Brake light switch

[andyr]

HI

As the title, how do you check if they work or not? at the mo my dirt bike has no working brakelight 

[David]

A continuity test across the terminals, checking the switch is making/breaking the circuit.

[200magicnumba]

Unwind a paper clip,
Take the 2 connectors off the brake light switch, or 1 connector with 2 terminals, and use the paperclip and carefully touch the 2 connectors or terminals, if the brake light works, all youve done is bi passed the switch using the paperclip as a switch, the light works then the switch must be faulty. If the brake light doesnt light up start looking for another fault.

[Lee]

I'd start by checking the bulb and the connections to it. Do you not get any light regardless of which brake is pressed/pulled?
Ie. Does it work if you use the front brake or the back brake?

[andyr]

Cheers for the replies, i'll have a look at it tonight. Lee the rear brake used to activate the brake light just doesn't seem to anymore........

[titus]

Jan 28, 2015 12:31:48 GMT andyr said:

Cheers for the replies, i'll have a look at it tonight. Lee the rear brake used to activate the brake light just doesn't seem to anymore........

Lee might be 'The Tightest tw*t on Earth'....but he does know his stuff

[ZX6-Chris]

Jan 28, 2015 12:31:48 GMT andyr said:

Cheers for the replies, i'll have a look at it tonight. Lee the rear brake used to activate the brake light just doesn't seem to anymore........

I think more to the question was does your front brake active the bulb?

If it does then it wiring or switch for rear brake,

if it doesn't they you be looking at bulb or wiring to the bulb.

as 200magic says quickest and easiest is to use a paperclip/loose bit of wire with ends stripped back,. if you have a multimeter then you can also double check your findings by checking switch (also if the switch is fine then you can use multimeter to test other aspect for voltage along the wires).

[Hitman]

If both switches are not working the rear lamp as Lee says check the bulb first, then check the supply at the holder, usually corroded terminals at the lamp holder.

[andyr]

Update, it was a duff connection on the rear brake switch so I've sorted that out, not sure what is going on with the front though......it turns my head light off ?

[Lee]

Mmm it sounds like your headlights is taking an earth via your brake light circuit, check the wire from your headlight bulb to Earth. I recon it's either furred up with rust/corrosion or broken completely.
If you remove the brake light bulb and pull the brake lever, does the headlight stay on ?

If it does, it's likely to be the above.

If, with the tail light bulb(s) removed, the headlight dims, it's an earth fault.

If it extinguishes, then there is a short between the headlight circuitry and the brake light circuitry

[andyr]

Cheers for that Lee, it will have to wait for the weekend to check that with it having no battery (don't want to upset the Neighbours)