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Help needed with tri-bar led brake light!!

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Old Mar 26, 2010 | 08:08 PM
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Default Help needed with tri-bar led brake light!!

Hello all, new to the forum and had a question for anybody who has had this problem or know what may be wrong. I just installed the HD tri-bar led brake/tail light on my 09 Fatbob and cant figure out this headache causing problem. first off it seems like the brake light is stuck on, when i hit brake lever either by foot or hand nothing changes with the light, it just stays bright. Took it off plugged the stocker in and it functions properly. Took the light back to the dealer exchanged lights and the same thing happens. The wiring from the harness matches the stocker, just cant figure it out. The dealer has never heard of this before and suggests i bring it in to have the service dept look at it seeing as though there is now money back on electrical parts. HELP!!!!!
 
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Old Mar 26, 2010 | 08:23 PM
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You've had the problem with TWO of these now? Everything fits in the wiring harness properly? I believe it only fits into the wiring harness one way. Mine has been flawless since the day I installed it. What are they going to charge you to look at it?
 
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Old Mar 26, 2010 | 09:44 PM
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I have one of these fitted to my 09 Fatbob and have had no issues works a treat. Have you checked the connections to make sure you do not have a faulty connector and that all pins are aligned and correctly terminated as follows:

1. Blue Tail (DOM only)
2. Blue Tail (International only)
3. Red/Yellow
4. Black

Hope this helps....
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 10:30 AM
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Yup all wires are correct. Compared the harness connector to the factory light! 1) black wire 2) red/yellow wire 3) no wire 4) blue wire same as factory light! I have no idea what the dealer is going to charge me. Shouldn't be to much seeing as though I already did the work, they just have to figure out the problem!
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 10:50 AM
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Sounds like wires are crossed somewhere. An incandescent bulb (one with a visible filament) has no polarity. They will work with power applied in either direction.
LED's on the other hand are semiconductors, and part of "biasing" them is applying power with the propper polarity. Not sure what the circuit looks like, but there is power being applied all the time, with the correct polarity, which may be as simple as wires being crossed upstream.
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 11:24 AM
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check the fuse?

pull the fuses out, and check the terminals, corrosion can sometimes leave your circuit open ( no power) or in your case closed ( with power) causing the light to stay on.

As dumb as that sounds, thats a problem with alot of electricals.

Although im scratchin my head as well to see what the problem really is
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 01:03 PM
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Well, kinda figured it out but still isnt really what it should be. Pins 1,2,3 are constantly hot and the black is the negative, #4 pin on the bikes plug in. The blue and red/yellow wire on the led tail light act both as the brake/tail light. i took the blue wire out of the plug in and taped it up and left the red/yellow wire hooked up and now the tail light works like it should and it brightens up when the brakes are hit! The only problem is now the license plates lights only come on when the brakes are activated, No big deal but i'm not sure if something is wired wrong in the light from the factory or the factory crossed a wire in the main harness? Who knows, and i dont really care about the license plate light. Any thoughts?
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 01:07 PM
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wait... 1,2,3 are constant hot... that doesnt sound right..
you should have 2 constant, one for the brake, one for the signal lights, one intermittant when the brake lever is applied. and one ground.
check the relay or the actual switch of either the two functions,

that just doesnt jive.. the relays andconnectors are under the seat, you know where the fuses are.

im telling ya, that dont sound kosher.

on a side note, you may not care about the license plate light, that is till you get a ticket for no diplayed light or license plate light. most states require that light to be functional.
 
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Old Mar 27, 2010 | 03:42 PM
  #9  
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I'll still have to take a trip to the dealer and let them figure it out! It may be something with the bike that is still covered under warranty? At least i got it so that its functional for now without riding around town looking like my brakes are on all the time. Thanks everybody!
 
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Old Mar 28, 2010 | 04:29 AM
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Yeah sounds like a bike specific problem as mine went on my fat bob without any problems and worked fine straight away. Everyone loves the look of it.
 
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