Author Topic: Brake lights  (Read 2860 times)

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Mr.Mazza

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on: April 18, 2014, 10:15:02 am
Hey guys,
Am gonna get working brake lights by this weekend, but I am sorta clueless on how to do this.
Currently I have the flat style rear light, but with all the lights off, the brake light switch turns on the first stage of lights (Parker lights) but if I have those lights on the switch does nothing.

Will I have to rewire or does it sound like the BL switch is plugged into the wrong hole?
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baird4444

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Reply #1 on: April 18, 2014, 11:16:34 am
sounds like there is something crossed. Below is the wire color
chart for the 2003. Not sure what yours is but might be
a good place to start- Mike
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wire color code for the back end of a 2003…

Left turn- BLACK w/white
Right turn- BLACK  w/green
Ground to bolt- Green
2X Black – grounds for turns
Plug for tail- Grey = Tail
                     Green = Brake   
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Mr.Mazza

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Reply #2 on: April 18, 2014, 11:25:46 am
sounds like there is something crossed. Below is the wire color
chart for the 2003. Not sure what yours is but might be
a good place to start- Mike
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wire color code for the back end of a 2003…

Left turn- BLACK w/white
Right turn- BLACK  w/green
Ground to bolt- Green
2X Black – grounds for turns
Plug for tail- Grey = Tail
                     Green = Brake

Super helpful thanks mate!
Got some ammo for tackling it in the morning
Lizzy - 07 500 Deluxe ES - Red and chrome - Sold.


Arizoni

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Reply #3 on: April 18, 2014, 10:27:29 pm
Just a guess but as you know, the brake light switch is supposed to supply power to the brake light only.

It sounds like someone has connected the brake light wire to the regular tail light wire so when the switch is activated, it turns on everything.

The first place I would look would be the tail light.  The socket should have three wire connectors.  One for the tail light, one for the brake light and one for the ground wire.
If someone replaced it with a two wire "tail light only" type connector and then attached both the brake light wire and the tail light wire to one of the connectors, it would do as you say it's doing.

Anyway, somehow the brake light wire is connected to the main driving light circuit and not to the brake light filament in the bulb.
Jim
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1999 Miata 10th Anniversary


Mr.Mazza

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Reply #4 on: April 19, 2014, 03:46:18 am
It looks like the light itself only has two wires..
Looks like I'm up for a new taillight

Edit i attached a photo, and even the rear brake turns only one fillament on..
« Last Edit: April 19, 2014, 03:57:19 am by Mr.Mazza »
Lizzy - 07 500 Deluxe ES - Red and chrome - Sold.


mustangdave

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Reply #5 on: April 19, 2014, 04:29:33 am
I'm pretty much doing the same thing this weekend...replacing a BEEHIVE rear light for a more standard light...only my issue is that the tail light doesn't come on with ignition turn on and engine start up...but lights up just fine when the brakes are applied. All the signals are functioning perfectly.
I rode Japanese bikes as a kid...then I grew up and got some British Thunder


Arizoni

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Reply #6 on: April 19, 2014, 05:47:07 am
Looks like the twisted pair of wires are the main problem.

If you have a volt/ohm meter, nows the time to use it to figure out which wire is the "real" brake light power and which wire is the "real" tail light power and which one is the real ground.
If you don't have one, I found a little one that works quite well at Harbor Freight for about $8.  It's small enough that I pack it along in my saddle bag just to guarantee I'll never need it.
Jim
2011 G5 Deluxe
1999 Miata 10th Anniversary


mustangdave

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Reply #7 on: April 19, 2014, 12:40:18 pm
 ;)...before I do anything rash...I'm going to replace the bulb...I really like the BEEHIVE tail light and would rather not replace it...but the bulb is really different looking, not your typical dual filament bulb.
I rode Japanese bikes as a kid...then I grew up and got some British Thunder


AgentX

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Reply #8 on: April 19, 2014, 04:39:16 pm
I had a tail light with only two wires and was confused.  Turns out it grounds at the mounting bolt, no wire necessary.  The two leads were light/brake.


azcatfan

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Reply #9 on: April 19, 2014, 04:46:35 pm
I had a tail light with only two wires and was confused.  Turns out it grounds at the mounting bolt, no wire necessary.  The two leads were light/brake.

+1  Seen this on other bikes...
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Mr.Mazza

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Reply #10 on: April 20, 2014, 08:17:08 am
+1  Seen this on other bikes...

Hmm, sounds interesting I didn't think of that, I'll check it out through the week.
Lizzy - 07 500 Deluxe ES - Red and chrome - Sold.


guss,guss

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Reply #11 on: April 20, 2014, 03:05:29 pm
the green ground is a US standard. most other countries don't require a dedicated ground. to be imported they have the ground, after market replacements from other countries don't have them as the mounting hardware does the job.
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Mr.Mazza

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Reply #12 on: April 21, 2014, 06:21:36 am
Got it!
Finally figured out which wire was what (I love test lights, got my dad's 20 year old one, still worked) Confirmed that the rear lights can earth through the rear fender.
Initially wired the light housing backwards (Tail light became super bright and so forth) after finally finding a auto store that sold duel filament bulbs, got home and rewired the back to front and success! I finally have a brake light and a tail light, didn't take me a week ;)
Lizzy - 07 500 Deluxe ES - Red and chrome - Sold.


mustangdave

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Reply #13 on: April 22, 2014, 03:45:06 am
Well, got the Beehive off...but for the life of me I can't break the bloody BRASS screws loose to remove the housing, gonna douse them with WD-40...or as a last resort...drill em out....grrrrr
I rode Japanese bikes as a kid...then I grew up and got some British Thunder