp fusible link.  If your glow plugs are not individually fused, then replacing the stock 50 amp fuse with a homemade 'fuse' of tin or copper is risky at best.  The stock fuses are readily available for very little cost.  I keep extras on hand so as to avoid the risk of burning up my vehicle wiring harness with a rigged 'fuse'.

I have not bothered with the individual fuses and glow plug wires on the last couple IDI VWs I have owned.  The diagnostic advantage of the individual fuses/wires was nullified a few years back when I purchased a multi-meter that has a very convenient and fast-acting thermocouple that gives a temperature reading.  I have found that if I cycle the glow plugs once or twice on a cold engine and then measure the temperature at the head near the individual glow plugs or on the wider hex part of the glow plug, it is very obvious which plugs are burned out.  Once diagnosed, changing glow plugs is an almost inconsequential task even if the ones burned out are behind the injection pump.  Pull the injection lines off...   

[RabbitJockey]

Strip fuses are a thing.

I mean not just a VW thing. Electronic supply houses sell them.

Looks like Mouser doesn't carry the 80A version. *shrug*. http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Littelfuse/15656105801/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsh2y49K8ANrUFDYiXijkKF05AH9FvtBkE%3d

When i got my coupe the factory glow wiring had been removed already, so i went straight to the pimped configuration. If i were more invested, I'd measure center to center in the old fuse holder and figure out whether one of the housed fuse variations are the same length. Chances are mini-ANL or "megafuse" or something works.

Or just pimp your glow plugs. But i know that's no help when you are just trying to start your car in the morning.

strip fuse, thats what i needed was the name of that type of fuse, now i am set, thanks a lot.

[burn_your_money]

If you are building something custom anyways, or want an easier to replace fuse maxi fuses are a nice option that are readily available.