LED lights wiring problem?

[thoner7]

I bought a box of small led lights labeled “rock lights”. I installed them as reverse lights and because I had an extra, an interior dome light. I am powering these lights with that Orion 12v converter. When running the wire I kept checking my circuits with a 12v battery charger to make sure the lights still lit up. I bought 16 gauge wire.

Now I’m done, and all My circuits all work great when powered by the battery charger. They don’t work when I power them off the truck. My volt meter reads 13.70ish when I test the battery charger AND the trucks power. But when I connect the truck power to my light circuit, voltage drops to ~8 volts. And I have no idea why????

Here’s some pictures. You’ll see how bright the lights are when powered by the battery charger and how dim they are when powered by the truck. What would cause a big voltage drop like that? And why would it happen depending on the power supply???

 

[frauhansen]

Now I’m done, and all My circuits all work great when powered by the battery charger. They don’t work when I power them off the truck. My volt meter reads 13.70ish when I test the battery charger AND the trucks power. But when I connect the truck power to my light circuit, voltage drops to ~8 volts.

Please measure the output voltage directly at the 24V-12V converter.
If this supplies enough with the charger connected and too little without it, then the batteries are probably screwed. Please measure both batteries individually.

 

[Mainsail]

1. Are the rock lights 12v (for sure) or multi-voltage?
2. How are you switching them? Can you draw out a diagram for how you wired them?
3. From where are you pulling the power for the Orion?

 

[thoner7]

Please measure the output voltage directly at the 24V-12V converter.
If this supplies enough with the charger connected and too little without it, then the batteries are probably screwed. Please measure both batteries individually.

With the truck running my Orion is putting out 15v (output voltage is adjustable I think between 16-10v) at the unit but 13.33v at my fuse block. I have 13.33 volts at my switch box too.

 

[thoner7]

1. Are the rock lights 12v (for sure) or multi-voltage?
2. How are you switching them? Can you draw out a diagram for how you wired them?
3. From where are you pulling the power for the Orion?

I think the rock lights are 12-24v

I don’t have a switch wired in yet, because of this voltage drop issue. but I bought a bank of rocker switches. I’ll include pics but again this problem exists without these installed.

The Orion gets power straight from the batteries. It’s been working great for my radio and power windows.

 

[TOBASH]

Why use a power inverter? If you have a four speed transmission you can use the 12 V circuit to power everything.

Seems like the issue might be the inverter???

If the bulbs are 12/24, then you might not even need the inverter.

 

[Mogman]

You may have a grounding issue, are you running ALL ground leads involved back to one of the vehicle grounding points or are you using the body/frame?

 

[Mainsail]

I think the rock lights are 12-24v

I don’t have a switch wired in yet, because of this voltage drop issue. but I bought a bank of rocker switches. I’ll include pics but again this problem exists without these installed.

The Orion gets power straight from the batteries. It’s been working great for my radio and power windows.

If the lights can take 24V you may decrease the complexity by using 24V to power them.

I don't understand that diagram, but run 24v to the lights and run the ground wire into the cab to the switch. In other words, switch the ground, not the power.

 

[thoner7]

Well after all this, I think it was just a blown fuse. Only after checking my grounds, I found a strange fault light, which lit even with the fuse removed. The dull LEDs also lit with no fuse.

I had checked the fuse before, and it didn’t look bad, but it was more obvious this time I guess. I also thought it was working with the fuse in their,

Idk why the lights get some power was putting current through the wire, with no fuse! I’m guessing it’s the strange things that happen with LEDS bc they require such little power? Who knows.

Sorry for my scatter brained post lol

 

[TOBASH]

If you are grounding to the body or frame that might be why.