WET fuse box wreaking havoc please advise!

[joedangelo04]

So I was washing out my interior today and just glanced the fuse panel with the hose of my 2004 Ford Ranger. I didn't think much of it and I turned on the blower to dry everything out and walked away. Returned two hours later to a disaster. The hazards were sort of blinking along with the interior light. There was a switching sound coming from the panel and the theft light was going bezerk. It would not even turn over. I disconnected the battery and and used a hari dryer on the fuse box for a few minutes. It didn't work. Think this thing will dry out overnight and be groovy or did I just fry my truck??> Thanks a million...Joel

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

You may have fried a few wires.

Water itself doesn't short out electrical stuff its the minerals in the water and on the stuff that dissolves in the water that causes shorts.

You can let it dry out and see what happens, could be just fine.

If not then you could, unhook battery, and rinse fuse panel off with Distilled water, it has no minerals, and hopefully it will wash away those other minerals left behind by the hose water, that are causing shorts.
Then let it dry out again.

If a wire did short and melt then you will need to find it and fix it

 

[joedangelo04]

Thank you for the response RonD. I just went out and it seems fine. I didn't try and start it but the lights were working normally. Thank God! What a dumbas for doing this. Live and learn. BTW you'd think they would make the stuff a little more robust being right near the floor and all. It is a work truck!!!

 

[joedangelo04]

Thank you for the response RonD. I just went out and it seems fine. I didn't try and start it but the lights were working normally. Thank God! What a dumbas for doing this. Live and learn. BTW you'd think they would make the stuff a little more robust being right near the floor and all. It is a work truck!!!

Please disregard this post. I went out this morning to move it and it isn't fixed.It seemed fine late last night but now has gone backwards. Something back there is really wet. I must have hit it just wrong. Guess I'll be dissassembling today. Any feedback appreciated once again...thanks.

 

[RonD]

Disconnect battery first......................

Yes, pull out fuse panel as much as possible to inspect the back for shorts.

Not sure how much more "robust" they can make an electrical panel other than putting it inside and up high, late model Rangers have Smart Junction Box(fuse panel) at floor level behind passenger kick panel, lol.
Flooding happens, with cars and homes, it is just way to expensive to protect for that.

 

[joedangelo04]

Disconnect battery first......................

Yes, pull out fuse panel as much as possible to inspect the back for shorts.

Not sure how much more "robust" they can make an electrical panel other than putting it inside and up high, late model Rangers have Smart Junction Box(fuse panel) at floor level behind passenger kick panel, lol.
Flooding happens, with cars and homes, it is just way to expensive to protect for that.

Thought I would update this thread in case it happens to anyone else. After drying for two days and charging the battery it was fine. Thank God!

 

[RonD]

"Time heals all wounds"

Thanks for the update

 

[Doofy]

For future reference...NO HOSING DOWN THE INTERIOR! You may not be so lucky next time.

 

[Curious Hound]

Ya know....

There should probably be a tech section somewhere on this site for waterproofing offroad vehicles. Many people don't think about it until too late. ie; truck stalls while fording deep stream or pond and someone opens the door and lets water in even though they could clearly see it was almost at hood level outside. There is a science (or art) to properly preparing for wet situations. The truck needs to be waterproofed inside and out.

• sealed electrical connectors
• use heat shrink with sealant inside for making splices
• caulk all openings or use good grommets
• make sure weatherstripping is in good condition
• protect battery and it's terminals
• intake modifications
• differential and gearbox breather modifications
• etc.

Some of these things are covered in various scattered places. Maybe we should have a common place to collect this info with notes on how to recover from a catastrophic or semi-catastrophic "wet event".