"Jamie" t wrote
in message ...
robb wrote:

I have an idea for you.
get your self a low voltage auto tail light lamp.
use it in place of the fuse that blows. start disconnecting
things until the lamp glows dim or not at all.
this will allow you to keep the circuit on, you can then
track down some heat traces which won't be much..
actually, you'll be able to do a volt tracking using that
method..
You might have some logic issues that is causing current
to exist only when the circuit is fired up.


ok Jamie i tried this idea with a few compromises and tangents

I only had 110 v bulbs and lattern light bulbs (~ 6V) so i used
my lattern lightbulb and the lattern battery (showing 5.2 Volts)
as my power source

no components or tracks were wam enough to discern a change
after several applications of power with increasing time ....

so i inserted the milliAmp meter (the DMM) and that showed ~160
mA with the 6V bulb in series and note the bulb was not shinning
as bright as it could.

so i removed the bulb and i get ~428 mA without the bulb and the
only thing that gets noticeably warm (*but* no more than prior to
the ZAP) is the 8051 procesor

this same result occurs no matter where along the 5V rail i
apply/inject the 5V ....

so i am not sure what this means, maybe good news ??

thanks for any help,
robb