Got stranded at Wally World

[Slow Left]

Cool.

Remember to start by connecting the Red lead to the 10A port on the meter and the Black lead to the common ground port on the meter, turn the meter dial to 10A.

Then, when you've got the neg battery cable off, the Red alligator clip end goes on the neg battery cable and the Black alligator clip to the neg battery terminal. (as per improved procedure contributed by @2mbb )

If you get a reading with it set up at 10A, post it up...

If it reads 0, then you can remove the alligator clips and you will have to move the Red lead over to the mA/uA port on the meter (from the 10A port), switch the dial to 200m A and hook the meter back up to the neg battery cable and neg battery terminal...

Then post up that value.

 

[WhompinFJ]

That's like nothing right?

 

[Slow Left]

No, that is 58 mA (milli Amps)...that is significant.

Just to make sure, all the doors are shut (so the dome lights are off) and nothing else is on in the vehicle?

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Dude-that's 580 mA. That's a huge draw. Now you know you have a problem!

 

[Slow Left]

...doh...yeah, 580 mA...thanks Drew!

 

[Slow Left]

So now, leave the meter hooked up just like that, and pull each fuse in the fuse box one at a time and check to see if the current reading drops to 0 with that particular fuse out.

Does the alligator clip fit around the neg battery terminal? If not, you'll have to find a way to hold it fast...if someone is there helping you or maybe some duct tape.

You might start with the alarm system...if you can find that fuse.

 

[WhompinFJ]

Ok. I'm going to start with the most common fuses

 

[WhompinFJ]

Pulled the dome light fuse

 

[Slow Left]

Huh. OK, so there is some draw from the Dome circuit.

Keep going through all the fuses one by one to see if any others show a drop.

 

[WhompinFJ]

Pulled the one on the fuse cover labeled cig. I think that's the 12v socket right?

 

[Slow Left]

So in the picture above (post #110) that shows 0 A with the cig fuse out...is the cig fuse the only fuse out? Or is the Dome fuse (or other fuses) also out?

 

[WhompinFJ]

Anyone know what all is run off of the cig fuse?

 

[WhompinFJ]

That is the dome and cig fuse pulled out.

 

[Slow Left]

Anyone know what all is run off of the cig fuse?

this is an FJ62, right?

 

[WhompinFJ]

Yup. 1989 fj62

 

[Slow Left]

That is the dome and cig fuse pulled out.

Do me a favor and repeat the test with the Dome and the Cig fuses...just to confirm.

If you put them both back in and close all the doors, then the meter should read 0.58 A again.

Then, if you pull the Dome fuse, the meter should read 0.08 A again.

Then, if you keep the Dome fuse out and pull the Cig fuse too, the meter should drop to O.

I'm looking up on the 62 wiring diagram to see what is up with the Cig circuit...but it might be that the PO tapped into it for the Alarm system...since it is a constant 12V hot circuit (meaning it doesn't pass through the ignition switch...or so I believe...)

 

[Slow Left]

Does the vehicle have a motorized radio antennae?

 

[WhompinFJ]

Yeah it has a motorized antenna, so when I plugged all the fuses back in it read .57 then it just dropped to .10

 

[WhompinFJ]

meter malfunction, turned it off and back on and we are good to go

 

[Slow Left]

OK, so with both the Dome and the Cig fuses back in (so all the fuses are in) and the doors closed, we still see 0.58 A.

Now, if you remove the Dome fuse, does it drop back down to 0.08 A?

And then if you keep the Dome fuse out and also remove the Cig fuse, does it drop back down to 0?