Electrical nightmare

t4r4life

t4r4life

Elite Member
So i don't usually make thread like this but im getting freaking desperate:redbrick:
long story short my tail light fuse keeps popping, it pops the moment i turn on my side marker and tail lights but the headlights and brake lights still work. so right now im driving with no taillights, speedo, climate control, headlight warning. it is terrible.

what i've done to test: pulled the corner lights, taillights, license plate lights, clock, trailer wiring.
and it still pops. so it had to be a constant short somewhere. i just don't know here. im about to give up but im hoping some peeps here have some electrical experience.

this is my face right now
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mikebontoft said:
OK help me out... any electrical mods? lighting for that matter?

can you get your hands on a multi meter?
Click to expand...

i put in a jaos spoiler with the led 3rd brake light in it but that light works fine, also solder the pins in my clock to fix the clock, put in a new cb radio and wired it up to the 12v outlet.

yes i have a multimeter
 
t4r4life said:
i put in a jaos spoiler with the led 3rd brake light in it but that light works fine, also solder the pins in my clock to fix the clock, put in a new cb radio and wired it up to the 12v outlet.

yes i have a multimeter
Click to expand...

OK. so have you checked any of the non ground wires for continuity to ground or to each other for that matter?

is the 12v outlet tied into the lighting system? I don't know so I have to ask.
 
All I can say is start working backwards and re-check everything you've recently done. Maybe you clipped a wire in your cb install. Pain in the ass steps but more so is the problem your having.
 
pretty much how it is. your continuity test should isolate the problem wires anyway. from there on its figuring out how far down it is.
 
mikebontoft said:
OK. so have you checked any of the non ground wires for continuity to ground or to each other for that matter?

is the 12v outlet tied into the lighting system? I don't know so I have to ask.
Click to expand...

no i havent and dont really know how lol im a electric noob, but the 12v is in the accessory circuit and everything in that is good.
 
ARKRWLR said:
All I can say is start working backwards and re-check everything you've recently done. Maybe you clipped a wire in your cb install. Pain in the ass steps but more so is the problem your having.
Click to expand...

did not cut any wire in the cb install, stripped the wires from the cb stuck em in the 12v outlet connector, and plug it in.
 
totally fine.

to check your continuity (resistance) set your multimeter to ohms (looks like a horseshoe). take either lead and attach it to a known good ground. take the other lead and check each pin on the harness. you will come across a few ground wires which is why a diagram really helps. most of those connectors should only have one ground wire though. likely black,brown, or black with a white trace.

It checks resistance by sending a very low current through the leads and through whatever it is your testing. If you're checking continuity to ground (I believe you have a short to ground with how fast the fuse blows) your meter will read something like "OL" if there's no complete circuit. (an open circuit). if there is a connection, expect a fairly low reading.

so... the idea here is to chase down that one wire that's worn down. this test should help you find it.
 
Did you pull the trailer box converter?

Disconnect the box and see if you are still blowing fuses.

It sounds like it is shorting out inside.
 
mikebontoft said:
totally fine.

to check your continuity (resistance) set your multimeter to ohms (looks like a horseshoe). take either lead and attach it to a known good ground. take the other lead and check each pin on the harness. you will come across a few ground wires which is why a diagram really helps. most of those connectors should only have one ground wire though. likely black,brown, or black with a white trace.

It checks resistance by sending a very low current through the leads and through whatever it is your testing. If you're checking continuity to ground (I believe you have a short to ground with how fast the fuse blows) your meter will read something like "OL" if there's no complete circuit. (an open circuit). if there is a connection, expect a fairly low reading.

so... the idea here is to chase down that one wire that's worn down. this test should help you find it.
Click to expand...
cool thanks man now ill just have to find where the main harness Is
 
Try disconnecting the 3rd LED lights.
You might also want to remove the bulbs in the brake and head light and see what happens when you turn on the park light.

May be you are taking too much power from the fuse and it cannot handle any more!
Is this 7.5 A fuse? Have you tried 10 A fuse?

Let us know.
 
nissanh said:
Try disconnecting the 3rd LED lights.
You might also want to remove the bulbs in the brake and head light and see what happens when you turn on the park light.

May be you are taking too much power from the fuse and it cannot handle any more!
Is this 7.5 A fuse? Have you tried 10 A fuse?

Let us know.
Click to expand...

I did disconnect the 3rd brake light, headlights works fine ai i left it, it is a 10 amp fuse but I've put a 20 in there and It still popped.
 
t4r4life said:
I did disconnect the 3rd brake light, headlights works fine ai i left it, it is a 10 amp fuse but I've put a 20 in there and It still popped.
Click to expand...

hmm OK. wonder if you need a resistor for that led light.

don't put a larger fuse in there though... remember that the wiring may not be able to handle the higher amperage and instead of blowing a fuse you will melt the wire. fortunately if the wire does burn up, it will do so closest to the power source.
 
t4r4life said:
I did disconnect the 3rd brake light, headlights works fine ai i left it, it is a 10 amp fuse but I've put a 20 in there and It still popped.
Click to expand...

lol.....you running a 20 amp fuse in a 7.5a's place and it's still popping...that's no good! i would either listen to singtoe or if you haven't tapped into that circuit before i would think a frayed line at the rear hatch rubber boot for the 3rd break light. at least that's a simple check, just pull the boot back and make sure the wire isn't compromised...other wise like others are saying just check for continuity line by line by line.......
 
mikebontoft said:
hmm OK. wonder if you need a resistor for that led light.

don't put a larger fuse in there though... remember that the wiring may not be able to handle the higher amperage and instead of blowing a fuse you will melt the wire. fortunately if the wire does burn up, it will do so closest to the power source.
Click to expand...

i think it has one built in. yeah its kinda my fault when the 10 amp fuse blew about 6 month ago i put in a 15 because i didn't have a 10, looks like now im paying for it.
 
theizzardking said:
lol.....you running a 20 amp fuse in a 7.5a's place and it's still popping...that's no good! i would either listen to singtoe or if you haven't tapped into that circuit before i would think a frayed line at the rear hatch rubber boot for the 3rd break light. at least that's a simple check, just pull the boot back and make sure the wire isn't compromised...other wise like others are saying just check for continuity line by line by line.......
Click to expand...

i took apart the rear hatch, all wires looks good, looks like i'll have to go wire by wire. is there a harness for all the wires in the taillight circuit that i can tap into to test this?
 
well unplug the trailer converter box and had my fingers crossed and it still popped. looks like i'll have to take apart the whole switch at the steering collum and go wire by wire. this sucks :(
 
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