National Luna Touch Light Bar - Parasitic drain from switch backlight? (1 Viewer)

[CharlieS]

I picked up a national luna light bar to install in the rear hatch, but I'm hesitating to install because of a concern about power drain from the always on switch backlight.

I read other posts here that people are wiring them to the overhead power and ground in the cargo area. However they say that the backlight for the switch is constantly lit when wired this way. There were questions on the other threads about what kind of drain this caused, but I didn't see any conclusion.

I like the convenience of wiring to that nearby power, but am also hesitant to add a parasitic drain.

Can anyone that's installed one of these comment on whether this backlight has caused any drain/battery issues?

I need to drill three holes for the installation, so before I do I want to make sure this is a good idea. There are other lighting options that wouldn't have this issue.

Touch Light (I went for the clear + yellow option).

 

[Markuson]

I run two of those (red/white) and the draw is itty bitty.
Wouldn't worry about it at all...as mine are connected 24/7 along with many more higher-drain items charging device batteries constantly.

 

[CharlieS]

Thanks, that is reassuring.

 

[cboyd]

I run two of those (red/white) and the draw is itty bitty.
Wouldn't worry about it at all...as mine are connected 24/7 along with many more higher-drain items charging device batteries constantly.

@Markuson do you have yours wired to the aux side, or factory battery? I've been contemplating the same setup stated here, but wondering where I should wire it based on the parasitic draw statements.

 

[weaselox]

I have 2 of these National Luna lights installed on my back hatch and have not had any issue with them drawing power from the battery. I have them wired up to the Auxiliary battery.

 

[Markuson]

@Markuson do you have yours wired to the aux side, or factory battery? I've been contemplating the same setup stated here, but wondering where I should wire it based on the parasitic draw statements.

Aux battery, but mainly because I already had wires back there.

 

[KLF]

I picked up a national luna light bar to install in the rear hatch, but I'm hesitating to install because of a concern about power drain from the always on switch backlight.

I have that same exact light on my upper hatch, really like it. Mine is hard-wired to a BlueSeas aux panel in the back, fed from my house (aux) battery.

So, I'm sick of looking at PowerPoint and Zoom screens all day, time for a break. Looks like that little blue light draws about 0.10mA, although at that low the numbers weren't very stable. That is ~0.0001 amps. But this is using my best Fluke 179 meter that I trust.

I would bet that is less than the clock in the dash draws to keep it's memory.

 

[cboyd]

I have that same exact light on my upper hatch, really like it. Mine is hard-wired to a BlueSeas aux panel in the back, fed from my house (aux) battery.

So, I'm sick of looking at PowerPoint and Zoom screens all day, time for a break. Looks like that little blue light draws about 0.10mA, although at that low the numbers weren't very stable. That is ~0.0001 amps. But this is using my best Fluke 179 meter that I trust.

I would bet that is less than the clock in the dash draws to keep it's memory.

thank you for that - helpful! mind posting a photo of the light posted mounted in the hatch?

 

[KLF]

Here ya go. I like lots of lights.

That is on the lowest setting. Yes, I know I also need the inside hatch release button, that is on the list for this Spring. I also have a couple of tiny pod lights at the far corners, they are tied to the dome lights, and come on when the hatch is opened.

So.... what is that little black button for? Well I'm glad you asked. It serves 2 purposes. Have you ever been unloading the truck, making several trips, and the hatch is open long enough that the dome lights time out and shut off? Pretty annoying. You have to go open and close a side door to get the lights to come back on. Or, ever had to carry something home like a sheet of plywood and you can't shut the upper gate, and you have to listen to that annoying "beep beep beep" all the way home?

That button can open and close the circuit on the rear hatch latch, where the switch tells the truck if the hatch is open. Wanna restart the dome light timer? Reach up and push the button twice. Wanna make the truck think the hatch is shut? Push it once. Sounds trivial but it's been really handy.

Normally they are plenty of light of I'm just grabbing something out of the back. But if I am working on the lower tailgate, I flip on the NL light bar.

I also have lights inside my drawers, even in the side cubbies:

I like lights.

 

[CharlieS]

Thank you, everyone!

 

[CharlieS]

Installed and working.

