Topic: brake light works but not correctly?

[kegger117]

The brake light had worked fine, until i started working on the bike. 
Current symptom:  Tail light is correctly on when lights are on (headlight switch is on), but when i use either the rear brake or front brake, the brake light doesn't come on.  However, when the ignition switch is on, running or not, but the lights are NOT on (headlight switch off), I can get the brake light to come on using either front or rear brake.

Could i have done something while replacing the throttle cables up in the switch area?  What should i look for?  I'm not an electrical engineer, so looking at the wiring schematic didn't give me any ideas.

This calls for a Sounthern Tier 2XIPA while i contemplate...

[LesterPiglet]

If you had the switchgear apart open it up again and look for trapped wires. I had a blinker problem for a week until I discovered I'd trapped a wire while renewing  my grips.

[Frostyboy]

Is it possible you might have the wires crossed to the rear light? Maybe what you are seeing with the light switch 'on' is in fact the stop light. When you have the light switch 'off' what you are seeing is the tail light.
Put that together it means that you can't see the lower wattage filament coming on with the brake light switch because the stop light filament is already lit up.
Just a suggestion.

[bollingball]

I could look up the print and maybe help. IF I new what bike we are talking about.

Ken

[dave500]

frosties on the right track if you unplugged any wires,you might try and clean all the obvious connections,and if your up to it open the headlight bucket and clean any you find inside,bad earths can work in mysterious ways?

[bollingball]

Look for the brown wire under the seat see if you have power on it so then you will know what light is coming on Brown is the tail light Green/yellow is brake.

Ken

[kegger117]

Bike is the '75  550 on my pic.  Ok, good suggestions from you all.  I'll take a look at these things tomorrow night and report back.

Thom

[kegger117]

Solved:

Turns out that the bulb had worked itself loose or maybe I hadn't seated it very well when i replaced it recently.  I upgraded to an LED and it had been working fine.  Now it is back properly seated in the socket and works as it should.

By the way, I'm happy with the upgraded LED.  I ordered (1157-RLX3: 1157 Red) from "SuperBrightLEDs" for $13.   Much brighter during regular "on" condition, which is great for visibility, and lower power draw.  During braking it is as bright as the standard bulb, maybe even a little brighter.

Here are the pics to show the difference between standard and LED.