Series 3 which fues is for what?

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85Santana3

Active Member
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284
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Canada
Sorry guys for a beginner's questions but I have gone through the manuals (only mentioned in 86-70.01) and online search and forum search and can not find any explanation for which of the 4 fuses in my series 3 (petrol) does what?
The top most fuse burns (since we added the electric pump instead of the faulty mechanical pump) which stops the pump.

Thanks in advance
 
I'm not sure about Santana versions, but on a standard Series 3 petrol only 3 of the 4 fuses are used:
  • fuse 1-2 is the headlamp flash (always live)
  • fuse 3-4 is spare
  • fuse 5-6 is the indicators (turn signals) and the wiper/washer motor (live when ignition on)
  • fuse 7-8 is the brake lights and the gauges (live when ignition on)
The numbers refer to the terminals in the fuse box. I don't remember which is the top fuse, but likely fuse 7-8 which is live when the ignition is on.
All the fuses are normally 17A continuous (35A blow) so, unless you have a really heavy-duty fuel pump, it shouldn't blow the fuse.
 
Thanks ExMil109. I have to pay closer attention to see if there are any numbers on the terminals. That pump makes up for lack of power by noise. It really shouldn't blow a fuse, but it did 95 km out of nowhere yesterday just after sunset as luck would have it and being used to mechanical pump the only solution I could think of was pouring water on it :). I saw the fuse this morning after getting it back to partial civilization with difficulty.
There are no relays in this truck. Then things like alternator or other electrical components that run the engine are not on any fuse?
 
As you've likely already discovered, Series Land-Rovers have very basic electrics. The Series 2 had only two fuses, the Series 3 has one extra (two extra if you count the inline fuse for the heater fan). The most high-tech it gets is some transistors in the alternator regulator! Many circuits that you'd expect to have some kind of protection (e.g. coil, lights) don't have a fuse. I'm not sure if Land Rover designed it this way so the truck would keep going even if all the fuses are blown, or if they just wanted to save money, but a lot of owners add extra fuses for peace of mind.
If the pump has a high current draw then the fuse may be running close to its limit and failing after a while. You can figure out which fuse the pump is blowing by checking what stops working at the same time - wipers or gauges?
 
Because of the age and number of "DIY" repairs there are often suprises. No substiitute for taking each one out and seeing what works and what does not. If its a deisel don't be suprised if you can still drive it with no fuses! Recently there was a demonstration on TV of a device that "could stop any car" - it fired a pulse of energy that fried the ECU - TV interviewer explained that "it could stop any car" and the manufacturer (Qinetiq if i recall) said "except an old Land Rover...". Remember that scene in War of the Worlds, well we can keep driving when they invade.
 
No substiitute for taking each one out and seeing what works and what does not.
I can't figure out what former owners or mechanics have done with wires. I removed the fuses one by one and almost everything still worked, and yet the one thing that we added (pump) burns the first fuse! I am going to do a complete wiring check up and repair this week. Hopefully solves the problems.
 
More fuses than my series 1
fuse box s3.png
 
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