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Huge power drain on any exterior lights
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King Ruckus
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 11:48 am    Post subject: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

Hey guys, I have a 81 vanagon with a subaru legacy 2.2 engine swap.

Last summer I was driving home from a camping trip and part of the wiring harness came into contact with the exhaust and melted. Bad luck on my part. I replaced all of the wires and the engine is now running again without issue but ever since when I use head lights, brake lights, turn signals and even my window wipers there is a huge power draw. The headlights drop the voltage from 14v to 13v. The brake and turn signals drop it around .5v and the window wipers drop it around .3v. I replaced the subaru alternator, which helped get me back up to 14v as the voltage was all over the place, but it didnt help the power draw with the lights. I checked the two grounds under the dash and cleaned the small amount of corrosion off, smeared it with dielectric grease and it helped get another .1 or .2 back, but the draw is still there. I then changed the headlight switch and found a super melted wire going to the 30 prong. Replaced the section of bad wire and headlight switch with no change.

Anyone have any ideas where to check next? im kind of at a loss.

Thanks.
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DuncanS
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 1:40 pm    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

I'm guessing the melted wire shorted to the exhaust, but didn't blow a fuse and it fried some wire such that there is still a partial short through degraded insulation to the chassis somewhere along the line. Remove the headlight wires from the headlights and see if there is still a draw when you turn them on.

How are you measuring this draw except by voltage? Use a shunt ammeter to check it out. Also check for continuity from the now unconnected headlight wire to ground. There shouldn't be any at all. A good wire will show OL on the multimeter as an open line.
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skills@eurocarsplus
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 2:41 pm    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

sounds normal to me

how many amps are you putting out?

with every accessory on in a subaru they will show a voltage of 12.8-13.2

i mean wipers, all lights, radio, defrost, a/c etc etc
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crazyvwvanman
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 3:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

It depends on where the voltage is being measured.
If at the dash cig socket, probably fine.
If at the alternator, then not good.

Where is the measurement being done?

Mark
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DuncanS
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 3:54 pm    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

If you leave the car for two days unattended is there a voltage loss at the battery even when nothing is on? Battery voltage with car off and parked compared to Battery voltage two days later still with everything off.

Mark is the guy. Whatever he says is correct.
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 1:30 am    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

What voltage are you getting at the battery? You want to see 14v+/- volts.

If you read the voltage up front with the headlights or heater motor drawing power, it will be less.
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:53 am    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

Disconnect each light one at a time and measure the voltage drop each time.

Open the junction box in the engine compartment and check your wiring there to see if it is all good. You could also disconnect the white plugs to isolate the tail lights vs. front to see if it is rear lights causing it.
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King Ruckus
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:03 am    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

Thanks for all of the comments guys.

For a little more context, before the wiring harness melted with all of the lights on it would only drop to around 13.2, maybe 13. So the current draw is way to much. So far ive been reading the power output from the digital gauge in the dash.

Unfortunately, the forecast is rain for the next week, so it will be a little while before I can try some stuff out, but it sounds like there are some easy things I can try.
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Steve M.
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Huge power drain on any exterior lights Reply with quote

If you are not driving it disconnect the battery and put it on a charger if you have one.
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