Found this behind the ignition barrel - any ideas?

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Merryck

Active Member
Posts
121
Hey guys, I was changing my ignition switch today and while removing the barrel, I found this. It’s got a white cable going in one side and brown/white the other. Looks a bit like a fuse, but not like any did I’ve ever used. It’s also obviously melted, which is concerning. I can’t find it on the wiring diagram - anyone able to help?
 

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Some cheapo inline glass fuse holder, not seen one of them for a while, have to follow wires to see what it fed/feeds.
 
Managed to loosen it off a bit and get a better look at it this evening, it looks very much like a fuse, and removing it doesn’t seem to affect anything.

anything that wasn’t already otherwise broken of course. I’ll have another look at the wiring diagram with the word resistor in mind.

It won’t do me much good, but I’ll try all the same!
 
Think it's for the charge/battery warning light, if its broke the charge light stays on. Was about 10 years ago when I rebuilt my 90 so not 100%. Just remember studying that poxy wiring diagram for ages .
Will dig out the manual tomorrow and take a look
 
Yup, that's definitely the one. Managed to find some other pictures of it. Can't seem to find a replacement for sale anywhere. I had an issue a few years ago where my alternator regulator broke, which may have caused it to melt.
 
Found this on lr4x4;

> According to the wiring diagram if you're convinced the resistor has blown, you could hack a 100 ohm 5W resistor accross the ignition live (white) and the alternator warning line (brown/yellow) pretty much anywhere you can get to.

I'll try and test the resistor and if it's still good I'll re-use it in a fuse holder. If not I'll try and pick up a replacement. Can't seem to find a genuine part. The resistor definitely doesn't have any obvious markings on it. I'll try and clean it up a bit and find out. I'm surprised at how little information I've been able to find about them, considering how many Land Rovers are knocking about with an ownership community that tends to do their own maintenance, I've only been able to find a few posts mentioning it.
 
I've had a look too and couldn't find anything, only resistors for led lights. Looking at your white holder it's clearly got hot. Take it your voltage regulator on your alternator packed up before?
 
Yeah, it did, a few years ago. The battery light glowed a most fantastic red then blew with an audible pop (even over the sound of the engine!). I have a slight inkling it may have had something to do with this! Off to Halfords to find an inline fuse holder and get it back in place.
 
Just noting on here for anyone looking for something similar in future - I got the old resistor out of the melted enclosure, and it appeared to be fine, so I bought a fuse holder form Halfords (this one) that looked identical and after stretching the spring inside slightly to ensure a good connection it appeared to fit fine. Wired it in and can't see any issues, drove it all weekend and it was fine. Will continue to keep an eye on it.
 
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