| quote | Originally posted by phonedawgz:
What part of your car is getting as hot as a 100W light bulb?
12v x 8a = 96W
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Interesting idea. I am not sure where to start looking. maybe at night after the sun goes down and the engine is cool I could search. Maybe I could use the HFT IR temp reader (the red dot reader)? That is how I traced heating pipes in walls in my old house.
My alternator belt broke so I need to replace that. I am not sure when that happened. That explains why the car killed in traffic, not why there is the 8A drain when off.
Q. I can trace the pos cable from battery to alternator then it goes somewhere. Is there any easy way (diagrams) to trace the wires? I have no idea where they go.
Q. Where is this 'C500' thing located. Sorry for being clueless.
As I understand the car chassis circuit here is how it works: (please correct me if I am wrong). Until recently I did not know that most devices are always powered and grounded to turn them on. I thought it was like a house.
The battery pos cable goes through some fusible link (perhaps) then supplies the fuse panel. The individual fuses have a singe wire run to each of the devices e.g. a side running light. The side running light is always powered but only lights when it is grounded. There are multiple ways to ground the light as it may be used along with the headlights at night and as a turn signal all the time.
If the short to ground was after the device I would expect the device to always be on, but that is not the case (e.g. lights).
So, I am looking for direct short between a wire coming from the fuse in question (actually two different fuses) and connecting to the device e.g. the side running light. If I put that fuse back in (for a little while for testing) I expect to find 0 VDC along the whole wire because it is grounded?
I would expect the device in question on the shorted wire to not work because the 12 VDC is going to ground, not the device, correct? All my lights work. Maybe pull the console apart to see the cigarette lighter wiring.
I see that the headlight motors raise the lights even with the BATT and the HAZ fuses pulled. The motors only lower the lights when the BATT fuse is in. If it is the motors how to troubleshoot?
BTW, I found and used this device from Harbor Freight. Instead of running back and forth to measure the draw on the battery after pulling a fuse I just measure the draw directly at the fuse panel. 30 Amp Automotive Fuse Circuit Tester $13.99
I really appreciate any help.