More Electrical troubles
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 4
More Electrical troubles
I have a 76 Flareside. I have a set of 66 Shield shaped tail lights on my 76 Flare side. Re-wired the entire truck using a American Auto wire kit.
Started out the left tail light worked, but not the right. Figured it was a ground problem. Put a new socket in the right side. Right side worked found that the left was really dull. Figured ground again. Installed new socket in the left side. Now the left side doesn't work at all. I figure it is probably the aftermarket socket. Anyone have an idea where to get a stock replacement socket for these?
The second problem is the dome light. Ford used a 1-wire light. The American Autowire kit is set for a two wire kit. When I tried wiring the Ford lamp, it either stays on all the time or blows a fuse. When I try to wire a two wire lamp, I get nothing. The American Auto WIre kit uses a ground off the light switch, and a hot that comes off the brake pedal switch. Amy ideas? <!-- / message --><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- END TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig -->
Started out the left tail light worked, but not the right. Figured it was a ground problem. Put a new socket in the right side. Right side worked found that the left was really dull. Figured ground again. Installed new socket in the left side. Now the left side doesn't work at all. I figure it is probably the aftermarket socket. Anyone have an idea where to get a stock replacement socket for these?
The second problem is the dome light. Ford used a 1-wire light. The American Autowire kit is set for a two wire kit. When I tried wiring the Ford lamp, it either stays on all the time or blows a fuse. When I try to wire a two wire lamp, I get nothing. The American Auto WIre kit uses a ground off the light switch, and a hot that comes off the brake pedal switch. Amy ideas? <!-- / message --><!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig --><!-- END TEMPLATE: ad_showthread_firstpost_sig -->
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Check that your bed is grounded. Just bolting to the frame doesn't ground anything unless there is a ground strap that grounds the cab to the frame (the cab itself should be grounded to the engine block with a ground strap).
For the dome light, there really isn't such a thing as a "one-wire" light; the original setup just looks that way because it grounds to the sheetmetal with a mounting tab. The dome light in each setup needs power and ground. Don't tie directly to the brake light switch because it's always hot; the original setup came off a door jamb switch and the headlight ****.
For the dome light, there really isn't such a thing as a "one-wire" light; the original setup just looks that way because it grounds to the sheetmetal with a mounting tab. The dome light in each setup needs power and ground. Don't tie directly to the brake light switch because it's always hot; the original setup came off a door jamb switch and the headlight ****.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 4
Good thoughts. Thanks. I tried a ground from the frame to the bed. Still no light. I'm pretty sure its a bad socket. Socket was loose in the housing. Tried to solder it in plce, but that didn't work very well. Epoxied it in place, but must not have any contact.
The wiring kit shows a Courtesy Lamp ground coming off the light switch. This goes from the switch to the lamp. The hot supposedly comes off the brake switch to the lamp. I'm not running door switches. The American Auto Wire Tech guy said they use a GM wiring system, and it doesn't mix well in some case with ford stuff. He said the ground on the courtesy lamp was one of the problems, as Gm grounded off the switch and Ford grounded off the base.
The wiring kit shows a Courtesy Lamp ground coming off the light switch. This goes from the switch to the lamp. The hot supposedly comes off the brake switch to the lamp. I'm not running door switches. The American Auto Wire Tech guy said they use a GM wiring system, and it doesn't mix well in some case with ford stuff. He said the ground on the courtesy lamp was one of the problems, as Gm grounded off the switch and Ford grounded off the base.
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
That's because your hot wire is coming off the brake switch which is hot-at-all-times, which I said you don't want to use. I'm not sure what else to tell you really; you're hooking up a light to a hot-at-all-times source, and it's on all the time. It's a circuit. If you want the light to come on and off at your command, you're going to have to install a switch somewhere in the circuit. If you don't have door jamb switches, they can be bought very easily.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,191
Likes: 4
From: Blairsville,Ga
Never heard of a light being switched on the negative side,but if it is you will either have to put a switching device on the positive side or insulate the light from ground and ground it with the harness wire
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
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I understand what you are saying FMC, the hot full time on the Ford light and why it will stay on with the hot from the brake switch.. I tried a gm light, tried wiring according to the diagram, and I get nothing at all. If I understand the gm system correctly, the light has juice flowing all the time. The switch grounds when the light is turned on. completing the circuit.. Breaks the ground when turned off. With the gm light, I can't get it to turn on, and with the Ford light I can't ge it to turn off.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 4
Zac8tak,
Good point. I am trying to use the Auto wire switch that came with the wirin harness. Everything is color coded with that switch. Therefore, it is the equivalent of a GM headlight switch.
Good point. I am trying to use the Auto wire switch that came with the wirin harness. Everything is color coded with that switch. Therefore, it is the equivalent of a GM headlight switch.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 4
Well, If I can get it to work off the switch that is supposed to work, I'd much rather do that. An additional toggle switch somewhere in the system is something I really don't want to add.
Now the next part. Bought new tail light assemblies today. Installed them. Lights on, both work perfect. Lights off, brakes on both work perfect. Lights on, brake light on the left light goes out. or is extremely dim. Lights on, turn signal on. The light in the direction of the turn signal goes out. Doesn't matter which side. turn everything off, then turn lights back on. Left light is very dim again, like like a bad ground.
Steps I.ve taken are to completely rewire the switch. Rewired the column switch. Grounded the bed to the frame.
Now the next part. Bought new tail light assemblies today. Installed them. Lights on, both work perfect. Lights off, brakes on both work perfect. Lights on, brake light on the left light goes out. or is extremely dim. Lights on, turn signal on. The light in the direction of the turn signal goes out. Doesn't matter which side. turn everything off, then turn lights back on. Left light is very dim again, like like a bad ground.
Steps I.ve taken are to completely rewire the switch. Rewired the column switch. Grounded the bed to the frame.
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 811
Likes: 4
Grounds are all good. Checked, double checked, new socket (ground off socket), now new assemblies. Everything works. then the turn signal seems to throw everything out of wack. I wonder if its a bad switch or if it is more compatability issues.
Does anyone have a good wiring diagram for a stock Ford Light switch? I might just try to wire one in to see if that will work.
Does anyone have a good wiring diagram for a stock Ford Light switch? I might just try to wire one in to see if that will work.
Mountain Pass
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 232
Likes: 1
From: 40min from Charlotte NPD.
You say your switch breaks the neg. side of the circuit then you should run a fused hot to your lamp and the ground to the switch. Also make sure that both sides of the lamp are floating.
This is odd to me as this setup requires running two wires...? But I never could understand GM's electrical systems. That's why I have a Ford!
This is odd to me as this setup requires running two wires...? But I never could understand GM's electrical systems. That's why I have a Ford!