Thermal fuse ?

[ClydeCrashKop]

I have a 1993 Mercury Capri with only 10,000 miles on it. The excerpt below is regarding the airbag controller.

NOTE: The diagnostic monitor contains an internal thermal fuse that is not serviceable. The thermal fuse is controlled by the diagnostic monitor. The diagnostic monitor will blow its thermal fuse whenever a short on the deployment circuits occurs. The thermal fuse does not blow because of excessive current flowing through it. DO NOT attempt to jumper across the thermal fuse with a circuit breaker or any other type of fuse.
CAUTION: Do not install a new diagnostic monitor until the short has been located and corrected.
From the Capri forum I found out that just humidity can make the controller blow its fuse. (Design flaw) The short is gone and the diagnostic monitor is $200.00. The thermal fuse looks like a glass reed switch and is located inside a tiny box, next to the heater that blows it. Somewhere they said it is 10 amps but they melt it intentionally with heat.
Does anyone know where I can get a 10 amp, thermal fuse like this?

 

[Sceadwian]

Doesn't sound like a real fuse, sounds like a thermally triggered switch. There has to be more than two wires going to it right?

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

No, just 2 axial leads. The burnt one has a metallic black area on the inside of the glass tube. There are no end caps like an automotive fuse. Like a 1/8 inch blown glass tube.
Actually, the little plastic box with the heater and thermal fuse might come as an assembly with 4 leads and look like a small PCB relay. I would be happy to get that.

 

[hysteresis]

Have you tried Radio Shack? As the equivalent store in the UK, Maplin Electronics, stocks a range of them (in 9 temperature ratings from 93°C to 240°C):

**broken link removed**

(NB If you click the 'Specification' tab, you will see that they are rated at 10 Amp).

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Thanks Sceadwian,
I found them. Also known as TCO, thermal cut out.
I also found out something about Googling and will post it in **** Chat.

 

[ClydeCrashKop]

Thanks Hysteresis
That is even better