New battery drain. Blinker? (1 Viewer)

[peesalot]

X2 on checking the fuse block, check behind it.
To answer your ? as to where else power could draw from. The main power comes down from ign and ties in at starter. I do believe there are circuits that have power when key is off such as hazards. If you pulled fuses then the draw is somewhere from fuse block to ign then to starter. I would look at back of fuse block for corrosion, pulling the fuses should have eliminated the hazard switch which would be my next target.

 

[cruiserboy14]

Ok. It’s been on the charger. I got it running and checked the alternator. It is running proper volts as per the FSM but I can’t seem to check amps. I probably blew my fuse. It showed battery charging. I checked the fuse box and it looks very clean. There are 2 wires I can’t identify. A red and black from the body with a female bullet connector and a green and white from what I believe is the turn signal harness. They where connected, I believe I did that some time ago without thinking… I’m not sure where they go or if it would cause a draw.

The plot thickens…..

 

[cruiserboy14]

Just spit balling and thinking… last time I had this draw, I had the alternator rebuilt and I replaced the ignition switched, and it went away for a few months. Only returning after the new light harness was removed… the starter is new, and grounds have been cleaned. I’m feeling overwhelmed, but I’m very thankful for all the tips and ideas!

 

[45Dougal]

Do you have the original external regulator?
Disconnect your alternator / regulator and see if the drain goes away..

 

[Coolerman]

FYI: That Red/Black wire is a dome/dash light wire. If its's 14ga then it is the Cigar Lighter wire.
The Green/White wire is a left over from when the brake signal wire used to run through the turn switch. That stopped in 1974 when Toyota went to the separate turn signals in the rear lights.

Your Fluke 115 meter has a max amp measuring capibility of 10 Amps. If you blew the 10A fuse you will need to order a replacment from Fluke and they are not cheap. Last one I bought for my Fluke 87 was almost $15.00!

To measure current draw at the fuse panel for a particular fuse I put the meter in Amps DC mode, move the red positive lead to the A terminal, remove the fuse I want to measure from the fuse panel, and put the meter leads across the fuse contacts. The meter is now is SERIES with the circuit and all current that that circuit can pull is now going through the meter so it can measure the current draw. Remember to keep it under 10 amps for your meter!

 

[peesalot]

Coolerman is the s***.....

 

[MatthewMcD]

Do you have the original external regulator?
Disconnect your alternator / regulator and see if the drain goes away..

I recently installed the Koito lights and a voltmeter. I noticed that my voltage regulator was WAY over charging, 15V at idle and higher when running. Turning on the lights brought the voltage down a bit. Maybe your voltage regulator is barely keeping up now that you have the new lights. What I mean is maybe you don't have a drain, but your alternator isn't being allowed to fully charge your battery.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Some meters are way more accurate than other. Over time they tend to go out of calibration - sensors/senders in the engine bay have a tough life.

 

[cruiserboy14]

have new results. I disconnected the alternator a few days ago. Then forgot and drove it today and it started right up. I was headed to a car show and didn’t realize until half way threw the day! So I am now looking into the alternator and the last remaining wire that I haven’t replaced. I need to figure out where the other end of this wire is connected to. It’s a thick white and light blue (WL) from the alternator.

@MatthewMcD thats an interesting idea… it is not out of the range of possibilities with what I’m seeing!

 

[45Dougal]

The thick white&blue goes to the regulator on the firewall, and then back across to the battery & ignition switch I believe.

 

[cruiserboy14]

Ok! I believe I have found it!!!! Oh my lord I think I’ve found it! My draw is currently .276. If I pull the plug off of the alternator, the draw is still .276. But if I pull off the white/blue terminal lug off, the draw drops to .032! I finally found the wire on the schematics. So I connected the white/blue wire back on the alternator and I pulled the white off of the fusible link and the draw drops to .003. I believe I need a new white/blue wire from the alternator to the ammeter and possibly white wire from the ammeter to the fusible link? What is the possibility that the ammeter would cause the draw?

 

[45Dougal]

What is the possibility that the ammeter would cause the draw?

Zero. The ammeter itself isn't connected to ground, and won't cause a drain like this through any plausible failure mode.

I'm afraid it's more likely to be either your alternator or regulator (probably rectifier diodes) - does it smell?

 

[Coolerman]

Drawing showing the always on power circuit for your 1977 FJ40.
From your description your problem is NOT the alternator. Your draw dropped when you took the WHITE wire loose. The white wire goes to the Amp Meter, through the meter to the White/Blue wire which is connected to the always on fuses in the fuse panel and the key switch.
I would reconnect the white wire and start pulling one fuse at a time on the always hot fuses until you find the one that causes the draw to stop.

 

[45Dougal]

View attachment 3773951

Drawing showing the always on power circuit for your 1977 FJ40.
From your description your problem is NOT the alternator. Your draw dropped when you took the WHITE wire loose. The white wire goes to the Amp Meter, through the meter to the White/Blue wire which is connected to the always on fuses in the fuse panel and the key switch.
I would reconnect the white wire and start pulling one fuse at a time on the always hot fuses until you find the one that causes the draw to stop.

The 30mA is from a rogue drain at a fuse; is the 1/4A from the alternator or elsewhere?

 

[cruiserboy14]

@Coolerman i have already read threw the fuse box with no change in draw (the draw being high). That’s why I leaned towards a wire issue. Unless you are suggesting a different way and I’m missing something.

 

[cruiserboy14]

Ok, I was able to get out to the garage.

I unplugged the WL from the fuze box (long green plug covering fuze “STOP” 20A) no change, same .276 draw.

Unplugged the ignition switch. No change, same .276 draw.

And ammeter unplugged drops draw to .003.

Could it be a problem with the white section of that line from the ammeter to the fusible link or threw it?

 

[pb4ugo]

The white wire should be a direct connection to the ammeter. Have tried bypassing the ammeter? It shouldn't make a difference, but you never know.

 

[45Dougal]

The problem is almost certainly your alternator or regulator

 

[cruiserboy14]

As stated above, the voltage regulator is new, and the alternator has need rebuilt by a denso dealer. I could have it rebuilt or looked at again but I’ve rarely used it since the rebuild.

 

[charliemeyer007]

Just because parts are new doesn't mean they are good.

So your current flow drops to near nothing with the alternator unplugged - you most likely have a bad/weak diode that is leaking in the alternator.