Rear light cluster issue

[aquilaalba]

Hi guys, more pestering - this time electrical - thought I'd ask before breaking an open door... I've got no tail lights on when switching them on - front works fine, nothing on the back. When I press any of the brakes all the lights switch on, brake, tail light and numberplate light - all lit up when I press front or rear brake (this wasn't happening with front brake, but the cables were disconnected from the switch). I've attached a photo of a wire cut - it is (I think) for the double light mod - could this be the culprit? It was bastardised a bit, so can expect anything here I guess...

[bandit]

Looks like someone has cut into the green wire with the brown for the headlight mod as you said,looks like you need to reconnect the green wires to get the normal light setup.I'm guessing the brown wire connected to the green goes to the back of the headlight bulb connector if this is reconnected  the green the headlight mode should work.  


Also check the tail light bulbs as it is a double element & the one for the rear maybe blown.Bulbs required is a 12v,21/5w make sure you get the ones with the offset pins on bulb base.         

[sinto]

I would agree the green wire has to connect to the other green wire/brown wire combo (I'd personally strip all wires back, solder and heatshrink them as the pic shows bad workings) and I'd check all other wires

I think your mixing up the idea that all your lights came on at the rear when you pressed any of your brakes.
The bulbs in the rear lights are dual element stop/tail lights and when you press your brakes when your lights aren't on you'll get the same effect as you got due to this. Also as it has a clear plate on the underside it lights up your number plate thus giving you the idea all your lights work when you pressed the brakes, try it without putting your lights on and you'll get the same result

[bandit]

Beat me to it sinto!

[sinto]

Beat me to it sinto!

Sorry mate but if you snooze you lose

[aquilaalba]

Right, will check the bulbs tomorrow, will get the wires soldered together (green to join other green and brown). This is why I've asked, I thought that there is separate bulb for the numberplate and it's an earth issue that the earth is being cut off and when connected lights it all up, but from what you've just said it makes more sense. Plus an offset pin might be in the wrong place and has no contact maybe. Will check if the voltage is going to the contacts for lights when I switch the lights on, any chance that the green wire was the culprit and was suppose to power the tail lights? Will check and measure few things and let you know tomorrow. Bit tempted to wander off to the workshop tonight... 

[sinto]

Right, will check the bulbs tomorrow, will get the wires soldered together (green to join other green and brown). This is why I've asked, I thought that there is separate bulb for the numberplate and it's an earth issue that the earth is being cut off and when connected lights it all up, but from what you've just said it makes more sense. Plus an offset pin might be in the wrong place and has no contact maybe. Will check if the voltage is going to the contacts for lights when I switch the lights on, any chance that the green wire was the culprit and was suppose to power the tail lights? Will check and measure few things and let you know tomorrow. Bit tempted to wander off to the workshop tonight... 

Yes the green wire is the rear light source and the brown wire looks like it's the front light mod (to get the two front lights working at the same time)
If your getting the brake lights coming 9n when you press the brakes I think you'll be fine with the bulbs being OK but if not it's just lift the seat reach to back and remove/replace either bulb which is a standard stop/tail dual element bulb available at Halford and the like and they come with offset pins so should just slot in no problem
But after all this I'm guessing you connect the green wires together and trace the brown wire to the front right light as you sit on the bike and my thoughts are once they're all connected you'll have lights all round and working correctly

[tommyardin]

As Sinto said (Slightly paraphrased) Whoever did that wiring job wants F-----g with the rough end of a pineapple.
As stated by Sinto, do a proper job, always solder and shrink fit, but do remember to slip a length of shrink fit down the wire on one side of the joint before you solder, (done that a couple of times), the other thing is make sure the shrink fit is far enough away from the joint before applying a hot solder iron.
One thing always worth checking after checking the obvious (Blown Bulbs) is the multi connectors, I had one under the fairing inner cover on the left hand side of my Foxeye FZS 600, my headlamps just went out nearly caused serious accident one night riding down a country lane, but for the quick thinking of a cage driver it could have ended up a much different story. Anyway the offending multi connector (White Plastic) is under that fairing inner cover, water gets into it and causes corrosion, it took some finding because the lights came back on after an hour or so. Intermittent faults are the worse. I cut the offending wires tight to the connector and did a solder heat shrink repair by-passing the connector and it has been fine for 2 or 3 years now. There are 8 or 10 pairs of wires that go to that connector and four pairs had the internal pins corroded almost away, also it is worth cable tying the two halves of the connector together and giving the a blast of WD40 after repairs have been made.
Hope you sort out your lights.

Tommy

[sinto]

As Sinto said (Slightly paraphrased) Whoever did that wiring job wants F-----g with the rough end of a pineapple.
As stated by Sinto, do a proper job, always solder and shrink fit, but do remember to slip a length of shrink fit down the wire on one side of the joint before you solder, (done that a couple of times), the other thing is make sure the shrink fit is far enough away from the joint before applying a hot solder iron.
One thing always worth checking after checking the obvious (Blown Bulbs) is the multi connectors, I had one under the fairing inner cover on the left hand side of my Foxeye FZS 600, my headlamps just went out nearly caused serious accident one night riding down a country lane, but for the quick thinking of a cage driver it could have ended up a much different story. Anyway the offending multi connector (White Plastic) is under that fairing inner cover, water gets into it and causes corrosion, it took some finding because the lights came back on after an hour or so. Intermittent faults are the worse. I cut the offending wires tight to the connector and did a solder heat shrink repair by-passing the connector and it has been fine for 2 or 3 years now. There are 8 or 10 pairs of wires that go to that connector and four pairs had the internal pins corroded almost away, also it is worth cable tying the two halves of the connector together and giving the a blast of WD40 after repairs have been made.
Hope you sort out your lights.

