Just looking to bounce a few ideas off you guys.

 

The other day, after finishing 6 consecutive night shifts, I was really pooped out on my way back home and no amount of red bull was keeping me awake. So I decided to pull over in a layby and have a quick nap, only to find afterwards the fabia wouldn't turn over...just clicking sounds coming from the engine. The electrics were otherwise working: windows, radio, lights etc. Every time I'd try to turn over, the LCD screens on the dash would go blank.

 

No problems leading to this...took a voltmeter to the battery last month and it read 14.4V. While waiting for the recovery vehicle, I plugged in my vagcom and the only fault was a low power output in the central convenience module. The battery was reading 11.2V.  I was 10 miles from Cambridge at the time, and the recovery company ummed and erred about taking it to Unit 18. So I did a quick google and found Audi Specialists in Burwell. Their hourly rates are significantly higher, but at least they gave me a courtesy car.

 

 

 

I called them today and they said the drop test on the battery was fine and the alternator was giving good power output. The problem was some melted plastic bits on the fuse box which sits on top of the battery and melted connector on the live terminal that goes up to the battery. Quoted £96 to get it all sorted.

 

My question is....was I negligent in any way to have caused this? Or is it just part and parcel of driving a 12 year old Fabia? The only electrics I messed around with was wiring up my sub last year. Is there anything I could have done to prevent this? Anything I should look out for in future?

 

Many thanks, folks.

Sounds like you may have pulled too many amps through something!

Overheated battery top fuseboxes are pretty common; about the only thing you can do that might help is to occasionally check the connectors for that box.

Thanks, guys. If the sub pulled too many amps, wouldnt the fuse in the live wire from the battery to amp go first? Or even the two smaller fuses in the amp?

The fuse un the amp wire is to protect the wire, unless you pull lots more rated amps than the fuses they wont blow.