Had some time to work on my panel truck taillight problem today. Ran
seperate wires to the lights from a point before the left tail light door
contact. No right brake light where I had some brake light before. Played
around with the bulb and found that it would light by jiggling it. Scraped
the inside of the socket with my pocket knife and presto, I had lights.
Apparently when I sprayed the inside of the light housing with silver
refelective paint, in order to give me brighter light in the rear, I built
up quite a layer inside the bulb socket as well. This build up prevented
the bulb from grounding. I now have the right light in the right place at
the right time.
However, I do not understand why I had any lights on the right side at all
becasue of the bad ground and why the lack of the bulb ground made the
lights act the way they did, especially the right side light going dark when
both lights were powered. I would still like to understand what was going
on. ANy insights would be helpful.
>From: "chuck clark" <cachomeimp@hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: "chuck clark" <cachomeimp@hotmail.com>
>To: jrdorsey@strato.net
>CC: oletrucks@autox.team.net
>Subject: Re: [oletrucks] More on the tail light question.
>Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 21:20:26 -0500
>
>John, Joe and Steve, thanks for the insights which I will try in a few
>days.
> I think I may also try creating a simple junction box someplace before
>the
>wires get to the door contacts and run seperate wires to each side from
>this
>junction. I'll let you know what happens.
>
>Thanks again for the input.
>
>
>
>
>
> >From: jrdorsey <jrdorsey@strato.net>
> >Reply-To: jrdorsey <jrdorsey@strato.net>
> >CC: oletrucks@autox.team.net
> >Subject: Re: [oletrucks] More on the tail light question.
> >Date: Sun, 08 Dec 2002 22:55:41 -0500
> >
> >Chuck,
> >I'll be darned if it still doesnt act like a ground problem, except that
> >open door stuff.
> >OK, lets try these things next,
> >First, if you have another bulb, try it. It weird but a couple of times
> >I've seen new bulb bad right out of the package.
> >Second, take the lens off the offending light, and take a temporary
> >ground wire and touch it to the ouside of the bulb socket while the
> >light is on. If no difference, try to touch it to the metal side of the
> >bulb itself while in the socket, there is usually a little bit that
> >sticks out of the socket.
> >Third, run a power jumper wire from the BATTERY and touch it to each
> >contact with the door open, see if both filaments will light.
> >
> >I'll think about this and see if I come up with other possibilities.
> >
> >chuck clark wrote:
> > >
> > > I wrote the other day that I had a problem with my tail lights on my
>49
> > > panel. I put an additional rear light on the rear door (right side
> >light) in
> > > order to have better brake lights and turn signals. I was having a
> >problem
> > > with the new light (right side) not working properly, i.e. the light
> >goes
> > > out completely when the lights are on and the brake is applied. The
> >left
> > > light works ok when this happens. Also when the brake light is on,
>the
> >new
> > > one is dimmer than the left side or original light.
> > >
> > > A couple of responses indicated I had a groung problem. I removed the
> >buld
> > > socket bracket and put in a new set of contacts, ground all the paint
> >off of
> > > the area on the bulb holder bracket where it touches the light housing
> >and
> > > the similar area on the tail light housing. Put it back together and
> >same
> > > thing happens. Also ran a seperate ground wire from the tail light
> > > attaching bolt to the body, by passing the door hinge as a grounding
> >source,
> > > but no change. The wires go from the light switch and the brake switch
> >back
> > > to the left side door body contacts and then a wire for each of the
> >right
> > > side lights is pigtailed off of that switch.
> > > A couple more observations on the problem. Whether the brake is on or
> >the
> > > tail light is on in the new light, the same filament is lit, the
>dimmer
> >or
> > > smaller filament. This is the case even if I switch the wires. I am
> > > getting voltage (using a test light) through both contacts in the new
> >tail
> > > light bulb socket with the brake light and the tail light on. When the
> >bulb
> > > is in, it just goes blank when both lights are turned on. Also, I
> >noticed
> > > that when the left side door contacts are not touching (the left side
> >door
> > > is open) the right side light will not work at all when the door is
>held
> > > closed so the right side contacts are closed.
> > >
> > > Thank you for any additional insights you may have on this problem.
> > >
> > > _________________________________________________________________
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> > > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and
>1959
> >
> >--
> >John Dorsey
> >Wauchula FL
> >http://www.strato.net/~jrdorsey
> >'49 3800 Chevy Panel
> >'52 640 GMC Firetruck
> >oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
>
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