lost running lights in the rear
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
this is getting more and more bizarre as the night goes on!
i took a volt meter to the rear of the bike and tested all connections. At first i didn't have a running center tail but i did have a functioning brake light when brakes were applied. NOW after testing connections i have a functioning center running light but no brake light!!!! WTF!!!!
when i test the terminals i get power to the blue running light wire and power to the red/yellow brake line, but the brake bulb does not go on. so i figured i'd try a different bulb, i switched bulbs with a spare i had on the shelf with no success, i took the working bulb from my sporty and stuck it on my dyna and still no brake light. so i ruled out its not a bulb issue. i took the entire center assembly from my dyna and stuck it on my sporty and it works perfectly... and vice-versa i stuck the sporty assembly on the dyna and no go.
in summation:
1. i replaced the bulb
2. i tested all the connections at the center tail light and there is power coming to the terminals. (both running and brake)
3. i tested the harness up by the battery box connection as well, all is fine
4. i switched rear center tail light assemblies to a properly functioning one and it made no difference.
5. i took the tank off the bike and went through all connections up front. everything is plugged in and connected properly
6. i checked all fuses, all are intact
7. i poured myself a tall rum/coke because i don't know what the F*** is wrong!
8. i check the wires under the fender and there is no sign of wires making contact with rear fender.
it all started when i simply relocated the front signals. I pulled the wire harnesses through the access points in the neck to disconnect the harnesses. i did cut out the excess turn signal wires and solder the connections so i didn't have a nest of excess wire to deal with. i did remove the grips on the bars to access the signal wires... could i have some how damaged the brake switch?
I replaced this part with two other functioning ones from other bikes and i have the same issues.
i now have a running light working properly but no functioning brake light, this is reverse from earlier tonight when i had a functioning brake light but not a running light!
i took a volt meter to the rear of the bike and tested all connections. At first i didn't have a running center tail but i did have a functioning brake light when brakes were applied. NOW after testing connections i have a functioning center running light but no brake light!!!! WTF!!!!
when i test the terminals i get power to the blue running light wire and power to the red/yellow brake line, but the brake bulb does not go on. so i figured i'd try a different bulb, i switched bulbs with a spare i had on the shelf with no success, i took the working bulb from my sporty and stuck it on my dyna and still no brake light. so i ruled out its not a bulb issue. i took the entire center assembly from my dyna and stuck it on my sporty and it works perfectly... and vice-versa i stuck the sporty assembly on the dyna and no go.
in summation:
1. i replaced the bulb
2. i tested all the connections at the center tail light and there is power coming to the terminals. (both running and brake)
3. i tested the harness up by the battery box connection as well, all is fine
4. i switched rear center tail light assemblies to a properly functioning one and it made no difference.
5. i took the tank off the bike and went through all connections up front. everything is plugged in and connected properly
6. i checked all fuses, all are intact
7. i poured myself a tall rum/coke because i don't know what the F*** is wrong!
8. i check the wires under the fender and there is no sign of wires making contact with rear fender.
it all started when i simply relocated the front signals. I pulled the wire harnesses through the access points in the neck to disconnect the harnesses. i did cut out the excess turn signal wires and solder the connections so i didn't have a nest of excess wire to deal with. i did remove the grips on the bars to access the signal wires... could i have some how damaged the brake switch?
I replaced this part with two other functioning ones from other bikes and i have the same issues.
i now have a running light working properly but no functioning brake light, this is reverse from earlier tonight when i had a functioning brake light but not a running light!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Checked the ground under battery box, it was nice and tight. Is that the main harness ground ?
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 499
Likes: 1
From: Herrin, Illinois
There are a couple of grounds in the area under the battery and seat area. Take the wires off, hit the metal with a wire brush to clean it up, same with the contacts. Then bolt it all back down tight and see if that helps. I would check connector 7a/b to see if it has a good connection. It has your lighting grounds and stuff running through it.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 91
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
That last pic with the bulb lit up looks pretty bright for a running light, i would make sure that it is actually the running light that is on and not the brake light staying on. If you took your grips off when your switch housing was loose you could have damaged the brake switch, ive seen it happen a few times. Good luck, let us know how it turns out
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
The bulb.looks bright in the photo but its running only.
the weird thing is that the volt meter reads power coming to the brake light connection in the rear tail light assembly when i depress the brake levers. I tried 3 different bulbs and three separate bulb harnesses.
there is power going to all points, but the brake doesnt go on! so i'm stumped. it the circuit was open there would be no power to the brake connection point correct?
the weird thing is that the volt meter reads power coming to the brake light connection in the rear tail light assembly when i depress the brake levers. I tried 3 different bulbs and three separate bulb harnesses.
there is power going to all points, but the brake doesnt go on! so i'm stumped. it the circuit was open there would be no power to the brake connection point correct?
Last edited by bigbush; Apr 16, 2013 at 07:09 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
UPDATE.
the problem is fixed...what the problem was....i have no ****ing clue! i pulled all my solder connections apart and redid them, no problems i saw there. i pulled all connectors apart and put them back together and used a test light to check everything and bingo, all systems go! it kind of scares me because i never found the culprit. i have a feeling i'll be plagued by the HD electrical demons later down the road.
the problem is fixed...what the problem was....i have no ****ing clue! i pulled all my solder connections apart and redid them, no problems i saw there. i pulled all connectors apart and put them back together and used a test light to check everything and bingo, all systems go! it kind of scares me because i never found the culprit. i have a feeling i'll be plagued by the HD electrical demons later down the road.
