Bad Day...Smoked something...didn't get high!

For a test light to put in series with the battery - lead to detect excess current, you ought to use a low wattage standard light bulb, like a 25W or less. A standard 12v test light will light up with practically no current and will not be a good indicator for this type of testing. Even using a 12v parking lamp will be a better test light.

I suspect you will see light even with the 25W standard blub. There is obviously a short somewhere if you smoked the fusible link. Good thing it was there!