Van sits 2 weeks, now has electrical issue

[Klutch9]

FWIW, I had the new battery and existing alternator tested today, and both check out fine. I also removed and cleaned the battery - to chassis cable, and the engine to chassis cable. I also found 3 other smaller grounds that I cleaned up. I then made and installed another battery to chassis cable and engine to chassis cable. We'll see how it goes! I didn't find anything suspect along the way, but some PM cleaning and wire brushing can't hurt

 

[KrisZ]

Fuses blow if the current passing through them exceeds their rating. Are you saying tha all shorts generate maximum current?
If you have a wire thar rubs against a metal component, say like an ignition wire, and eventually the bare wires make contact with the said metal component and if the metal component provides less resistance than the rest of the wire, that's where the current will go. You may end up with no spark, but also no blown fuses because the current found a different path that did not create a current spike.

Maybe you can call the above scenario something else than a short, but to me a short is any current path that is outside of the electrical circuit.

 

[wag123]

Originally Posted By: Klutch9
FWIW, I had the new battery and existing alternator tested today, and both check out fine. I also removed and cleaned the battery - to chassis cable, and the engine to chassis cable. I also found 3 other smaller grounds that I cleaned up. I then made and installed another battery to chassis cable and engine to chassis cable. We'll see how it goes! I didn't find anything suspect along the way, but some PM cleaning and wire brushing can't hurt

I strongly suspect that this will solve your problem.

 

[TFB1]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
Fuses blow if the current passing through them exceeds their rating. Are you saying tha all shorts generate maximum current?
If you have a wire thar rubs against a metal component, say like an ignition wire, and eventually the bare wires make contact with the said metal component and if the metal component provides less resistance than the rest of the wire, that's where the current will go. You may end up with no spark, but also no blown fuses because the current found a different path that did not create a current spike.

Maybe you can call the above scenario something else than a short, but to me a short is any current path that is outside of the electrical circuit.


You are referring to a secondary circuit that has micro amps of current flow vs a primary circuit that may well be several amps feeding ign switch, heater/AC blower motor etc...

Yes in that case there will be no fuse blown, I'd already stated there were exceptions before I gave example that would blow fuses...

Anyway this is probably all for naught, the problem most likely is not a short but a poor or corroded connection in the fuse/relay box... Hopefully the repaired or added grounds mentioned will fix the issue, still I'm skeptical because prior jiggling the box has brought it back to life...