Electrical Question - Cycle Pump Blew Fuse

[2wheeler]

I have used my Cycle Pump before, but the last time I used it it blew the fuse. What gives and how do I fix it? Could it have blown the fuse simply because the switch was on instead of being turned on after plugging it in to the bike? I replaced the fuse and the power ports and windscreen work, but I haven't tried the pump again. Any thoughts?

[USAF1]

Did you ask them??

 

Pat

[RFW]

I have used my Cycle Pump before, but the last time I used it it blew the fuse. What gives and how do I fix it? Could it have blown the fuse simply because the switch was on instead of being turned on after plugging it in to the bike? I replaced the fuse and the power ports and windscreen work, but I haven't tried the pump again. Any thoughts?

 

This is pretty darned elementary. The reason is that the device you plugged in blew the fuse, is obviously that it is consuming more current than the fuse is rated for.

 

Like any small DC motor, your pump has a high startup current (possibly higher than the fuse is rated for), that reduces to a lower value (hopefully within the fuse rating) after the pump comes up to speed. Usually the duration of the high starting current is short enough that the fuse doesn't have a chance to blow before the current drops to a reasonable value.

 

Possible reasons for the problem are:

 

1. Pump is having a hard time coming up to speed (high internal friction resulting from standing unused for a long time). This will result in an increased load on the pump and excessive current draw.

 

2. Pump is seized resulting very high current draw.

 

3. Pump is starting up against excessive air backpressure.

 

4. Pump's normal current draw is too high for the fuse value. Typically, a fuse should be rated at about 2X the normal current that passes through it.

 

5. Your pump has a dead short.

 

6. You had other things that draw current through this fuse operating at the same time.

 

Blown fuses really ain't rocket science; just work your way through the problem logically. By the way, whether the switch is in or off, when connecting the pump, is utterly irrelivant.

 

Bob.

[KMG_365]

Are you sure you don't have a 4Amp fuse in that slot (like it says in the manual! ) instead of the 15Amp fuse that it should have??

 

Check out this thread.

[2wheeler]

It was, and is, a 15 amp fuse. One of the other posters could be right that the pump sat unused and siezed. I'll check it out with my buddy who's more knowledgeable about electricity than I am.