Harbor Freight fuse warning

Joeaksa · 08-05-2007, 12:19 AM

Anyone who has purchased electrical fuses for their car at Harbor Freight needs to remove them and replace them with others of known quality.

http://metalmeet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8853

"We have now had two vehicles come into our department with extensive wiring harness damage. Both of these vehicles had a replacement 15 amp fuse instead of the GM fuse. The fuse does NOT “pop” causing the wiring harness to catch fire. The fuse has a clear, hard plastic blue body with the amperage stamped into the top there is no white paint on the fuse. There are no identifying marks on the fuse to tell who is making it.

The fuse is distributed by Harbor Freight, I attached a picture of the box of fuses. Your dealers should look out to make sure that suspect wiring problems are not caused by these defective aftermarket fuses. The 15 amp fuse on this particular truck did not “pop” even at 50 amps. The fuse in the second picture still tests “good” even after a direct short across the battery. We tested six of these fuses and none of them pop. "

Another wonderful product from China...

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Typical Harbor Freight quality...

Mule · 08-05-2007, 11:22 AM

A dead short across the battery didn't pop it? Sounds suspicious. A dead short will melt heavy gauge wire.

stomachmonkey · 08-05-2007, 11:26 AM

That exact blurb is popping up on a lot of auto boards.

Wait a week and see if it pans out.

TechnoViking · TechnoViking's Garage

I wonder where the genuine GM fuse is made?

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Smith

I wonder where the genuine GM fuse is made?

Canada maybe?

Who buys fuses at Harbor Freight? I go there for tools I plan to use once, maybe twice

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

I just dropped $1800 on craftman tools, except for the 4 I couldn't get at sears. I spent $1500 on the rest (one was $950 by itself). I want my servicemen to survive. Good tools for good people. What is the point in paying $85/hr and give them rocks.

Fuses are cheap. Why buy garbage?

Joeaksa · 08-06-2007, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

I just dropped $1800 on craftman tools, except for the 4 I couldn't get at sears. I spent $1500 on the rest (one was $950 by itself). I want my servicemen to survive. Good tools for good people. What is the point in paying $85/hr and give them rocks.

Fuses are cheap. Why buy garbage?

My shopping at Sears has doubled in the last few years. The way they treat our servicemen who were called up in the Guard is a shining example of how an employer should work, so they are getting more and more of my business.