Airblown spider blowing fuses (1 Viewer)

[Eric_L]

I have had an airblown spider decoration suspended over my front entry for the last few years. The electric plug has a built-in 5a 125v fuse similar to auto fuses. Last week after rtunning fine for five days it started blowing fuses. I replace the fuse and it runs OK for an hour or so, then PFT! Fuse blown, spider deflated.

Now I've heard of doing wacky stuff like putting in a bigger fuse or just a wad of aluminum foil - but I think that in this case I'd prefer to avoid a fire hazard.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I could/should do?

 

[JoeyR]

stay away from the bigger fuse or the wad of foil

if you have a meter check the cord and motor for anyone problems, if not go buy a new spider.

 

[Eric_L]

I have a meter, but I wear a badge of ignorance regarding it. What would I be checking for? Continuity? Load? What would make it go bad? This is the second airblown item I've had go bad on me.

 

[JoeyR]

Shorts and grounds

I dont know how accessible the electrical part is but if its running for some time then blowing the fuse, I would look for loose connections first.

 

[MarkHastings]

I don't claim to know a ton about electricity, but here's a thought ...Have you recently plugged something else in on the same circuit? There might not be anything wrong with the spider, it may just be that the circuit is almost overloaded elsewhere and the spider is what pushes it over the edge.

 

[JoeyR]

Mark if this was true the breaker for the receptacle circuit would be tripping, not the fuse in the spider

 

[MarkHastings]

Oh, my bad - I misread - I thought his fuze panel was tripping (like those old fuze boxes that have physical fuzes to replace).

 

[Mort Corey]

This is pretty out there....even for the After Hours Lounge.

 

[Eric Kahn]

they tend to use really cheap motors for those things, the bearing are probably going bad and motors pull more amps as they slow down
the motor probably is a cheap shaded pole sleeve bearing motor and you will most likely have to replace it or you can try to dissassemble it and put some white litium grease in the bearings after cleaning them out, that will probably get it through the next 2 years or so

 

[Eric_L]

Thanks Joey and everyone for the advice. I tried my handy-dandy meter and found the continuity to be OK. Then on a whim I checked the lights in it - there are three - and two were burned out. I replaced the fuse and removed the two burnt out bulbs at 2PM and so far my eight foor purple spider is fully inflated. MUHAHAHAAAA!

 

[Jay H]

I Love spiders!

I'm wondering what this actually looks like?

I was at first thinking that somehow real spiders being blown in the wind were shorting something out on your house... Oh poor spiders!

There is a house I go by on my bike to work who has a gargolye strapped down to the top of their detached garage. it has red eyes that are lit up and it looks cool sitting on top of the garage..

jay

 

[Colton]

I'm gonna have to demand some pixs of this spider decoration.

- Colton

 

[Eric_L]

Hmmm. Let me try. Here it is from the right,


And from the left. If I had more courage I'd twist a few strands of rope lights together and attach them between the thorax and the roof overhead. Between the pitch, 25 feet and the metal roof (read: slide) I just can't bring myself to.




Just for kicks and in the spirit of the season here is a photo not of a UFO, but of the shadow of one;
(ok, not really, any guesses how I did it? No software)


And, while I'm sharing photos, I may as well share one of my favorites. I took it last month...

 

[JoeyR]

Well you one upped me LOL, glad you found your problem, I wouldnt have believed lights would have blown that fuse

 

[Eric_L]

ya, me neither. I figure maybe one had a short in it.

 

[JoeyR]

Just seen pics, thats one HUGE crazy spider

 

[Eric_L]

It is a real treat mounting it. I wish I could think of a way to camoflauge the structure supporting it. I tried 'webbing' a few years ago. The crap got blown all over my yard.

 

[JoeyR]

Eric have you tried attaching palmettos as your covering?

 

[Jay H]

COOL, that thing is neat, especially at night. You should mount a fan underneath the spider, perhaps hidden and blow it up at the spider so the legs kind of flop around. Would create a nice visual. Then get a fog machine and pump it out in your whole yard.

I want a spider now. Put it in my living room..hahahaha

Jay

 

[Eric_L]

I'm afraid Palmettos would end up looking like a hut plus the bugs tend to like leafy enclosed places... Fog wouldn't hang so well - this close to the water we get a steady breeze. I've been thinking of creating a web with light rope, but that'd be alot of work and I don't know how well it'd turn out.