Parasitic Draw

I'm new to wiring, 100% no idea what I'm doing. There is a draw on my battery. Watching a few you tube videos and texting with my friend that's much smarter than me, I found the plug into the alternate has 3 wires. When the one is hooked up to the alt post, key off, there is a battery drain. Key off, short brown wire with a red stripe connected to the alternator post draws about 4.6 amps. Can I just cut it so it isn't there? Not sure what it's for or if it's needed.

 

I'm uncertain what two wires are doing in that terminal. There is usually only one going to the idiot light in the dash cluster. Where does the other go?

 

Solid brown wire goes into a loom, assuming it goes to the cluster. The striped wire just comes out of that spot and hooks to the power post on the back of the alternator

 

Transmission isn't attached to the dauntless so I can't run the engine and check voltage while disconnected

 

R through the idiot light to the ignition switch.
F To the charging stud on the alternator.
Eliminate the third wire from R to the charging post.

 

Hmmm. Won't post pictures.

 

There it is.

 

I cut the odd drawing wire. It never bought me a beer.

 

Just curious, did you check it for ground or stray voltage?

 

I don't know what that is. Stray voltage would be the draw when off, right?

 

I would guess more likely a ground in that wire but I would check for voltage before switching your meter to ohms. Then you won’t blow a fuse in your meter.

 

Just curious where that brown wire with red tracer is going. Any idea?

 

Yep, I see that now. With that black/red wire hooked that way, you have essentially bypassed the ignition switch and have some live power back feeding everything that would normally be off when the ignition switch is in the off position. The question arises to why on earth that lead is even there. Another reason for making your own harness.

 

An uneducated guess would be the charge light in the cluster. Although it should be insulated. Maybe corrosion?
Has @jeepstar been under the dash to see what’s up behind there?
Anything else directly wired to the battery?
This could be fun, looking forward to the solution.