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In a message dated 96-10-15 19:50:05 EDT, gmiiii@in*.co* writes:

<< 
 I work for an auto company, and I can tell you that we don't put a fuse 
 in line with the headlights.  It is a federal requirement, I believe, 
 that forbids a fuse in that particular circuit.  It is considered to 
 critical (the headlights) to chance nuisance fuse blowing.  There is a 
 piece of wire called a "fusable link" that will burn open before battery 
 damage is done and before a fire can start.  I would say that a cave 
 diver's light is MORE critical than an auto's headlights.
 -----
    Dave, could you please send this the rocket scientists at dive rite? I 
 realize they say they know everything about  cave diving, despite hard
evidence 
 to the contrary, but maybe they will listen to you. Square , fused lights,
what 
 a concept!
  >>

Dave 
  I don't know what rinky dink auto company you work for, but the one I work
for has fuses in the headlight circuit, always has, and always will. The
reason most cars have a fuse in any circuit is to prevent something from
shorting out, building up heat in the wires and <surprise> catching fire!!!
For what its worth a fusible link is just what it says, a "fuse", get it? If
the circuit has too little resistence (ie a short) than the fuse or fusible
link heats up first and melts to prevent the electical system from having an
experience on the order of the china syndrome. 
        
                   I am in no way endorsing having a fuse in a cave light,
quite to the contrary. I support the KISS principle on light systems. The
fuse is one more faliure point that none of us need. Besides if your light
catches on fire it won't burn for very long <G>. The light is a very simple
cicuit, in fact it is just about the most basic DC circuit around if you
remove the switch. Battery wire load wire battery. There is no need for a
fuse in this design for this application, if there were there would be fuses
in flash lights. Have you ever seen a flash light with a fuse? 

    Also I have never heard of any goverment regulation on where not to put
fuses on cars, I was under the impression that some EE was paid alot of money
to design safe electrical systems for the cars. Not some know nothing
goverment bureaucrat. 
 

Steven M Dittner  



     

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