Peugeot Boxer fuses

Hi, just returning to campervanning with a 1997 Peugeot Boxer 2l petrol Harmony. Whilst sorting out a number of running / economy issues (which I'll post about later to help anyone else struggling), I have been surprised by the fusing.
Fuse 18 (injectors on petrol, pre-heaters on diesel) had melted its plastic case (fuse not blown). On checking it was taking the ECU current (8A) and also the headlamp current (10A) and the radio, internal lights and auxiliary port. So pulling Fuse 18 switches off lights, radio, aux and internal lights. Each of these also use their own fuses (in series) - so pulling one of them also loses the LH headlamp for example.
Now, it's a 30A fuse carrying a peak 20A current, so sort of acceptable - but this route for current through birth Fuse18 and then other fuses is not in any wiring diagram I have seen.

So - question - if other Boxer owners pull their Fuse18 do they also lose lights, radio, aux and internal light? or do I just have to get a really good contact on the blade holder?

Many thanks

Paul.

Hi and welcome to the forum from Bridlington 
Boaby

I know when I had a Symphony, the radio and cab light were on the same fuse, never noticed the headlight.

It's not that unusual to have two or more tiers of fuses - a VW T5 has a set of high-rated ones hidden away which cover multiple lower-level circuits, each themselves fused.

But even for a French vehicle, what you describe does not seem to make sense. I suspect that you have a short between supply wires somewhere - I hesitate to suggest it, but to me the most likely cause for this sort of thing would be a meltdown within a loom, but obviously testing would be needed to confirm or refute that.

Thanks all. Yes I'm used to two tier fuses, with the main ones being in the engine bay but having a 30A fuse then feeding into 4 10A fuses (main and dip, LH and RH) just seems odd. The wiring under the fuse box is fine (no sign of heat damage) but I'm looking for a short or more likely an earlier "fix" to a different problem that seemed a good idea at the time. As I've had problems getting a wiring diagram for the Boxer I've just downloaded from "easy manuals.co.uk" - early days and not an easy download but I'll let people know what it's like. I have the Russek manual and that shows no link between F18 and the lights or radio/internal lights.

Hi,
From my days as a Peugeot consultant technical engineer ( now retired ) I have what might be the only official Peugeot wiring diagram book it covers Boxer 1 and 2 Only ( not X250 )
The diagrams are broken down into each item and covers layout as on vechile / how it works  / location of harnesses and units etc. Fuse 18 covers ignition injection relay for fuel heater . The reason the headlight go out is same as switching off the ignition , the headlight don't have a fuse if this makes sense.
I can always e-mail a page or two if you want one ( can't seem to put photos on this forum for one reason or another )
Regards
John Dean

Thanks for the offer John, I thinks I have found the problem. There was a bypass wire that took 12V from the output side of Fuse18 to the input if Fuse 11 and Fuse 12. I've moved this bypass to the input side of Fuse18. Strangely this has also removed the headlamp current from Fuse 18. 

The "bypass" is the thick red loop you can see in the pictures - looks like an original piece of kit - perhaps just plugged into the wrong terminal......Fuse18 now only goes to 8A at start up (discharge electrovalve?) then drops to 1A.Which should stop the following happening...
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...along with smoke coming out of glovebox and the joyous smell of burning plastic.
I'm off for  a few weeks and will post more info on the starting / idle issues, "easy manuals" manuals and why my DAB keeps fading out...when I get back.
If anyone has concerns about their fuses getting hot, the best thing is to measure the voltage drop across the fuse - even with headlamps this should only be a few 10s of mV - any more and you have a poor contact on the blade fuse - a little wet and dry to clean the contacts should fix that. For those of you who like a little more kit I also have a multi-meter with a clamp that can measure DC current through a wire - Tacklife CM01A, £30 from Amazon, excellent.
Thanks to everyone of their interest and help.
Paul.

Paul

I had a look at my fuses this morning after reading your post but I couldn't bear to pull fuse 18 in case it did kill the radio and it would be a faff to recode it.

If you like I will pull the fuse console out and see if mine has a 'bypass' fitted.
If you are happy that you have it sorted then OK.

PB

Thanks PB - no need I think - and I appreciate the nausea of resetting the radio. I've made the change, van is running well, everything works and there are no high currents or drops across the fuses now - so seems to make sense. The van did have one or two extra circuits (alarm) so if yours is running well and mine is now, then leave well alone! 

Thanks again
Paul.

I also have a Peugeot boxer 1997 its a Symphony. I have the wiring diagrams. It mentions a bank of four fuses but it doesn't say where they are located. Does anyone know where they are? I changed they engine battery and since then the fridge doesn't work on 12v and the leisure battery is not charging I suspect a fuse has blown. Any help would be appreciated.

If your zig panel is over back door, fuses are under a cover at right hand end of the panel.