Smokey switch issue... again - Honda Prelude Forum

Padge · 03-27-2004, 04:05 PM

I posted this a while back. My bottle heater switch smokes after being on for a while (5min). The back of the button is plastic and when it smokes the plastic starts melting. When the switch is on it lights up.

There are three connections on the back of the switch, i think they are power, ground and now i cant think of the other connection

..., anyway.

Do you think it is smoking because the switch itself is grounded poorly so that when it lights up it has the problem or do you think that the heater is grounded poorly?

NXLude · 03-27-2004, 07:56 PM

sometimes those switches just suck, i recommend going to a heavier duty switch.....

Padge · 03-27-2004, 08:47 PM

what do you mean by heavy duty?

axion68 · 03-27-2004, 10:44 PM

Sounds to me like your bottle heater is pulling all it's power through the switch. Having the switch power a relay and the relay power your heater is recommended, as bottle heaters pull a lot of amps (20 or so amps depending on the heater). Your options are to get a switch that was designed to handle 20 amps of power or put a relay in

Your bottle heater power feed wire should be 12 guage as well. Anything smaller and you run the risk of the wire overheating, insulator melting and eventually shorting out and a potential fire hazard

MNludeDVR · 03-27-2004, 11:18 PM

hmm...potential fire hazard, just another reason to have a mini fire extingusher!

jk

Padge · 03-27-2004, 11:55 PM

hmmm i am pretty sure its a 20 or 25 amp switch

axion68 · 03-28-2004, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MNludeDVR
hmm...potential fire hazard, just another reason to have a mini fire extingusher!
jk

a-pillar mount of course

Vapor · 03-28-2004, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MNludeDVR
hmm...potential fire hazard, just another reason to have a mini fire extingusher!

jk

hey now, I keep a little mini extinguisher in the trunk by the spare tire, and I've used it to put someone's car out.

MNludeDVR · 03-28-2004, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vapor

hey now, I keep a little mini extinguisher in the trunk by the spare tire, and I've used it to put someone's car out.

but know one can see it in the trunk man! get with the times!

laughin2.2 · 03-28-2004, 10:58 AM

A relay should do the trick. The same thing happened with my purge button when I accidentally hit the switch and didn't realize it.

stevej37 · 03-28-2004, 04:56 PM

I had the same problem (smoking wire) when I installed my bottle heater. The problem was too small of a wire for the ground. Make sure power and ground wire are the right qauge and you have a good ground point. Bottle heaters are great..you will see a big improvement when the pressure is up where it should be!!