southbayninja
Member
Did some small electrical work this weekend and appear to have screwed up my brake light. I'm not sure exactly when the light stopped working, but here's the sequence of events:
- Installed dash cams hooked up to a relay which came on with the rear running light (via wire tap into the running light). I know for sure the brake lights worked at some point after this installation. However, the dash cams weren't happy with the power required for the starter motor and would not always record as they were supposed to.
- I tested a 10-second delay relay (simply swapped out the relays, no actual work on the bike). This was supposed to give me enough time to start the engine before drawing power for the dash cams. However, the delay relay would cut during a ride then come back on again. The manufacturer tells me this is because the tap from the running light isn't strong enough to keep the relay coil energized.
- Switched back to the regular (un-timed) relay, and instead wired into the headlight circuit so power would only be drawn to the dash cams after engine start. I did this by soldering a single wire to the headlight socket which runs to the relay activation coil. This worked well, until I discovered I don't have a rear brake light.
Symptoms:
- Running light comes on with key switch and stays on.
- Neither the front or rear brake lever/pedal causes the brake light to come on. Front headlights both work fine. It's possible the brake light is on all the time, and I simply cannot tell the difference because there is no change in the brightness of the rear light.
Here's what I've checked so far:
- Fuses are all good. Visual inspection, plus the running light is on the same fuse as the brake light so there must be a good connection if the running light comes on.
- The bulb is good: checked with a 9v battery, both filaments working.
- Retracted the rear brake light switch (next to the brake pedal) all the way, so the brake light comes on as late as possible.
- Tested the front brake switch. There is an audible click when pulling the lever, and I also removed the switch and shorted the connection- no difference in behavior.
- No codes in diagnostic memory (though I don't think any brake behavior is monitored by the main meter assembly).
Suspects:
- The delay relay that I tested caused a larger than normal drain through the running light and introduced a gremlin somewhere.
- Soldering to the headlight socket heated the stock cable (and whatever is on the other end of it) beyond its tolerance, and I've screwed up something inside the meter assembly where the cable I soldered to runs to.
Any ideas anyone?
- Installed dash cams hooked up to a relay which came on with the rear running light (via wire tap into the running light). I know for sure the brake lights worked at some point after this installation. However, the dash cams weren't happy with the power required for the starter motor and would not always record as they were supposed to.
- I tested a 10-second delay relay (simply swapped out the relays, no actual work on the bike). This was supposed to give me enough time to start the engine before drawing power for the dash cams. However, the delay relay would cut during a ride then come back on again. The manufacturer tells me this is because the tap from the running light isn't strong enough to keep the relay coil energized.
- Switched back to the regular (un-timed) relay, and instead wired into the headlight circuit so power would only be drawn to the dash cams after engine start. I did this by soldering a single wire to the headlight socket which runs to the relay activation coil. This worked well, until I discovered I don't have a rear brake light.
Symptoms:
- Running light comes on with key switch and stays on.
- Neither the front or rear brake lever/pedal causes the brake light to come on. Front headlights both work fine. It's possible the brake light is on all the time, and I simply cannot tell the difference because there is no change in the brightness of the rear light.
Here's what I've checked so far:
- Fuses are all good. Visual inspection, plus the running light is on the same fuse as the brake light so there must be a good connection if the running light comes on.
- The bulb is good: checked with a 9v battery, both filaments working.
- Retracted the rear brake light switch (next to the brake pedal) all the way, so the brake light comes on as late as possible.
- Tested the front brake switch. There is an audible click when pulling the lever, and I also removed the switch and shorted the connection- no difference in behavior.
- No codes in diagnostic memory (though I don't think any brake behavior is monitored by the main meter assembly).
Suspects:
- The delay relay that I tested caused a larger than normal drain through the running light and introduced a gremlin somewhere.
- Soldering to the headlight socket heated the stock cable (and whatever is on the other end of it) beyond its tolerance, and I've screwed up something inside the meter assembly where the cable I soldered to runs to.
Any ideas anyone?