hello, bricknuts!

I've never thought much about them until yesterday when I was reading some things about fuses. I've noticed that my volvo has two types of fuses, the glass tube types and the colored plastic types. regarding the colored plastic ones, I've noticed the metal strips vary in width from color to color, some are even concave in the center. in the past I've switched fuses, not considering much about the difference in width of the metal strips on the fuses. in fact, I've replaced some "skinny fuses" with the ones with a much wider metal strip thinking it's more effective and "newer." is there a reason for the difference in width of these metal strips on the colored plastic fuses? does the width signify where it goes in the fuse box? or it doesn't matter what colored fuse you put in each slot?

You know...
I've wondered the same thing too..When I got my '84 244, it had some of the cylindrical fuses. But I took them out, and replaced them with the classic metal-stripped fuses.Even though the different colors are biger, they can all fit in the slots on your fuse panel which I don't think is good. I don't mess around with my Volvo's electrical system because my girlfriend had huge problems with her electrical system with her old '88 244. So I went to a junkyard and picked up a couple hundred metal-stripped fuses, and put them in the right slots just to make sure. I mean maybe you can swap the fuses and it will work, I just don't think it is that good of an idea...

and other fuse types compatible with the 240.

do I smear the dielectric grease on the tip of the fuse or on the copper/brass fuse brackets?

I read somewhere that buss fuses are good since they are stainless steel. I take it these are the glass tube fuses. if anyone has them on their car, is the ampere etched on the metal tip? I see an 8 etched on one of my buss fuses.

I plan to get more color-coded ceramic fuses. does pep boys carry the exact same ones that the 240 uses? ipd says they are "rare."

thank you all! I'm really glad I asked this question. all this time I had some fuse slots with the wrong fuse. I've put in the proper amp ceramic fuses on each fuse slot today after reading the info posted here. each slot has a WHITE, RED, or BLUE ceramic fuse, except one which requires a white 8amp but has the glass buss fuse rated at 8amp instead(I think, based on the number etched on it) because I ran out of 8amp ceramic fuses. tomorrow I plan to clean the copper fuse slot contacts and put some dielectric grease. thanks again!

do I smear the dielectric grease on the tip of the fuse or on the copper/brass fuse brackets?

No matter. I put it on the fuse because it's easier to do. But the second the fuse is inserted in the holder, it's on both.

And yes, "BUSS GBC 8" means it's a Buss fuse, style GBC, 8 amp.

Be careful of "ceramic" fuses. Some LOOK like they're ceramic, but they're really plastic. I try to avoid the plastic ones.
--
'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '86 244, '87 745T

my #10 (power window fuse) blew the other day due to one of the switch's two ball bearings touching and short circuiting! BUT, instead of having a 16amp (red) fuse, I had a 25amp (blue) fuse, which blew. is this something to be concerned about, like melted wires somewhere inside? thanks for all the info, guys!

I would investigate the wiring from the blown fuse to the power window motors since enough power went thru that circuit to blow a 25-amp fuse even though a 16-amp fuse is meant to go there. Check for cracked or melted insulation. Don't forget to also check the ground wire(s).

Then fix or replace that motor and try using it with a 16-amp fuse installed. If you blow that fuse, something has shorted out.

Good luck.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 241,000 miles - Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

I replaced it with the proper 16amp (red) fuse. all is well.

"Check for cracked or melted insulation. Don't forget to also check the ground wire(s)."

might sound a bit silly, but where do I look? or where is the ground wire located and insulation? thanks.

Unfortunately, you'll have to trace the wires from the fusebox to the power window relay located behind the central console (where the heating and vent controls are) to the window motor. These wires are usually tucked away underneath plastic panels and carpeting, which means removing both if you want to get a good look at them. My car doesn't have power windows so I'm not sure exactly where they run. The wires also may be inside black sleeves meant to protect them from the elements, making it harder to check individual wires.

The ground wire for the windows is located on one of the screws behind that center console. Most ground wires are green. You'll have to pull out that console to take a look at it.

Do the other power windows still work? If so, the wiring and relay obviously works and may not be damaged, so there may be nothing to worry about. If you blow that fuse again, something is drawing too much power. That's when you'll have to start tracing wires. Fuses are designed to be the weakest link in an electrical chain and will take one for the team if too much power goes through it.

