Get a battery quick release - NOW!

[logicred]

Just stuck my hand behind the dash to be met with sparks and smoke and melting wires. Ran to the engine lid and took me a while to find my 13mm spanner for the battery. Anyway, got it off and removed the dash pod. Turns out the main wire which runs from the battery (via starter) to the front goes straight to the light switch and I had accidentally pulled it out by brushing a wire with my hand! It then grounded itself and melted the plastic sleeve.

Lesson learned, buy a quick release for the battery! I was panicking as I could not find a spanner!
Why does the large wire which runs from back to front not have a fuse? I see that it goes into the switch and then out to the fusebox. Bit odd, but correct according to the wiring diagram.

 

[Happystamps]

Yup, it's correct. It's wierd, too. Imagine the scenario though- you're driving along and your radio goes a bit balls (or something else totally minor) and blows a fuse- the one fuse supplying power to pretty much everything in the van. You just happen to be on the motorway at night and you lose power, brake lights, headlights, hazard lights, everything- you're doing 60mph, you can't see a thing and nobody can see you.
just to play devil's advocate, like ;-)

 

[logicred]

Ah ha! So the purpose is to always keep a feed to the lights no matter what. Understood ;-)

 

[rlepecha]

Or put all the not very useful items on a couple of fuses and the important stuff on there own fuses.

 

[gas1man]

Even with a 13 spanner permanently in place I have one of these installed.
Use it every time the van gets left.

J & P