The Ford Barn

calvin amerson · 10-29-2013, 04:07 PM

happened to me solved by turning lights off

pick · 10-29-2013, 04:55 PM

thanks all for your ideas and particularly for the wiring diagrams. Looks like I have my work cut our for me. Being a widower I'm awaiting my son to stop over and lend me a hand (hard to be at two places under/around the car at one time). Weird thing is that it didn't occur until after I'd driven it a couple of times. I'll keep y'all posted on the results. Again, thanks!

CarlG · 10-29-2013, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuneman

Could the battery be hooked up backwards?

Then you'd be sucking the juice out of the bulbs instead of putting it in?

pick · 11-02-2013, 05:02 PM

fixed ended up being problem at light switch thanks for all the posts

PC/SR · 11-02-2013, 05:31 PM

Congratulations on the fix, and thanks for the report.

Tom Endy · 11-02-2013, 08:14 PM

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One of Henry's not so good ideas was to provide power to the brake light switch from the light bale. The bale is a failure prone area with a rats nest of wires inside. Some of the poor quality repo bales on the market make the situation worse.

If you look at the wiring diagram the bale receives its power from a wire from the generator cut-out (or alternator). The wire is attached to a buss inside the bale. Attached to same buss is a wire that runs to the brake light switch. There is really no reason for power to the brake light switch to be routed through the bale.

A better idea is to remove the wire from the bale to the brake light switch and instead run a wire from the fuse holder (or the starter switch connection if you don't have a fuse) direct to the brake light switch.

With this set up there is less chance of losing power to the brake lights and trouble shooting the brake light circuit becomes very simple.

Should you be out on the road and you have a short circuit in any of the wires in the bale and it blows the fuse (or starts a fire if you don't have a fuse) you can disconnect the wire from the generator (alternator) to the bale and eliminate the fault and still have brake lights. If it is daytime you can continue to drive the car safely with functioning brake lights until you are able to trouble shoot the bale.

Tom Endy

10-29-2013, 04:07 PM	#21
calvin amerson Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: covington la. Posts: 40	Re: brake lights are on on on happened to me solved by turning lights off

10-29-2013, 04:55 PM	#22
pick Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Haven, IN Posts: 86	Re: brake lights are on on on thanks all for your ideas and particularly for the wiring diagrams. Looks like I have my work cut our for me. Being a widower I'm awaiting my son to stop over and lend me a hand (hard to be at two places under/around the car at one time). Weird thing is that it didn't occur until after I'd driven it a couple of times. I'll keep y'all posted on the results. Again, thanks!

11-02-2013, 05:02 PM	#24
pick Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: New Haven, IN Posts: 86	Re: brake lights are on on on fixed ended up being problem at light switch thanks for all the posts

11-02-2013, 05:31 PM	#25
PC/SR Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Santa Rosa, CA Posts: 1,285	Re: brake lights are on on on Congratulations on the fix, and thanks for the report.

11-02-2013, 08:14 PM	#26
Tom Endy Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern California Posts: 3,168	Re: brake lights are on on on Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) One of Henry's not so good ideas was to provide power to the brake light switch from the light bale. The bale is a failure prone area with a rats nest of wires inside. Some of the poor quality repo bales on the market make the situation worse. If you look at the wiring diagram the bale receives its power from a wire from the generator cut-out (or alternator). The wire is attached to a buss inside the bale. Attached to same buss is a wire that runs to the brake light switch. There is really no reason for power to the brake light switch to be routed through the bale. A better idea is to remove the wire from the bale to the brake light switch and instead run a wire from the fuse holder (or the starter switch connection if you don't have a fuse) direct to the brake light switch. With this set up there is less chance of losing power to the brake lights and trouble shooting the brake light circuit becomes very simple. Should you be out on the road and you have a short circuit in any of the wires in the bale and it blows the fuse (or starts a fire if you don't have a fuse) you can disconnect the wire from the generator (alternator) to the bale and eliminate the fault and still have brake lights. If it is daytime you can continue to drive the car safely with functioning brake lights until you are able to trouble shoot the bale. Tom Endy