Check out this link:
http://www.vlvworld.com/indexframe.html?VolvoRepairManual/200_0_3.htm

It has a handy guide to what fuses go where and what they're for.

Below that is a diagram of some of the relays. #4 is the power window relay. It doesn't say what markings on the relay identify it as the power window one.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 241,000 miles - Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

the power windows are back to normal working condition, except the rear windows, which never worked since I got the car. I might need to get two new switches for them. #10 slot now has the proper 16amp (red) ceramic fuse. earlier I checked the wire (brown) that plugs to #10 fuse socket and saw that it looked intact, no burnt or melted plastic near the spade connection. is this a good enough indication that the hidden wires in the center console and the wires leading into the window switch are ok as well? thanks.

There's no guarantee that other parts of the wires aren't damaged, but the fuse that died may have taken the worst of that short-circuit. If you don't blow any more fuses and the windows seem to behave, you're probably okay.
--
Mike F - 1984 244 DL - 241,000 miles - Undergoing reconstructive surgery with POR-15

I had to replace one of the rear power window switches as well as the front passenger. Your problem in the rear is probably just the switches. These switches can usually be found cheap in a boneyard...
--
90 244DL about 1/4 million miles - original engine/drivetrain :)

The listing on the inside of the fuse panel cover shows the ampere rating of each fuse. Get them right ASAP. 16Amp (red) where it should be 8amp (white) means NO protection.

Conversely, an 8 amp in a slot calling for 16 amp means that the fuse COULD blow and - given Murphy's Law - that will happen at a very inopportune time.

The wiring in a circuit is designed for the fuse size. In your house (in the USA) a 20amp circuit breaker can protect a 12gauge wired circuit. NOT a 14 gauge wired circuit. With the smaller gauge, the wires melt/ignite before the fuse blows!

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)





--
240s: 1986 244GL, 1988 244GL, and 5 others.

Also Volvo never used the glass type fron the factory,they used the ceramic type. The neat thing about the ceramic type is that you can eaisly see when they blow.And be forewarned,sometimes fuses can blow without a short circuit. Some times they blow because the metallic fuse link gets hot and cools off so many times the metal gets to a point where it brakes.If you do have a short usually the fuse blows as soon as power is applied to it.

the glass types I have are the buss types. on one end of the metal tip it reads "BUSS GBC 8"; I take it the 8 means 8amp? in my search of the archives, I read this post where this bricknut reccommends buss fuses because they are stainless steel. after reading all the helpful replies, I've replaced all the fuse sockets with proper fuses. all the glass ones are gone, save one because I ran out of 8amp (white) ceramic fuses. thanks.

Some times they blow because the metallic fuse link gets hot and cools off so many times...

This is a very good observation. The same break, when it cools will often touch again, to make it even more fun to find. Then, when it gets really cold, like right about now around here - it will open up.

The brake light fuse is the one I see doing this the most. On 91+ cars this will also keep the shifter from unlocking.

You can tell a lot about the cause just by examining a bad fuse.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Width of fuse metal is in relationship to amperage of fuse. Fuse color indicates fuse amperage which definitely does matter. You can't just put any color anywhere. Quick Color Code Primer Here : White = 8A, Red = 16A, Blue = 25A There is also a 25A blade type fuse under hood by battery. Hope this helps.

what happens when you put the wrong fuse/amperage on the wrong slot? I think my fuse box has fuses indiscriminately placed in slots. will it cause any unseen/lasting damage? anything to worry about? I do plan to change them once I get home! thanks!

You have 16 fuses in that box, From top to bottom, here are the amperages that should be in there: 8,16,25,8,8,8,16,8,8,16,16,8,8,8,8,8.

Get the right ones in the right spot to protect the wiring. If someone has put a 16 where an 8 should be, there could be melted wires and a fire.
--
Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F, dtr's 83-244DL B23F, 'my' 94-944 B230FD; plus grocery-getter Dodge minivan, hobbycar 77 MGB, and numerous old motorcycles)

"8,16,25,8,8,8,16,8,8,16,16,8,8,8,8,8."

is this for the '89? I wrote this down and checked it against the fuse cover. my cover seems to have a slightly different pattern. thanks.

yes, blue=blue. Each manufacturer uses a slightly different blue.
--
'73 142, '75 242, '75 245, '80 245, '86 244, '87 745T