4Runner can't power LED Strips. Help Please!!

[iAlex684]

I bought a 24in FlexLED light from autozone and a 3M Heavy-Duty Metal Toggle Switch from walmart. I wired both the LED Strips together then wired them to the toggle switch. I used the Secu/Horn 10A fuse to power them, it worked perfectly until I took the fuse and the wire out to test something and stuck them back to the way it was. Now the LED strips are really dim I tried other fuse like the CIG or IGN fuse and they all came with the same result. PLEASE HELP I'm getting really frustrated..

 

[gm350reratliff]

Where is your grounding point? Dim lights usually mean you have a poor ground. Have you checked the voltage at the fuse?

 

[iAlex684]

Where is your grounding point? Dim lights usually mean you have a poor ground. Have you checked the voltage at the fuse?

The ground point is behind the trim next to the parking brakes. I haven't checked the voltage of the fuse because I don't have a multimeter... Here is a pic of where the ground point is

 

[gm350reratliff]

Without a voltmeter, it will be a little harder to find the voltage drop but doable.

Does the 4runner still start? Just making sure the battery isn't dead.

I would first try and move your ground. I recommend grounding only to the body itself (for interior accessories), on completely bare metal. I usually try to ground to the body behind the kick panel. Even though the dash bracing is metal, this can be a poor ground.

 

[iAlex684]

Without a voltmeter, it will be a little harder to find the voltage drop but doable.

Does the 4runner still start? Just making sure the battery isn't dead.

I would first try and move your ground. I recommend grounding only to the body itself (for interior accessories), on completely bare metal. I usually try to ground to the body behind the kick panel. Even though the dash bracing is metal, this can be a poor ground.

Yeah the 4runner still starts. I thought the battery could be dead too but my subs were still powered on. I'll try and find another ground point tomorrow morning! Thanks for the quick reply! I will give an update after I find a new ground point and tell if it worked or not.

 

[iAlex684]

Without a voltmeter, it will be a little harder to find the voltage drop but doable.

Does the 4runner still start? Just making sure the battery isn't dead.

I would first try and move your ground. I recommend grounding only to the body itself (for interior accessories), on completely bare metal. I usually try to ground to the body behind the kick panel. Even though the dash bracing is metal, this can be a poor ground.

Yeah... that dash bracing wasn't a good ground..

I couldn't find a good ground and I didn't know how to take the kick panel off so i feed the wire through the firewall and ground it using the bolt to the battery connecting it to the body of the car. It works perfectly now! Thanks!!

 

[gm350reratliff]

Yeah... that dash bracing wasn't a good ground..

I couldn't find a good ground and I didn't know how to take the kick panel off so i feed the wire through the firewall and ground it using the bolt to the battery connecting it to the body of the car. It works perfectly now! Thanks!!

Good to hear you fixed it. Glad I could help.

 

[kevinpt]

post pictures of the leds

 

[iAlex684]

post pictures of the leds

2 LEDs strips from Autozone in the grill. One attached to the hood so when you open the engine bay lights up blue and the other strip attached to the bottom of the grill.



Managed to get my 7 color LEDglow interior LED kit to work since dash board mount wasn't a good ground point

 

[iAlex684]

I'll get more better pics of the leds tonight if you want

 

[iAlex684]

Good to hear you fixed it. Glad I could help.

Posted some pics of it