Tommy

Think I've sorted it so you can read it now

Additional help....if your joining onto an original wire you should just burn off or cut off the plastic cover to reveal original wire and solder a wire onto it and then use self amalgamating tape not electrical tape, this way keeps the strength of original wire and keeps it waterproof.

[Deefer666]

Have you checked the fuses? that is a shitty job of the headlight mod but why insulate the bar cut wire there is nothing going into it at the other end. All I would do is remove the green tape (WHO THE FUCK USES GREEN INSULATION TAPE?) and re-insulate it with some heat shrink.

[sinto]

there is nothing going into it at the other end

I can see a black wire coming out the other end of the block between the yellow and the blue wires but I'm not sure if it's where the green wire is connected to but if it's not connected to anything I agree, no point giving extra work for nothing

[aquilaalba]

This will be properly soldered and wrapped in a heat shrink. A proper job will be done, I used to do mainly soldering for quite some time, yet under a microscope (well, it should be done that way, my eyes wouldn't be as bad now...  ). Will get some amalgamate tape as well, as been planning to get that for the past few years and every time got round doing something else, but will need it in case of finding similar bodge anywhere else... Thanks for help, checked on the diagram, seems like it is green going into black wire and that goes all the way back to the tail lights. Why black though? Odd...

[sinto]

Why black though? Odd...

Probably because green and black are common 'earth' colours or could be another repair job on your wiring

[aquilaalba]

Right, as per photos - soldered the dodgy bit, will wait for amalgamate tape to get it properly insulated, didn't resolve the issue. As for the lightbulbs - did check them, bodge is an understatement, never seen anyone that stupid (well, not never, but for a long time...)... Please see second photo. Bulb replaced, yet it doesn't work. Is there a fuse in line as the wrong bulb would probably blow it? Will check the whole thing tracing from start to finish I guess...

[sinto]

Right, as per photos - soldered the dodgy bit, will wait for amalgamate tape to get it properly insulated,
heat shrink then amalgamating tape over for real protection, but nether waiting till you've sorted the workings first 
didn't resolve the issue.
That's maybe because you didn't connect both the green wires with the brown one?

 As for the lightbulbs - did check them, bodge is an understatement, never seen anyone that stupid (well, not never, but for a long time...)... Please see second photo. Bulb replaced, yet it doesn't work.
As above! And did you replace with stop/tail bulbs? (Even then they probably won't  work if you haven't joined those wires together, forget the brown wire for the time being and just do the greens together in case the dipped bodge job is shorting it!

Is there a fuse in line as the wrong bulb would probably blow it?
there's fuses beside the battery under the seat

Will check the whole thing tracing from start to finish I guess...
I don't think you've any choice 

[aquilaalba]

I have joined the green wires and soldered brown one to them - just checked the photo and yes, you can't see it, but I did. Stupid angle to take the photo though, I admit. Will check the fuses, if it comes to worst - I just need to run one cable from the headlight to the back to resolve it for now or trace it back to the origins and run it from where it starts (or should start). Brake lights are working, number plate light is a by-product of tail lights, if there should be two bulbs lit then it will be. Will try to check it tomorrow. Did discuss bringing bike to the living room for few days, until I get this sorted, but lost the vote...

[unfazed]

The second photo shows the most likely reason. Indicator bulb in the Stop and Tail Light bulb holder. Get a stop and tail light bulb, it will have two filaments in it and two connectors on the end to match the one in the holder. Bulb will only fit one way due to offset locators in the holder and the bulb

[aquilaalba]

I should have mention this in the first place - I've replaced it with an automative bulb - slightly different as the contacts are more oval than round, but fits only one way and has two filaments. Still no joy. I thought that because if there was improper bulb fitted then there would be no continuity in the circuit - hence no light due to the fact the circuit is not closed. Will try to get at it today as soon as I'm done with all the work scheduled.

[aquilaalba]

It's alive, it's aaalivee...!!!!!! Hi all, found a fuse hidden inside the fairing on the left side of the bike (pictured), insulated the green / brown wires (earth anyway, no current through them) and - hallelujah! I've got the tail lights which means that the bike is fully (I hope) operational - which means further testing it to see if there are any more bodges hiding. Hopefully not. Thanks for your help!

[sinto]

It's alive, it's aaalivee...!!!!!! Hi all, found a fuse hidden inside the fairing on the left side of the bike (pictured), insulated the green / brown wires (earth anyway, no current through them) and - hallelujah! I've got the tail lights which means that the bike is fully (I hope) operational - which means further testing it to see if there are any more bodges hiding. Hopefully not. Thanks for your help!

Great news
I've never noticed a fuse there, but then can't say I've been looking for one I'll need to investigate on my bike next time I'm out at the garage.

[tommyardin]

I hope it not to late to post in here it has been a while since anyone has.
looking at the picture above that shows a inline fuse holder (White Colour) it looks like the rubber retaining strap that holds the tool roll in place, so it that the rear seat fairing that's on show cos it just say under the fairing in the post?