So from a previous post I discussed problems with my rear lights, which turned out to be blown bulbs. Got new bulbs, but have a new symptom.

Running lights work, blinkers work, but no brake light, and I honestly dont know when this symptom came about, could have been like this for a while, not sure. With just the running lights on, both filaments in the bulb are lit, is this right? When I turn the blinker on, one of the filaments goes off and on.

I would have assumed that with just the running lights on, only one filament should be lit, but I dont know much about this stuff at all.

Any troubleshooting tips? Thanks guys.

 

When just the running lights are on, only one filament inside the bulb should be on. When you hit the brake, the other turns on to make it brighter. Same with the blinkers. Did you rewire anything recently?

 

Bad ground.

 

Or bad button on your front brake lever. Don't let them burn with both filiments lit for to long. I bought a cheap set of levers for my bike and the little tab on the brake lever, that pushes the brake light button, was F'd up and let my brake light run constantly. I burned up my bulb assembly and my lense before a buddy told me I had no tail lights.

 

hey man did you by chance check your fuses to see if they are all good? one could have popped when the bulb went. pull them out one by one and look to make sure the bar inside is not melted and blackened. after that re check your bulbs to make sure they are installed correctly. they really only go one way.
did you have any other parts off? perhaps you pinched a wire and it's shorted?
the duel element bulb should run one (smaller) for running light and then the second (bigger) when brake is applied.
hope that helps.

 

Thats what I thought, and yes, few months ago I put apes on but everything was working fine.

The insulation on the wire running to the license plate has been damaged due to the tire rubbing against it, but the light itself still works. Could this still possibly be the culprit?

 

I did have a blown fuse that I had to replace, but the funny thing is that I didnt actually blow the fuse until I took the rear bulbs out (that were already blown) and started to take some voltage readings. After the fuse blew I replaced it along with both bulbs, thats when I noticed that both filaments are always on.

 

If the wire is exposed from damaged insulation and those two wires are touching that could be the reason. Or, if one of them is touching the fender or another piece of metal it could be shorting to ground, which would either light up the brake light or blow a fuse depending on which wire is damaged.

 

yea you must have a short, bad ground or both powers touching some how, or like the other guy had mentioned about the brake switch might be stuck on.
bad grounds are the cause of a lot of electrical probs. maybe meter out the switch and see if its switching from open to closed. re inspect your wiring. i had "funny" things happen when i did my bars also. it happens

 

Take a sharpened pensil and press your brake button behind your lever, the button works backward, If the brake light goes out when you press the button, then your switch is good. you will then have to figure out why your lever isn't making contact.