For future searchers:

• The rear of the headliner is held up by panel clips, one left, one center and four on the right that hold the ceiling mounted seatbelt - I had to pop these out carefully to gain access to fish wires
• The seatbelt trim pivots down at the front first, the rear has arms that extend up over the headliner - if you pull the rear down first, you could damage the headliner
• The cargo light is removed by inserting a thin trim tool into the leading edge of the lens and popping the lens off, then there are two plastic tabs, one on each outboard end, that need to be pushed inboard to release the light housing
• I used a length of copper wire (a strand of 12 ga from a section of Romex) to fish the wire through above the headliner
• The wires on the cargo light are very small - like 22 gauge or something
• On my car, the harness for the cargo light was very short, and challenging to work with
• Red is power, white with black stripe is ground
• Not sure if it is just my vehicle, but there was some nasty black grease-like consistency substance behind the hatch seal that I had to be careful to not get everywhere
• I don't know what the two capped wire plugs inside the hatch are for, but I can tell you if you unplug them, the external hatch release stops working
• My wires are probably way oversized, I used the only red/black wire I had handy, which was 14 gauge - hopefully this isn't a problem - the wires on the National Luna light and the OEM cargo light are both tiny (maybe 22 ga?)
• The blue backlight on the touch switch is much more dim in real life than it comes across in the pictures

 

[silverhorse]

@CharlieS where did you find the light?
Thanks for the post..

 

[CharlieS]

@silverhorse

I got it from Equipt outfitters: Touch Light

 

[CharlieS]

One thing that is interesting (cool?) is that if you leave the hatch open until the interior lights shut themselves off, the National Luna light also turns itself off - including the blue backlight on the switch...

After that, the power switch on the National Luna unit won't turn it on.

I'm 50/50% whether this is actually cool. On one hand, it addresses the parasitic drain concern. Then again, if I'm camping and I leave the hatch open, it'd be nice to be able to turn the National Luna on with the switch...

Depending upon which way you prefer, you might want to run your power wire to a battery power source instead of the overhead cargo light.

 

[Markuson]

One thing that is interesting (cool?) is that if you leave the hatch open until the interior lights shut themselves off, the National Luna light also turns itself off - including the blue backlight on the switch...

After that, the power switch on the National Luna unit won't turn it on.

I'm 50/50% whether this is actually cool. On one hand, it addresses the parasitic drain concern. Then again, if I'm camping and I leave the hatch open, it'd be nice to be able to turn the National Luna on with the switch...

Depending upon which way you prefer, you might want to run your power wire to a battery power source instead of the overhead cargo light.

View attachment 2266607

I wired my two NL hatch lights permanently in order to always have access & no regrets. Parasitic drain is sooo small...it’s been a non factor. Other power used in my truck are orders of magnitude higher...so the tiny, dim, blue marker LED on my worry scale of 1 to 10 at right about zero.

 

[CharlieS]

Yeah, I shouldn't have been so lazy. I haven't run power to the cargo area on this cruiser yet (I should have done it when I ran the power for the backup lights!). I need to install a Raingler net this weekend, and when I do, I'll use that opportunity (inside trim panels removed) to run some additional cables to the back cargo area. I have a 125 amp circuit breaker for under the hood. Once I have a distribution box back there, it's a no brainer to rewire the hatch light to it.

 

[CharlieS]

Haven't gotten around to rewiring this direct to power yet. I'm still wired to the cargo light. Has anyone else wired it like this?

I'm getting a weird behavior - the lightbar comes on when I start the car, so I have to get out and turn it off before driving away.

It didn't do this when first installed. I don't understand what changed.

I'd ask National Luna support, but they are closed due to a national lockdown for coronavirus.

 

[KLF]

Have you tried Equipt? I assume that is where you bought it, that's where I got mine. Great customer service, if they are still answering the phones. That is odd behavior, I would be disconnecting it rather than put up with that.

 

[CharlieS]

Good thought, yes, that is where I got it, let me try that. Thanks!

 

[mulebarn]

Here ya go. I like lots of lights.

@KLF Thanks for the photos and description. What are those little panels holding on the marker, flashlight, multi-tool, etc. to the drawers?