Fuse blew on '09 FE450 when hooking up brake light switch

Bigbird · Dec 21, 2009

An electrician I'm not. I have just installed lights on my '09 FE450. For the rear I plugged in the three pole molex plug under the battery box to the rear light and I used the two pole molex with a jumper from the white (power) wire to the green and yellow wire that my schematic indicates is the brake light connector to connect a hydraulic brake light switch. When I stepped on the brake pedal, the fuse blew. Prior to stepping on the pedal both the front and rear lights were working and on. What have I done wrong here? Based on the electrical schematic, it looks right to me, but I am not that good at electricals.

Help!!!

berger · Dec 21, 2009

I dont remember having to install any jumper. But then I only use the front brake light switch.

Bigbird · Dec 21, 2009

berger said:
I dont remember having to install any jumper. But then I only use the front brake light switch.

The jumper was already there from the factory. I assume it is to provide power to the brake light circuit from the white (power) wire that runs from the six pin connector behind the headlight to the three pin molex connector under the battery box. From what I know, that wire is the power wire for the lights, brown being ground and the green/blue wire for the brake light. Those are the wires in the three pin connector. Then, there is a jumper from the white wire to the two pin molex connector which, I believe, is to provide power to that circuit. What has me puzzled is the second wire of the two pin connector. Where does it go? Should it be grounded? Or, am I using the wrong connector altogether? I'm stumped.

mootak · Dec 21, 2009

BigBird,

Check the wire connector metal bracket behind the number plate. On the 09's I have run into a few units that had pinched wires behind the bracket where connected via bolts to top triple clamp causing a short when brake applied. Just a thought.

Later,
Jeff Tasky

E-Ticket · Dec 21, 2009

mootak said:
BigBird,

Check the wire connector metal bracket behind the number plate. On the 09's I have run into a few units that had pinched wires behind the bracket where connected via bolts to top triple clamp causing a short when brake applied. Just a thought.

Later,
Jeff Tasky

And that's EXACTLY what happened to me. Adding the Scott's clamp-on tower (for their steering stabilizer) put's the bolt head right next to the wiring panel. Smoooshing it all together pinched some wires that shorted out. Poof! goes the fuse and no brake lights.

I put plastic spacer washers inbetween the triple clamp and the computer bracket .. and also slightly bent out the plug-in panel. Then fixed the affected wires, made sure clearance was adequate everywhere, added some zipties for securing purposes ... and replaced the fuse.

Good as new. Cheers! E-Ticket

Bigbird · Jan 5, 2010

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. It was indeed a short, but not behind the numberplate. It was one of the wires from the brake switch that had rubbed against the exhaust. I thought I had it routed safely away from the exhaust, but there was too much play in the wire and it moved around and touched the exhaust. Instant short.

E-Ticket · Jan 5, 2010

Bigbird said:
Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. It was indeed a short, but not behind the numberplate. It was one of the wires from the brake switch that had rubbed against the exhaust. I thought I had it routed safely away from the exhaust, but there was too much play in the wire and it moved around and touched the exhaust. Instant short.

Nice catch! Thanks for the head's-up, Bigbird.
I'll add that one to my "check before every ride" list.

Aren't fuses a wonderful invention? :^)

Cheers! E-Ticket

Fuse blew on '09 FE450 when hooking up brake light switch

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