Almost Burnt My Saxo To A Crisp!!

[djshongo]

Was wiring a set of interior lights straight up to the battery, via a toggle switch, i thought i knew what i was doing. :n:

I ran the lights, which were 12" tubes(x2), straight from the battery, no fuse, i just wanted to see if the lights were working firstly..

They were wired in, and on - so i tried the switch a few times to check that it was ok.. then smoke started coming from behind the switch :omg:

I looked at the wires and they were literally melting, so i grabbed them and pulled them for sum reason!
Then i realised wat i was doing was silly, so i ran to the battery which was almost on fire by this stage and i disconnected the wires from it.. lucky!
Smoke everywhere!

Hands are burnt off me now :wall:

Lesson for the day - dont do wires if you dont know how to. :y:

[jablitt]

oh my god, school boy error!! glad your ok!

[Mystic]

Sounds risky!

You can plug your lights into the wires from behind he cig lighter then mate. Then it will already be fused. :y:

[djshongo]

I know - such a rookie mistake :panic:

Yea im ok and so is the car cheers lads..


Think i have a fear of wires now tho man, even fused ones lol!

:y:

[Alex]

You need the right gauge wire too, to handle the current going through it.
Glad you got it off tho.

[jimmy2006]

Was wiring a set of interior lights straight up to the battery, via a toggle switch, i thought i knew what i was doing. :n:

I ran the lights, which were 12" tubes(x2), straight from the battery, no fuse, i just wanted to see if the lights were working firstly..

They were wired in, and on - so i tried the switch a few times to check that it was ok.. then smoke started coming from behind the switch :omg:

I looked at the wires and they were literally melting, so i grabbed them and pulled them for sum reason!
Then i realised wat i was doing was silly, so i ran to the battery which was almost on fire by this stage and i disconnected the wires from it.. lucky!
Smoke everywhere!

Hands are burnt off me now :wall:

Lesson for the day - dont do wires if you dont know how to. :y:So next you will use a fuse i hope :y:

[Robbo]

that sounds bad man!

i know a lad (from this site actually, not mentioning names) who wired up interior neons with speaker wire........ funny thing was they worked without a problem :-S

what cable were you using mate?

[daivtr]

they started melting most prob from using to lower gauge cable

[Lorrie_VTR]

I've fitted LED tubes to my car.. I just wired into the back of the cigar lighter and stuck an inline fuse in for extra measure.. 5 amp is fine.. Make sure you use wire suitable for lighting.. 5amp should do the trick..

[djshongo]

thanks lads..

not sure what size wire i was using, altho it was thin yea.
If i do it again, im defs gonna get the right wire.. u reckon 5amp is ok?
AND im gonna use a fuse!

was scary :panic:

if i hadnt noticed it the whole engine woulda been on fire!

I dont think i'll wire them up again myself, kinda scared to lol

Turns out i'm not that good of an electrician :homme: