50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 16, 2018 15:05:17 GMT -5
Hello I was wondering if someone could help me. My brake light is very dim. I see it is working with both levers but just very dim
The problem started when i noticed the front, side running lights flicker when i would turned the handle bar to right side, and I felt a slight shook in the right lever when i depressed the right front brake. As of now the side lights do not flicker or come on anymore.
The all the running lights work and back turn signals work.
Please any help?
thank you
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Post by oakleyscoot on Feb 16, 2018 19:43:56 GMT -5
My suspicion is that your voltage at the rear lamp is low (less than 12v) thus it is not very bright.
If your other lighting that runs off AC have stopped working it would seem that maybe there is a lighting wire that is going to ground to some extent. Not really shorted because the rear light still lights.
Pull off the front plastic and take a look at the wiring going to the lights affected.
Perhaps even un-plugging them and take notice of the rear bulb gets brighter. If it does then you found the
area where the problem exists.
It is also possible that the voltage regulator could be on the fritz, this unit also regulates the ac for lighting, if its sending too much to ground that will cause limited lighting also.
Just something to get you started.
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50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 16, 2018 21:11:59 GMT -5
Ok i took off front plastic to looked at the cluster. I unplugged the connector the goes to the brake light but the back running like didn't get brighter.
I plugged it back in and the brake light still works, still very dim but the back running light is bright.
I unplugged all the connector on the cluster and replugged in. But still the same, a dim brake light and no side running lights.
I did notice if i jiggle the connector for the front headlight it will make the front head light flicker or go out.
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Post by greginisn on Feb 18, 2018 2:15:57 GMT -5
Chase down the ground wire for the brake light and see that it a good & clean connection. That's a start anyway.
Greg
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50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 18, 2018 16:03:29 GMT -5
Chase down the ground wire for the brake light and see that it a good & clean connection. That's a start anyway. Greg Is the ground wire for the brake in back of bike? and what ground is the side running lights running on? thank you for the help, I know nothing about wiring. Are side running lights on same circuit as the back brake light? |
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Post by scooterpimp on Feb 18, 2018 16:14:40 GMT -5
The brake light has 3 wires (usually) 1 for tail light , 1 for brake light & 1 is neg/ ground. If the ground wire is poorly connected you still can get a tail light , but it may be too weak for brighter brake light. Ground issues are pretty common in these scoots. sometimes the ground on bulb socket body are crappy, the front light issue may or may not be related.
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50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 18, 2018 17:19:00 GMT -5
Thank you where would it be poorly connected? at the light socket or the connecter? here is some pictures and video. Maybe thats as bright as brake light gets?       Video streamable.com/zpz2c |
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Post by scooterpimp on Feb 18, 2018 19:18:42 GMT -5
Either end may be at fault , try using a old / spare piece of wire atached to a good frame/chassis ground & hold to brake light outer metal housing & see if it brightens. Or even from neg battery post to bulb outer housing.this is where an inexpensive multimeter comes in handy..twist the bulb holder & remove it from tailight , the green wire going off the side is the ground to bulb holder. Seen alot of those crrp out in the past. But using the scrap/test wire should show if the ground is faulty , then its prooess of elimination from there. Maybe rubber band or tie brake lever so light is on while you wiggle connections may help. Im tossin some general ideas out there hope it helps?
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50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 18, 2018 21:29:47 GMT -5
Thank you so much for the help, got it to work before you'er last post. Must of been a bad ground connection.
I'm not sure were or how it fixed, what i did besides wiggle all the wire was take out the stock tail light, put in a LED. (Same problem dim brake light)
Then put the stock light back in and now its not dim anymore. I'll try using the Multimeter or wire tip if the problem accrues again.
The side running lights are still out, so that must be another issue...I guess i can live with that.
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Post by greginisn on Feb 19, 2018 5:46:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, not everyone does that. Let me warn you tho, I was in electronics repair for major corporations for a very long time and since you haven't actually "fixed" anything this will bite your butt again. It has happened to me, but it's damn hard to fix something that is working at the moment. Just a FYI.  Greg |
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Post by scooterpimp on Feb 19, 2018 20:12:24 GMT -5
For giggles , check where ground wires screw to engine & chassis. Clean & tighten the work your way from there is issues return. Those pesky ground tabs in the plastic bulb sockets get me alot..
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Post by ThaiGyro on Feb 20, 2018 5:03:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, not everyone does that. Let me warn you tho, I was in electronics repair for major corporations for a very long time and since you haven't actually "fixed" anything this will bite your butt again. It has happened to me, but it's damn hard to fix something that is working at the moment. Just a FYI. I agree with greginisn...you may have only temporarily fixed an issue that can be like the clap...come again, good! Come again, not so good. What I look for in this situation, is moisture where it does not belong. I have seen this on low level manufacturing and supposedly high level. My best example is PORSCHE...seven dirty letters. My older bro had a warranty claims business, doing 80% Porsche. Moisture was the biggest factor in electronics by no small margin. I have enough experience to have seen moisture collect just behind the hood, drip into the wiring connections, and ruin an instrument panel. Rear engine! In looking for moisture damage...you may not find water! You may find the beginnings or accumulation of corrosion damage. In aluminum connectors, it is a rough discoloration...youngsters call it flat versus gloss. I say that for good reason...high quality electronic solder joints are super shiny! (Hi-ho silver) Poor quality, have a haze, even when new. (U-guess what alloy) (Chinascruyou2?) The point greginisn has made, is to keep looking until you really know the causal issues. (I also work in high tech industries that rely on electronic quality) |
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Post by tocoo on Feb 20, 2018 9:16:22 GMT -5
Thanks for the update, not everyone does that. Let me warn you tho, I was in electronics repair for major corporations for a very long time and since you haven't actually "fixed" anything this will bite your butt again. It has happened to me, but it's damn hard to fix something that is working at the moment. Just a FYI. I agree with greginisn...you may have only temporarily fixed an issue that can be like the clap...come again, good! Come again, not so good. What I look for in this situation, is moisture where it does not belong. I have seen this on low level manufacturing and supposedly high level. My best example is PORSCHE...seven dirty letters. My older bro had a warranty claims business, doing 80% Porsche. Moisture was the biggest factor in electronics by no small margin. I have enough experience to have seen moisture collect just behind the hood, drip into the wiring connections, and ruin an instrument panel. Rear engine! In looking for moisture damage...you may not find water! You may find the beginnings or accumulation of corrosion damage. In aluminum connectors, it is a rough discoloration...youngsters call it flat versus gloss. I say that for good reason...high quality electronic solder joints are super shiny! (Hi-ho silver) Poor quality, have a haze, even when new. (U-guess what alloy) (Chinascruyou2?) The point greginisn has made, is to keep looking until you really know the causal issues. (I also work in high tech industries that rely on electronic quality) do you use contact cleaners? |
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50cc
Scoot Junior
Posts: 6
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Post by 50cc on Feb 20, 2018 14:16:10 GMT -5
Ha thank you all! I'll keep this thread in my files for future reference, for sure.
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Post by GrumpyUnk on Feb 21, 2018 16:01:07 GMT -5
When you twisted the bulb to remove the original light bulb, you 'wiped' the connectors on the bulb base AND the connectors for the wiring. The connectors got wiped on removal, and again when the LED was installed, & again when the LED was removed, and yet AGAIN when you re-installed the original bulb. Count 'em, and maybe that was enough wiping to clean up the contacts to provide proper volts/amps.
You can use silicone di-electric grease to lube the contacts and prevent further corrosion. Okay, not 'prevent', but slow down further corrosion.
tom
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