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Message started by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/07/15 at 17:23:16

Title: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/07/15 at 17:23:16

I have a problem I hope someone can help me with.

On my 1985 Chevy C30 dually I have tail lights, back up lights, and license plate lights. However my brake lights and rear turn signals do not work. I have already checked fuses and bulbs and they are all good. My headlights don't work either. The headlights were stuck on highbeams and now they do not work at all.

I have replaced the turn signal switch and headlight switch and still have same problems. I just picked up a headlight dimmer switch and will install that this weekend.

Can someone give me any other ideas on what could be the problem?

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Oldfeller on 01/07/15 at 18:49:29

Power is not getting from here to there. You want to assume a break in a wire or else a component that no longer works.

Make yourself up a long lead from the posititive terminal of your battery that has a sewing needle for the tip. The lead should have a replaceable 10a or 15a fuse bullt into it.

Now you can push the needle into the insulation of a wire to say to yourself "I KNOW power got this far"

Start at the bulb, and sure, it lights -- so go upstream a bit and try again.

Eventually you will isolate the section of wire that has a break in it or else the component that has crapped out on you.

=================

Suppose the fuse blows on the first test by the light -- you got a dead short somewhere, so you start this analysis run up by the battery with a new fuse and you go down strean until the fuse blows again -- you just went past your short.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by stewmills on 01/07/15 at 21:08:22

i like oldfellers strategy. i recently had an issue with my gate opener crapping out...starting and stopping intermittently... and i tried a similar process on the hot wire and the ground. i got close to isolating a break in the wire. i ended up playing it safe and replaced both wires all the way to the board and its been fine ever since.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by thumperclone on 01/07/15 at 23:13:21

check in the head lights for a neg. jumper back to frame or the body

trace the return path

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/08/15 at 05:58:45

Thanks, I'll try that this weekend when I have a couple of days off.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/08/15 at 22:17:59

Military electronics training agrees with OF's approach, but is more specific. Go 1/2 way from source to destination, if it's there,again 1/2 way, and if not 1/2way back. Called the half split method.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/12/15 at 05:56:55

Well, my headlights are fixed. The new dimmer switch took care of that but I still don't jave rear tirn signals and brake lights.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/12/15 at 07:34:10

Alright, find the power TO them, check it at the wiring harness at the fuse, prove that the fuse is hot. If so, then go to about the bed,,,cab line, find the wire, check for power,

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/12/15 at 08:30:53

Gonna check relays and fuses again then the wires. Gotta wait till next weekend though. By the time I get off work it's too dark.

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 01/13/15 at 09:27:55

I had NO idea they didn't have drop lites over there... dang, you guys are in a lousy state..

Title: Re: Electrical problem (not bike related)
Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/13/15 at 16:56:27

All my tools are at work. I'm a mechanic at a trucking company and by the time I get off work I'm pretty much too tired to crawl under my dash to play around with the fuse block. So I wait till my day and a half off.