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Posted By Discussion Topic: Wiring issue on 48 Woodie -- page: 1 2     bigvince 08-15-2011 @ 2:41 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 60 Joined: Oct 2009 I just completed the restoration on my 48 Woodie wagon including all new wiring. When I step on the brake, both brake lights illuminate - and so do the instrument panel lights. What did I do wrong and what do I look for? Mechanical I can handle - electrical wiring is not my area of expertise. Thanks! MG 08-15-2011 @ 3:55 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1261 Joined: Nov 2009 Somehow you've made a common connection point of the brake and dash light circuits through the brake switch. If your new wiring came as a wiring kit, there should be a schematic drawing you can refer to and double check your connections based on the color code of the wires. If you used a non-standard wiring scheme, trace the wiring at the brake light switch - one side to battery and the other side to the tail lights. Should be just two wires on the brake switch. You must isolate the two circuits (dash and brake) from one another. I can visualize the problem you have but it's hard to explain this simple fix. Do the dash lights come on as normal when you turn the headlights on with your foot off the brake? This message was edited by MG on 8-15-11 @ 4:11 PM deluxe40 08-15-2011 @ 5:01 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 413 Joined: Oct 2009 I'm thinking you have one of the brake light wires connected to a tail light. The tail lights are in common with the dash lights, so If a tail light gets power, the dash lights will be lit. Problem is I can't figure out how a tail light can be connected to the brake light switch and still be connected to the tail light wire. Still thinking... This message was edited by deluxe40 on 8-15-11 @ 5:11 PM ford38v8 08-15-2011 @ 5:08 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 2765 Joined: Oct 2009 DeLuxe40, me thinks you have acquired this knowledge by way of personal experience. What say you? Alan deluxe40 08-15-2011 @ 5:15 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 413 Joined: Oct 2009 Although I have lots of personal experience hooking things up backwards, I'm just trying to figure out how a person could plug in a new loom to get this result. I made a drawing and thought I had it, but now I'm not so sure. How can that tail light be connected to BOTH the master cylinder and the light switch (and the dash lights) at the same time? OK, here's a theory. The new wiring loom also works on a sedan or something with a separate license plate light. So, the wire that is supposed to connect to the passenger side brake light gets connected instead to the the connector on the loom that is supposed to power a license plate light. So power from the brake switch goes back through the loom to the light switch on the dash where it connects to the dash lights. This message was edited by deluxe40 on 8-15-11 @ 6:01 PM shogun1940 08-15-2011 @ 5:49 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 464 Joined: Feb 2010 I have the same problem on a 48 I think who ever wired the car has the brake and tailights reversed, its a rats nest under mine in the back. I think this is the problem because the tail lights are real bright, I hope its that easy trjford8 08-15-2011 @ 8:21 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 4220 Joined: Oct 2009 I hate to beat this issue to death, but if the tailamps are not properly grounded the brake lamps will feed back through the tailamps with a poor or no ground. On a woodie it is critical to ground the tailmp housings. The feedback can cause the dash lamps to illuminate. deluxe40 08-16-2011 @ 10:28 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 413 Joined: Oct 2009 Tom, thanks for the explanation of the ground feedback possibility. It makes sense and didn't occur to me. It will be interesting to learn what bigvince finds. bigvince 08-16-2011 @ 5:41 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 60 Joined: Oct 2009 Guys, Many thanks for all the suggestions. Evrything is hooked up right. I disconnected the tail light/license plate side (left) and the right brake light still works and no instrument panel lights come on when I sep on the brake. That's good. I'm going to try grounding the left side again and check everything there. I HATE ELECTRICAL!!! TomO 08-17-2011 @ 7:00 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 7256 Joined: Oct 2009 Bigvince, Trying to isolate a ground loop by disconnecting things can lead to false indications. The 2 stoplights draw enough current to light the dash bulbs, but 1 stoplight may not. I would use a jumper wire from the tail light housing to a good ground like the bumper arms or the chassis. If that resolves your problem, the use a ohm meter or continuity checker to check that both tail light housings are grounded. Tom

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