High-Mount brake light

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Jun 29, 2004 | 09:55 AM

keywest17

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High-Mount brake light

1996 Explorer--

Does anyone know how to measure voltage coming out of the 90 volt ballast?
Do you go between the two wires? Or from one wire to ground with the voltmeter?

How much does that ballast cost?
What a pain, just for a brake light!

Mike

Jun 29, 2004 | 02:55 PM

goetzmann

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do a search in this forum for high mount brake lights. i've seen some posts where the neon tube has been replaced with an led strip. a lot less $$.

Jun 29, 2004 | 03:17 PM

87 XLT

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From: SoCal

Pull the connector off & with the brakes applied you should have 12 volts across the connector. What was Ford thinking with this $80.00 ballast nonsense? Like goetzmann sez do a search.

Jun 30, 2004 | 06:57 AM

keywest17

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Not that connector

I'm not talking about the 12v connector input. As my thread says, I'm referring to the 90v output. I have reviewed the other posts and no reference to checking output is posted.
I'd like to verify this thing is bad before getting another one.

Jun 30, 2004 | 09:46 AM

mason

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I was told that the Ford dealer verifys if it is bad by putting in a known good one and checking. If it doesn't light up then it's assumed that the neon light assembly is bad and the original ballast is good. Not the answer you are looking for but the best I could do.

Mason

Jun 30, 2004 | 03:59 PM

87 XLT

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From: SoCal

The wiring diagram for a 97 Explorer shows how this is wired, but not a word on how to test it. Like goetzmann sez, why not just get rid of the idiot thing by using the led strip.

Jul 5, 2004 | 09:52 PM

Vito in TN

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From: Clarksville, TN

When my CHMSL went bad on my 96 EB, I priced replacement parts. The ballast went for $96, and the light (as an assy) went for $212.

I opted for the $20 LED light from Autozone for 3 yrs. While functional, it didn't provide as much light as I wanted (especially with the speedsters running around here).

I eventually broke down and replaced the light assy (the neon tube had fractured from the closing of the liftgate) after haggling the price down to $180.