Battery Charge Line, something to think about!

Question

Since we live in the Southwest and it is monsoon season with water in the washes and heavy highway rainfall at time, I pulled the fuse on the battery charge line. On our Ford C-Max the line is a live wire all the time to the 6-way plug if the fuse is left in. The C-Max is only about 10 to 12 inches off the ground at the 6-way plug and I can easily push up that much water going thu a wash. So I pulled the fuse. Yeah I know I could leave the fuse in and let it blow if water should get in the supposedly waterproof cap on the 6-way plug but why take the chance. Just something to think about if you have a battery charge line on your Toad. I did ask our local Ford dealer about the waterproofing of the C-Max Hybrid and going thu water and they said they have not heard of any problems. Thus far, no problems!

rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

adayjk · Answer

It is a common misconseption that water is a good conductor of electricity. It is actually a very good insulator. There are things that can be in the water that will make the water a better conductor, but most rain and storm water is still not very conductive at all.

The odds that the resistance would get low enough during a normal driving event is pretty remote unless you are crossing flooded areas, and even then the water would have to have stuff (ions mostly) that would allow it to conduct.

Road salt, in all it forms, when melted and dissolved in water raises the conductivity. So driving through previously salted snow melt could be a concern (grasping as straws here). Ocean water is also a concern.

I'd put the fuse back, or reconfigure the circuit for a reset able circuit breaker.

scottg · Answer

Agreed, the water would not cause a fuse to blow - it just can't conduct that much current.

rocmoc · Answer

adayjk wrote:I'd put the fuse back, or reconfigure the circuit for a reset able circuit breaker.Great idea, will look into it.rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

tropical36 · Answer

rocmoc wrote:Since we live in the Southwest and it is monsoon season with water in the washes and heavy highway rainfall at time, I pulled the fuse on the battery charge line.  On our Ford C-Max the line is a live wire all the time to the 6-way plug if the fuse is left in.  The C-Max is only about 10 to 12 inches off the ground at the 6-way plug and I can easily push up that much water going thu a wash.  So I pulled the fuse.  Yeah I know I could leave the fuse in and let it blow if water should get in the supposedly waterproof cap on the 6-way plug but why take the chance.  Just something to think about if you have a battery charge line on your Toad.  I did ask our local Ford dealer about the waterproofing of the C-Max Hybrid and going thu water and they said they have not heard of any problems.  Thus far, no problems!rocmoc n AZ/MexicoDon't see a problem and if so, wouldn't tail and brake lights not put power back there as well?

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Battery Charge Line, something to think about!

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