The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Brake lights won't work

I'm finishing the last of the 12 volt conversion wiring on my 50 Chevy 1/2 ton and have hit the wall on my rear brake lights. I converted to duel sockets back there and at the same time I'm putting the old 3 wire directional signals back on. I know I have a bad brake switch because I get power in and nothing out when the circuit is made so I looped the connections just to try to get power to the rear and have a new switch waiting for me at NAPA. I have running lights and directionals but can't seem get a brake light. What am I missing? Maybe I should I have just gone to a duel filliment bulb or would that have even made any difference? Help

Are you running the same bulb filament for turn signals and brake lights? That requires a discriminator switch integral with the turn signal switch on the steering column. If you're running a separate bulb for turn signals, all you need for brake lights to work is a complete circuit from the brake switch to the proper filament on the tail/brake light sockets.
Jerry

Jerry I have a double socket tail light and I was running the same single bulb filament for turn signal and brake and the other single bulb filament for tail lights. The turn signal looks like it was original to the truck but was in a box of stuff when I bought it and not hooked up so it probably doesn't have the discriminator switch you mention. Are you saying I should have a double filament bulb for my tail light so the other filament will work the brake light?
Greg

Does the turn signal switch mount around the steering column below the steering wheel, or is is it incorporated into the steering wheel hub with wires running inside the column? There are two styles of add-on signals, one type that requires a separate bulb socket for turn signal and brake light, and another style that uses a double-filament bulb and shares the turn/brake signal on the same bulb filament. That type of aftermarket signal switch will have 6 or 7 wires going into the housing, while the earlier style will only have 5.
Jerry

Jerry it mounts below the wheel and does not have the wires running inside the column. You're right about the wires, it has 5. I was thinking it had 3 before.

The 5-wire system does not incorporate brake lights into the turn signal system. You'll need to have a separate bulb for turn signals on both sides, and a 2-filament bulb for tail/brake lights. Then run a wire straight from the brake light switch to the brighter of the two filaments in the dual-filament bulbs for brakes. You can run a single wire to the back for the brake signal, then split it at the back to power both bulbs. Ditto for the tail light voltage, one wire to the back, then run the power to both lights. The turn signals will need a wire to each side, front and rear. The 5th. wire is for the flasher.
Jerry

Can't thank you enough for your help Jerry. You really made me understand how and why I was having problems. Gotta love this forum.
Greg