The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Stop lamp (brake light) switch question

Having had my recent troubles with my weak battery, I started seeing some suggestions about checking the dimmer switch, so I started checking that out. I remembered that I'd recently (being a geezer, recently can mean months to years) changed out that switch. Since I've been wondering if I even had it wired right, I thought maybe I should do some switching around to see if they were right. What I've got is when on dim, the lights do point down toward the road, but the driver's side light seems much brighter when it's on dim. When I hit bright, they are aimed more at the higher level they're suppose to be, but that bright light on dim had me puzzled.

So when this 'battery' trouble started, since I was under the hood, I looked down, saw the switch, and switched the wires to check it. I went back and forth a few times to see if it made any difference. Then I left it alone. It was after the new NAPA battery was failing on me, especially after charging it up all night and then being too dead to turn the truck over the next morning, that I noticed something in the factory manual. And, believe me, I am ashamed to admit this- I hadn't been switching the dimmer wires, I'd been switching the brake switch wires. I'm still shaking my head for not even thinking the dimmer switch wouldn't have been 'way over there' by the pedal linkage, it would be in the corner where it belongs. and it has 3 wires, not 2, and they're screwed on, not pushed in. Anyway...

My question is, could having those stop lamp wires backwards cause a battery load leak? And, how exactly do I now if it's wired correctly. I read in the manual that they are meant to be one way, not either/or. Man, I hate to get on here and ask questions after I've done stupid stuff, but I sure enjoy finding out from you all how to fix my ignorance! Thanks in advance for any thoughts and correct answers to these questions, fellas. Lee

Hey Lee,

I'm going to chime in here, but some AD guys/gals will better help you out.
My experience is that brake lights are generally wired the same way.

Battery power>switch terminal #1>switch term #2>brake lights

It makes no difference which terminal; as the brake switch only provides continuity.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but someone will come along with assistance.

Good luck!

Nope- - - -the brake light switch is a simple on/off switch- - - -swapping wires won't make a bit if difference. Did you isolate the power wire to the ammeter like I suggested to see if it affects the battery drain? Nope, I didn't think so!
Jerry

Well, I have it off the light switch, anyway. To be honest, Jerry, when I get out there, I tend to forget some of the stuff I'm suppose to be doing. I write the ideas down I get off the forum, forget to write some, then in the excitement of the moment, I start going down rabbit trails and forget what I started doing in the first place. But thank you for clearing up the brake light problem. I could have sworn that I read in the shop manual that one post is for one thing and the other for something else. I will try that though. Thanks.

Both the brake light switch and dimmer switch contacts are supposed to be isolated from ground, but being down in the splash area, may have gotten corroded inside, which might cause some high resistance contact between the contacts and the grounded switch case. You could remove the wires going to the brake lights or headlights and leave the wire coming from the battery (or headlight switch) and see if the battery still draws down. Or just swap out the switches if you're convinced they're the problem area.

For your original question, the only way the headlights would be dim with the high beam indicator on is if you've swapped the connections at the terminal blocks on the inner fenders. The harness has a splice on the high beam circuit from the dimmer switch that powers the high beam indicator.

Ok, I put in a new light switch, whether it needs it or not, and with the new battery, and a fuel line leak I found while adjusting my valves, I think things are going to be alright. It must have been my old battery all along causing my troubles, although i'm now wondering if the timing is a bit off. I'm not sure what all the shop did when they changed out the timing gears, but there may have been an error there. I just know it's running rougher than it did before the gears stripped.I found a fuel leak at the line leading into the fuel filter housing on the front of the carb. It wasn't leaking steady, and the only way I found it was while pulling the valve cover off to adjust the valves, I lifted up on the hose to pull the cover out and a stream of fuel shot out like a jet onto my exhaust manifold right in front of the hose clamp . I've been wondering why I've had to pour fuel down the carb to get it started each time I messed with it. Usually that only happens if it hasn't been driven for a week and it's in the middle of the summer heat. Anyway, that's fixed so maybe it will straighten out some other issues, too. I'll report back, but I'm pretty sure the battery drain down was the problem here. Thanks everybody. Lee

Hay Showme wow your 51 looks like a cream puff ! Nice Indian too ! Did you know that those 7 inch headlamps are made so that on dim they shine right on the white line and shoulder, on high beam of course they shine down the road. Kilhansen may be right on reversed wires, A fresh pair of those 7 inch headlamps well adjusted will easily light the way for these trucks !

showme One other detail ,you con put a tail light bulb between your positive cable and the positive post if it lights it shows a drain when you find the leak the bulb will go out. good luck !

Thanks for the compliment, fixit! The pics are a little old, but it's a good old truck (when it's acting right). I recently gave it a face lift and shot another coat of what was suppose to be flat black, but it looks a little more like satin black to me. One of these days I'm going to re-do it ground up, but for now, I just try to keep it running well to get that point. And thanks for that tip! Never would have thought of that.