Input on glow plug rewiring please

[ajbirken]

I posted this in the sticky glow plug wiring thread, but figured I should probably post a new thread to get more feedback.

I just got a 1989 jetta with a NA 1.6. It was having slow cold starts. My stock glow plug system wasn't getting any juice for some reason and I like a push button anyway. So I ran a push button setup to a self grounding ford-type solenoid (77 wagoneer since that was what I have around).

I did not us a fuse block and ran it directly from the solenoid to the bus-bar rather than individually wiring each glow plug.
The solenoid is upside down from how it would be in a wagoneer. I found a convenient place to mount it on a bracket for some device that I have no idea what it is (that is the coolant reservoir in the background)! Black wire to battery, red/white is stock wire to bus bar. thin red wire is to ignition on 12V source with a cheap 3 dollar push button.



Can anyone see a problem with this setup other than I suck at wiring and used a crappy ring connector?

I figured my starter doesn't have a fuse and the glow plugs will never really be on any longer than I would run a starter. Plus not all glowplug systems use fuses (ford 6.9? chevy 6.2?)

Why run the fuses anyway? I am electrically challenged for sure and would love to be schooled

Thanks for any input/advice.

Adam

[82vdub]

Can anything rattle loose and fall on the exposed and unfused terminals? Your theory is good about them only being used for a short period, but if a relay sticks or something like that, you could have a melted wire situation or something if it's not fused.

[Fatmobile]

That post with the red wire on it shouldn't be so close to a ground;..
the bracket you bolted it to
is grounded.

Also should cover the other post since it's wired directly to battery, big and easy to short to.

Fuse it, using the stock fuse setup.

[ajbirken]

Good ideas!

I can see that a fusible link (with a spare in the glove box) makes sense and some simple covers for the terminals is definitely a good idea.

thanks

Adam