# Why am I suddenly blowing fuses with LED headlights?



## TheHolyCannoli (Nov 19, 2013)

Ariens Platnium 921028 with AX 291 engine, head light, and handwarmers. I added two 18w LED floodlights using a bridge rectifier, 5amp fuse, and a toggle switch. Everything worked perfectly on first and second startup. I ran the lights for about 3 to 4min each time. Was not using the handwarmers at the same time.

Fast forward about 2 weeks, I start up the machine, flip the toggle, and instantly blow the fuse. Lights never even began to light up. Replace fuse, try again, same result. For the heck of it, throw in a 7.5amp fuse and same result. Again, handwarmers were off the entire time.

The only thing I changed since the first install was the spark plug and oil. I'm completely baffled. Any suggestions?


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Unplug the switch and make the connection, see if that keeps them on to rule out the switch. unplug 1 light at a time to see if one is causing issue. Do u know what amps the machine puts out? Also did u use a spark plug with a resistor maybe? 


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## TheHolyCannoli (Nov 19, 2013)

e.fisher26 said:


> Unplug the switch and make the connection, see if that keeps them on to rule out the switch. unplug 1 light at a time to see if one is causing issue. Do u know what amps the machine puts out? Also did u use a spark plug with a resistor maybe?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Stator puts out 12-14V AC @ 5 Amps (60W). 20W stock halogen bulb, handwarmers draw 30W.

I'll have to try bypassing the switch tomorrow morning. I was also considering just pulling out the stock halogen to give me another 20W of head room. Still, I don't understand why the LEDs would work on 2 trials and then start repeatedly blowing fuses unless something "broke".


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

do the leds actually draw 18w each?


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## TheHolyCannoli (Nov 19, 2013)

e.fisher26 said:


> do the leds actually draw 18w each?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Highly doubt it. I haven't measured but from what I've read its more like 9 to 10W each


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Try switching out the halogen bulb with the LED bulb


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## Shaw351 (Nov 15, 2016)

Had similar issue with led pod lights on my truck. Wired everything and left hanging to test and all was well...installed them permanently in the bumper and when i turned on they blew the fuse. So I double check everything and all looked good. Wire by wire I traced and found nothing......
So I decided to disconnect both lights, turned on and circuit held. So it has to be one of the lights, as it turned out one of them was assembled poorly and it shorted when I mounted them in the bumper. Fixed wire and all has been good for months. 
Disconnect each light, and then see if one of those are shorted to ground, you can check it with a ohm meter. Possibly similar thing happened to your lights. Please give us an update when you get it resolved.


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## vinnycom (Nov 6, 2017)

u got a short somewhere, multimeter would help, probably at the light socket base but could be anywhere along the circuit. eg bare/damaged wire touching frame, faulty socket or any electrical component termination, dont assume its its the last thing u changed like changing the light


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## melson (Feb 9, 2015)

As @vinnycom & others have already said, any fuse that immediately blows is either shorted or woefully undersized for the load.

Circuit breakers, on the other hand, can, and do, act very differently from their stated rating. That is why certain critical loads are protected by fuses, not breakers.


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## TheHolyCannoli (Nov 19, 2013)

Update:
So, despite not believing I could have a short considering I shrink wrapped and taped each wire individually to isolate them from each other, and also had all wires inside plastic tubing... I went ahead and unwrapped everything to check connections.

Everything looked perfect. 

Then it hit me. After testing the lights when they last worked, I remembered I had pulled the 4 connectors off the bridge rectifier to add dielectric grease. Welp, looks like I accidentally swapped the connectors on the rectifier. I had the AC coming from the switch and the DC (-) coming from the lights reversed. ����������������


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## Coby7 (Nov 6, 2014)




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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Aww, sorry to hear that. Well atleast it’s fixed 


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

It happens . . . at least nothing was damaged but pride!


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