1 of 3-12 volt sockets getting only 12.16 volts?

[squashy]

I own a 2007 Basecamp. I have 3 12V sockets and just starting this trip, 1 is only getting 12.16 volts unlike the others which are getting battery power. The one I am having troubles with is up by the stereo in the front. I usually plugged my volt meter into this to get an accurate reading of my battery life, but obviously this isn't working.

Any ideas on what may be causing this? It isn't the socket because I unpluged the wiring harness to it and tested the wires up to that point and they are only supplying 12.16 now. Do I have a short? Floating ground? Broken wire? Any suggestions would be great on how to test for this. Thanks!

Robert

[dznf0g]

There's high resistance somewhere. With your volt meter on the hot wire (disconnected) and the negative meter wire to a known good ground you only had 12.16? If so chase the hot wire and look for a bad connection.

What does the ohmmeter say on the ground side?

Edit: Often, due to the lack of wiring diagrams and difficulty with disassembly of...whatever to find the issue, you may just want to run a new wire to the socket and tape off the offending wire. Make sure you use an adequately rated circuit, or better yet, fish a new wire from the fuse block.

[tpi]

When you see the 12.16 volts are there any lights or other 12 volt loads nearby on the same wiring? If there is that much voltage drop on the socket with no other loads (except the meter), I'd be surprised if the socket worked at all when under any reasonable load.

What I'm getting at is the socket simply may be inappropriate for voltage measurements provided there are 12 volt loads on the line causing drop.