Lighting issues.. please help
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Maine
Lighting issues.. please help
Hi,new to this forum and am having some issues with my '07 street bob. So here it goes, it all started when i got to work the other day and noticed my tail light wasnt on, i knocked on the lens and the bulb illuminated only one element, pulled the front brake level and no change in brightness, hit the pedal and no change. i read a few threads on the rear switch failing often. I unplugged the rear switch and no change when i hit the front lever. the light stayed the same. So when i got home i measured resistance through the rear switch and there was 0.2ohms. I then disconnected both front and rear switches and the light stayed the same. I did other checks, ruled out the harness under the fender being shorted and other little things. i gave up for the evening and went back out this morning. decided to start at the front switch, back probed the connector under the tank, the switch showed 12 volts when "open" and some milivolts when depressed, shouldnt it be the otherway around? then i noticed both filiments where illuminated in the tail light and with the rear switch disconnected both of the filiments went out. then i noticed my headlight, running lights and turn signals wherent working anymore. i checked the fused, all good............. what the hell is going on with my bike?!?!?!?!
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 131
Likes: 12
From: Susssex County Delaware
Are you running a HD Aux Brake Light/Running Light/Turn Signal Conversion Kit? If so disconnect it and go back to stock. If all is well, you found your problem.
If bike is stock, when you say you read 12 volts when open and millivolts when closed that is correct if you are measuring across the switch. If you are measuring to ground you should see 12 volts on the bulb side of the switch when depressed and virtually zero when open. What are you measuring across the bulb? You shouldn't have lost your headlight with a brake light problem unless as Ghost 13 stated, you might have a bad ground connection that you made worse when you started to trouble shoot. Try isolating the brake circuit from the run circuit to determine if one or the other has a short or bad ground.
If bike is stock, when you say you read 12 volts when open and millivolts when closed that is correct if you are measuring across the switch. If you are measuring to ground you should see 12 volts on the bulb side of the switch when depressed and virtually zero when open. What are you measuring across the bulb? You shouldn't have lost your headlight with a brake light problem unless as Ghost 13 stated, you might have a bad ground connection that you made worse when you started to trouble shoot. Try isolating the brake circuit from the run circuit to determine if one or the other has a short or bad ground.
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2016
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From: Maine
Stop tail and turns. So the tail light completely stopped working. With key on nothing substantial for voltage on either running or stop with switch open or closed. BUT where the bulb harness plugs into little rear circuit board with my multimeter on the ground and other lead on blue wire(running lamp) I mistakenly jumped blue to orange and white wire, fuel pump engaged and head lamp turned on. The orange and white i don't know what it controls, it's on the main harness but not my tail light socket.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
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From: Delawere
This and apply dielectric grease on all connecters with small brush.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2014
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From: Minnesota
This might help you "find" things, just look up your year/model;
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...-part-1-a.html
The front brake is indeed a reverse switch, normally closed when depressed and open when released,, but you have something else going on if your loosing front lights,, it's a loose harness plug/short or ground someplace.
https://www.hdforums.com/forum/dyna-...-part-1-a.html
The front brake is indeed a reverse switch, normally closed when depressed and open when released,, but you have something else going on if your loosing front lights,, it's a loose harness plug/short or ground someplace.
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Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 16
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From: Maine
Thanks for the link. The issue of lack of turns, headlight, and gauge resolved. Connector to the ignition switch was loose. Must have tugged it out of place when checking out other connectors under tank. Tail light/brake light issue still exists.
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edfromptowne
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Nov 5, 2009 07:00 PM