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Side Mount LED Brake/Tail Light Wiring help requested

  • Drawde
    April 6, 2010 8:16 AM PDT
    I have an '89 Sportster Hugger Which I have purchased a Side Mount Lisc. Plate with LED Brake/Tail lights - The Original Tail Light/Brake Light had only 2 Wires a Green and a RED and the Enclosure was grounded by way of the rear fender - The Side Mount LED Brake/Tail Light has 3 Wires: Solid Brown, Solid Green and a Striped Green -  Checking to make sure the LED's work I am able to get the LEDS to come on if I go Directly to the Battery Terminals (Solid Green and Brown+) The Wiring Harness with the original wiring had the Green (From the Tail light) going to Blue in the Harness which is ground - The Red (From the Tail Light) went to Red in the Harness - When I connect the LED Brown+ to the Red in the Hardness and the Green Solid to the Blue in the Harness I get nothing if I swap the Stripped Green with the Solid green same thing nothing - I have turned the key switch on, I have started the Bike in neutral and in gear, tried the Brakes and nothing - If anyone has successfully wired the LED type Brake Light/Tail light combination on a Harley Please let me know as the Kit did not come with a wiring diagram... this is a link to exactly what I have: http://www.demonscycle.com/Lights-and-Blinkers/Taillights/Chrome-Billet-License-p2770315.html - I assume one wire is ground, one is the tail light and the other is Brake but how I get that to work with the original wiring so far has become a challenge. Any help with be much appreciated!
  • BailOut
    • 1 posts
    April 6, 2010 11:01 AM PDT
    Sorry don't have a manual hear at home, but probably have one in storage (from when I closed the shop down).

    Have you tried checking the blue & red (at the harness) with a meter - blue to ground, red to ground? I would try that and try the brak and blinker while doing it. Let me know if you can do that and what the results are. If I can get over to storage, I will try to find a wiring diagram for you.
  • Drawde
    April 6, 2010 2:47 PM PDT
    I have rung out the Blue on the Harness and it is ground, The red it going .... Have no clue seems to feed up to the front controls - But no change in the meter when the Brake is pressed - Please note the stock Brake/Tail light worked normally before I changed the fender out to a chopped fender (hense the reason for the side mounted Lisc. Plate and Brake/Tail light. All the original wiring is intact except for the Tail light... In the picture on the Link I posted there are 3 wires BLK/RED and BLUE - on mine however there is a Solid Brown/Solid Green and a Stripped Green.... I would assume one green is ground, one is for the running light and the other for the brake?
  • Deleted Member
    April 6, 2010 3:47 PM PDT
    when going to LED i was once told there is an "equalizer" you have to install inline due to the change in electrical load? i have personally never done the swap. i have never encountered an issue on automotive/heavy applications when doing the swap, it was always plug and play. are you sure the new light fixture is grounded properly? the axle is in the swingarm mounted in rubber mounts, might try to add a jumper from battery negative to the fixture ground. just a thought.badinfluence
  • Drawde
    April 7, 2010 2:10 AM PDT
    I'll be messing with the Bike later today and will be trying the suggestions - It would have been nice to have the color coding like in the image in the link (BLK/Red BLU) but I got the one that has Brown/green/green striped... and no indication which is which. I know the LED's work as I am able to get them all on when I connect the Brown to (+) and the Green Solid to (-) but that is it - when I attempt to place all in the original circuit I get nothing - When I place the Original back in the circuit it all works fine - So something isn't right - Will play with what I am assuming are the ground wire and see what happens -
  • Drawde
    April 7, 2010 1:08 PM PDT
    Ok so with your help and suggestions I finally figured it out - From Lisc. Plate LED Brake/Tail Light: Brown Wire to RED in the Harness, Green Striped to BLUE in the Harness and last, Solid Green to Ground/Frame. It works like a champ - So, it would have been nice to have some direction as to what wire was what when you get the LED KIT - Just beware or be prepared!! THank for your Help!