troubleshooting an electrical oddity on a 94 Nissan Sentra

An electrical troubleshooting problem:

Have a 1994 Nissan Sentra, w/ low miles (73,000); 2-door. The car has AC, but no power steering, no power brakes, no extras.

First, I will tell you the symptoms, then I will tell you what I did and result.

SYMPTOMS:

Car was running fine until it broke while waiting for me in the shopping center parking lot.

When the car has any electrical load, all electrical systems go offline -- not unlike the tripping of a circuit breaker. Can disconnect the (-) cable from battery and reconnect, and the car can keep minimal electrical items online.

For example, the dome light is ON, ok, but if I turn ON the headlights, all electric items go OFF. Then I power-cycle the (-) battery, and the dome light works, the radio works, but if I beep the horn, it all goes OFF again.

So when the electrical load reaches a certain threshold, the electrical system shuts OFF.

WHAT_I_DID:

  1. With voltmeter, the battery checks fine, however, I tried to jump-start, same result as above; no help.

  1. Batter load with no (-) cable on it and with the (-) cable on it has no difference; so no indication of a short.

  2. I have disconnected car alarm, unplugged much of the console-dash items; disconnected power cables to both doors.

  1. Disconnected and examined ECCS Relay to cars computer. Symptoms are same with ECCS connected or not.

  2. Tried the car cold, 24 hours later, still a no-go.

What could be acting like a circuit breaker that would cause this condition?

Ron

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