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Tail light problem with Softbrake Install

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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 07:59 PM
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Off the top of my head I'd say something in the tag bracket is shorted. If you leave the bracket out of the mix and replace the fuse does everything work fine?
If you have a multi-meter you can try ohming the black wire with the white to see if you get any kind of reading. Should be completely open.
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 08:24 PM
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By completely open, do you mean no resistance?
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by nova_SS
Off the top of my head I'd say something in the tag bracket is shorted. If you leave the bracket out of the mix and replace the fuse does everything work fine?
If you have a multi-meter you can try ohming the black wire with the white to see if you get any kind of reading. Should be completely open.
I've never OHM'ed a LED circut, but on a incandesent bulb circuit, assuming the plate light is disconnect and your checking the 2 leads (in and out thru the plate light) you would get continuity thru the blub (unless the bulb is blow of course). LED's different ?
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 09:36 PM
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Originally Posted by rockchalk08
By completely open, do you mean no resistance?
Yes no resistance.
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 09:48 PM
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Originally Posted by billsantos
I've never OHM'ed a LED circut, but on a incandesent bulb circuit, assuming the plate light is disconnect and your checking the 2 leads (in and out thru the plate light) you would get continuity thru the blub (unless the bulb is blow of course). LED's different ?
Now that you mention it I'm not exactly sure with LED's.
I'd go back to my first suggestion and try running the leads across a battery and see if it lights up. If it lights up then I'd fall back on checking my connections again.
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 09:52 PM
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Originally Posted by rockchalk08
By completely open, do you mean no resistance?
Where did you run the wires from the led? Is there a chance you could have pinched a wire somewhere along the way?
 
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Old Mar 24, 2011 | 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted by nova_SS
Where did you run the wires from the led? Is there a chance you could have pinched a wire somewhere along the way?
Kind of hard to explain how I routed them, but I dont think they were pinched, but its possible. If I put the OHM meter on the LED wires and there is resistance does that mean there's a break in the wire?

And the running lights/tag lights are working w/o the LED lights spliced into them.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2011 | 02:03 AM
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Originally Posted by rockchalk08
Kind of hard to explain how I routed them, but I dont think they were pinched, but its possible. If I put the OHM meter on the LED wires and there is resistance does that mean there's a break in the wire?

And the running lights/tag lights are working w/o the LED lights spliced into them.
No..no resistance means a open circuit, but..I lost you here.. did you have 2 bulbs (incandesents) in the tail light originally ? 1 plate light bulb (single filament) and 1 tail/brake light bulb (2 filaments) ? and now you replaced the tail light assembly with the Softbrake kit which has no need for the plate bulb ? and the new plate holder has it's own built in LED's to illuminate it?
 
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Old Mar 25, 2011 | 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by billsantos
No..no resistance means a open circuit, but..I lost you here.. did you have 2 bulbs (incandesents) in the tail light originally ? 1 plate light bulb (single filament) and 1 tail/brake light bulb (2 filaments) ? and now you replaced the tail light assembly with the Softbrake kit which has no need for the plate bulb ? and the new plate holder has it's own built in LED's to illuminate it?
Got it. And yes to all of your questions.
 
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Old Mar 25, 2011 | 07:42 AM
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Originally Posted by billsantos
No..no resistance means a open circuit, but..I lost you here.. did you have 2 bulbs (incandesents) in the tail light originally ? 1 plate light bulb (single filament) and 1 tail/brake light bulb (2 filaments) ? and now you replaced the tail light assembly with the Softbrake kit which has no need for the plate bulb ? and the new plate holder has it's own built in LED's to illuminate it?
I was re-reading this and I need to be clearer...If you ohm the 2 leads and the meter reads 0, the circuit is open (current won't flow, no light).. If you read a value, the circuit is closed (current flows, light lights)..Lot easier if you have a meter that also beeps for continuity testing..If your blowing fuses, you got a dead short somewhere.. Try testing the 2 plate light wire leads to the plate frame (if it's metal) and if you get a reading, there shorted to the plate frame. That would create a dead short when it's mounted to the fender. Do both leads, one at a time to the plate. Should read 0, both wires. If you don't get 0's, don't do the battery test..
 
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