Last edited by bigbush; Apr 17, 2013 at 08:54 PM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 235
From: Texas
Maybe I can help with this...in another life, I spent many hours chasing problems like this in airplanes.
If you are reading voltage across the terminals without a load, then you have a bad connection that cannot carry the load, in this case, the bulb. I will bet that if you try to read voltage across the same circuit with the bulb in (or use a trouble light), you will read zero or very little volts (or the trouble light will not illuminate). This is an indication of an open circuit or a very high resistance circuit up the line, either with the positive or ground.
To explain this, the meter does not load the circuit therefore you read full line volts back through the circuit even though there may not be a ground or line power input, but with a load on the circuit, in this case the bulb, there is no reading. It is like reading across an open relay contact...you read volts across the open contact because there is a difference in potential but you will not read anything with the relay contacts closed because there is no difference in potential.
My guess here is that you do not have a good ground, and I would further speculate it is a bad contact or broken wire at that connector or where you were working on the wiring. Back track and check the wiring circuit between the lights you moved and the rear ones. The wire could be broken inside the connector shell where you cannot see it or a contact may be pushed back and not making good contact.
Keep us informed, and good luck.
Looks you got it fixed while I was typing...
If you are reading voltage across the terminals without a load, then you have a bad connection that cannot carry the load, in this case, the bulb. I will bet that if you try to read voltage across the same circuit with the bulb in (or use a trouble light), you will read zero or very little volts (or the trouble light will not illuminate). This is an indication of an open circuit or a very high resistance circuit up the line, either with the positive or ground.
To explain this, the meter does not load the circuit therefore you read full line volts back through the circuit even though there may not be a ground or line power input, but with a load on the circuit, in this case the bulb, there is no reading. It is like reading across an open relay contact...you read volts across the open contact because there is a difference in potential but you will not read anything with the relay contacts closed because there is no difference in potential.
My guess here is that you do not have a good ground, and I would further speculate it is a bad contact or broken wire at that connector or where you were working on the wiring. Back track and check the wiring circuit between the lights you moved and the rear ones. The wire could be broken inside the connector shell where you cannot see it or a contact may be pushed back and not making good contact.
Keep us informed, and good luck.
Looks you got it fixed while I was typing...
Last edited by skinman13; Apr 17, 2013 at 08:00 PM. Reason: Update...
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Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
Maybe I can help with this...in another life, I spent many hours chasing problems like this in airplanes.
If you are reading voltage across the terminals without a load, then you have a bad connection that cannot carry the load, in this case, the bulb. I will bet that if you try to read voltage across the same circuit with the bulb in (or use a trouble light), you will read zero or very little volts (or the trouble light will not illuminate). This is an indication of an open circuit or a very high resistance circuit up the line, either with the positive or ground.
To explain this, the meter does not load the circuit therefore you read full line volts back through the circuit even though there may not be a ground or line power input, but with a load on the circuit, in this case the bulb, there is no reading. It is like reading across an open relay contact...you read volts across the open contact because there is a difference in potential but you will not read anything with the relay contacts closed because there is no difference in potential.
My guess here is that you do not have a good ground, and I would further speculate it is a bad contact or broken wire at that connector or where you were working on the wiring. Back track and check the wiring circuit between the lights you moved and the rear ones. The wire could be broken inside the connector shell where you cannot see it or a contact may be pushed back and not making good contact.
Keep us informed, and good luck.
Looks you got it fixed while I was typing...
If you are reading voltage across the terminals without a load, then you have a bad connection that cannot carry the load, in this case, the bulb. I will bet that if you try to read voltage across the same circuit with the bulb in (or use a trouble light), you will read zero or very little volts (or the trouble light will not illuminate). This is an indication of an open circuit or a very high resistance circuit up the line, either with the positive or ground.
To explain this, the meter does not load the circuit therefore you read full line volts back through the circuit even though there may not be a ground or line power input, but with a load on the circuit, in this case the bulb, there is no reading. It is like reading across an open relay contact...you read volts across the open contact because there is a difference in potential but you will not read anything with the relay contacts closed because there is no difference in potential.
My guess here is that you do not have a good ground, and I would further speculate it is a bad contact or broken wire at that connector or where you were working on the wiring. Back track and check the wiring circuit between the lights you moved and the rear ones. The wire could be broken inside the connector shell where you cannot see it or a contact may be pushed back and not making good contact.
Keep us informed, and good luck.
Looks you got it fixed while I was typing...
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
From: Canada
i couldn't let it go... i went back in the garage and isolated the problem area. i have narrowed it down to harness 7 a/b, so good call MILESVDUSTIN!
i noticed that i lost brake light when i wiggled this harness around a little bit. so atleast i know it had nothing to do with my mods and was a preexisting issue. i'll narrow it down further tomorrow and go over all the grounds and make sure all the pins are in good working order.
i hate electrical gremlins!
i noticed that i lost brake light when i wiggled this harness around a little bit. so atleast i know it had nothing to do with my mods and was a preexisting issue. i'll narrow it down further tomorrow and go over all the grounds and make sure all the pins are in good working order.
i hate electrical gremlins!
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