Rear LED 3rd Brake light....problem

[Savvy]

Greetings,

I'm trying to hook up an 12 inch red LED light strip similar to:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Lighting...item27c96a7d0f

I'm having a problem that I can't seem to figure out.
When I attach the lights directly to the battery, they and brake lights work fine.
When I attach them directly to the stop switch, they and brake lights work fine.
When I T them into either the left or right brake light, they don't work, but the brake lights do..
However, if I remove the lamp from the T'ed brake light the other brake light works fine as do the LEDs.

Anyone have an Idea how I can use the rear brake light leads and make everything work?

Cheers!

[mrtexas]

Brake lights and turn signals are independent. Sure you don't have the stop/turn lights switched?

[Henry/Kokomo]

Savvy - A couple of questions, if I may.

How many wires does your light have? (Probably 1,2 or maybe 3) Since the light uses LED's, its polarity sensitive and likely negative ground. Did the light come with any sort of info. indicating whether pos. or neg. ground? Is it 6 or 12 volt? Is your car 6 or 12 volt.

We need a little information and maybe we can figure this out.

Best regards,
Henry.

[Savvy]

Thanks for the replies
Definitely isolated the brake light.
No turn lights.
6v Pos ground car.
Lights advertised as 6v/12v
Two wires, thin speaker-like wire,one striped, one not
No directions
Striped to Brake switch, no stripe to ground....no work
No stripe to brake switch, striped to ground....work
When no stripe is connected to brake light and striped to ground...brake lights work, LEDs do not.
When brake lamp is removed, but wires connected as above, both LEDs and opposite brake light work.
Same results if opposite side is the connection.
Replace bulb, LEDs no work, brake lights work.

Cheers!

[mrtexas]

Originally Posted by mrtexas

Brake lights and turn signals are independent. Sure you don't have the stop/turn lights switched?

Oops, meant to say brake and tail lights!

[31chevy]

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On aftermarket turn signals the stop light circuit goes thru the turn signal switch so I think you will have to wire in 3rd brake light to the wire coming off the stoplight switch that goes to the turn signal switch, not in series with but parallel to. Connect one side of the 3rd brake light to that wire & the other side to ground. Hope this helps.
Gary.

[Frank Miller]

I just had this problem. I found a couple of warm connectors on the directional switch harness. If the LED does not get full voltage it will not work. A bad connection coupled with the brake light draw may be dropping the voltage too much.

[Henry/Kokomo]

Is your new light set up in two sections so it can be used as a turn indicator (as some are) or is it all one light? Sounds like the mounting may be the ground and one wire for each direction. You might try connecting the battery + to the base and battery - to each wire and see what you get. It wouldn't take but a minute and you'd know a lot more about what you have. FWIW

[georgewarren]

I connected the LED third brake light to the brake light switch, works fine. LED lights dont't draw enough amps to activate a regular flasher; a special LED flasher must be used if you want to have turn signals. With the correct flasher, simply splice the appropriate wire to each turn signal wire, if you have a third brake light that doubles as turn signals, in which case you will have 4 wires on the LED light.

[George/Maine]

I think you need another brake light switch for 3th light.

[Savvy]

Originally Posted by Frank Miller

I just had this problem. I found a couple of warm connectors on the directional switch harness. If the LED does not get full voltage it will not work. A bad connection coupled with the brake light draw may be dropping the voltage too much.

Thanks all,

Made a direct connection from the stop switch.....all is now well.