The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Question about wiring stop lamp switch for another purpose. HELP!

I've got a 2005 Polaris Ranger 500 4x4, which is infamous for the parking brake being ruined by leaving it on and driving on it. Bought mine 2 years ago and it didn't have an emergency brake when I got it. Just put new brakes pads, e brake pads and a new e brake cable on it so it's good to go. But we use it on our 43 acres of hills here in southeast Missouri, and I'd like it to keep working, so here's my solution and my question. I decided to install a parking brake indicator light, and to actuate it, the best idea I could come up with is the same switch that's in my '51 3100, with the steel arm that's activated by the brake pedal. I reasoned that if I could wire it up to the key switch, then whenever I turn it on, if the brake is on, the dash light will come on and let me know to take the brake off. So I bought the switch and an indicator light to mount in the dash. Problem (for me) is the light came with 3 wires, not two (red, white and black).

Does anyone here know if there is a color pattern for indicator light wires such as this? I'd be happy to post pics, but Picturetrail, my old way to post pics, closed it's doors not long ago. The seller I bought it from is an actual retail shop, but, of course, they're only there Monday-Friday, and I'm doing the job today. Here's a link to the light I bought. https://www.ebay.com/itm/123275988128

and of course, this is the switch https://www.classicparts.com/1936-54-Stoplamp-Switch/productinfo/53-011/

Before I start shorting things and ruining new parts, I just need to know either which wires are for what, or how to figure out what wire's what. I'm assuming there's hot, neutral and ground, but it's a dual purpose light, so I may be wrong. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, Lee

Doh!! I just re-checked the ebay ad and scrolled down and see that the white is ground, black is 'low function' and red is 'high function'. I'll use the high, which I'm guessing it's a brake light as opposed to the low's tail light function (guessing, I said). I know if I wire it backwards, I'll know immediately to change it. I'm also guessing that just terminating the low will work. All of you smarter guys out there let me know how it's really done if this doesn't sound right. Thanks.

I was looking at a used Polaris parking brake assembly on evilbay and noticed a microswitch.
I don't know if you have one like this but it may be another solution.
I read a comment (PRC Ranger Club) that the switch prevents the engine from starting.

Rather than terminating the third wire I would cover it with shrink tubing. That way you'll have it available in the future. Low and high functions may indicate lamp brightness.

Wow, didn't see that on mine! Wonder if it has one? doubt it, since I had to run the new e brake cable through that slot just to the left of it in your pic. Hmmm. I'll go out and check right now, but since mine's pretty old, it probably didn't come with one. Since you're aware of these things, my fellow curmudgeon (I wonder if there's a club for us?), have you had problems with your e brake handle return? Since I haven't ever used mine until now, I'm just finding out that the return spring doesn't return anything! When I push the pedal down to engage the brake, I have to physically push the handle in to get it to catch the teeth on the pedal. Releases great, but that spring on there doesn't do squat. Thought it was hooked up wrong until I saw your pic. I'll have to re-work that, too. Took some pics of what I've fabbed up, but I still don't have any way to post them on here till I figure out a new site to do it. Being a geezer, that's quite a feat. Somebody had to tell me about Picturetrail, and then explain how to use it. Just my luck they'd be the one's to leave town. But thanks, bouymaker, I appreciate that. And it even prevents start up! I'm just rigging mine to come on once the key's on so I don't destroy my battery.

Forty 9- yep, that's what it is. As soon as I linked the page that I bought it on, I found the black and red wires were for bright and dim. Guessing it's for tail and brake lights, so I'm going to hook it up to the bright. I am just having one hell of a time here. I've been out there all afternoon trying all possible configurations. ALL of them that work at all give me the light when I turn on the ignition switch (powering off the keyed hot post), then it shuts out when the lever is activated. Exactly opposite of what I'm looking for. But when I reverse them I get nothing, whether it's switching the wires at the switch, the ground/hot points or the light wires. I've worked with electricity all my life, but it still confuses me. I'm wondering if the switch is faulty or reversed.

Showme. let us know when your project is finished, since it should be moved to the Greasy Spoon.

I wish I had a 4 wheeler but really don't need one.

Sounds like you need a spring to hold that pawl or ratchet part against the teeth.

If you decide to go with that microswitch, you can also wire it so that the lamp is on (lit) and the ignition is disabled until you release the brake.

Well we certainly don't want that "horse" to run off and leave you stranded on those 43 acres. Got to have that parking brake working.

Will do. I know this isn't even the right forum to be talking about utv's, but it's where my brake switch is known, so that's why I posted here. I'm giving up for tonight. I've wired and re-wired till I used up all the cuss words I know. I've got this question on the Polaris Ranger forum, too, and I actually posted on an electricians forum. As usual I thought it would be a piece of cake, and I'm still confused. but I'll get it done tomorrow or else.

I'll be damned. I just went back out there and took a closer look and there definitely is one of those switches, buoymaker. I'm ordering on right now. I sure like the idea of a big, red light warning me away from my own stupidity, but since every wiring configuration I've tried is either opposite of what I want or nothing at all, I'll just use the factory way and be done with it. Sad part is, PRC is where I go for information, and i did multiple searches on there and didn't find anything about this. And per the horse running off, it has. And I'm tired of the 'jump out and see if i can get that 4x4 block out of the bed before it gets away' every time, which is why I installed the new one. Thank you very much!