NC30 Stop/Tail light issues (SOLVED)

Forum rules
Please can you post items for sale or wanted in the correct For Sale section. Items / bikes for sale here will be removed without warning. Reasons for this are in the FAQ. Thanks
st22041967
Settled in member
Reactions:
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:23 pm
Bike owned: NC30 Grey Import
NC30 Stop/Tail light issues (SOLVED)

Post by st22041967 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 10:27 am

Sooooooooo I have just replaced the alternator and fired the bike up.

I have now noticed that the stop/tail lamps are on - and are VERY bright (regardless of light switch position)
AND that the brake switch switches these off when pressed.

Suggestions on a post card please as I'm rubbish with all thing electrical.

Thanks in advance guys
Last edited by st22041967 on Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

magg
Senior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 1910
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:55 pm
Bike owned: VFR400
Location: Blue Mountain NSW Australia
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by magg » Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:50 am

The action and affect is not obvious. Perhaps other parts of the electrical system were disconnected and reconnected, not just alternator changed and simply reconnected to the loom in the engine V?

st22041967
Settled in member
Reactions:
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:23 pm
Bike owned: NC30 Grey Import
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by st22041967 » Mon Oct 29, 2018 1:08 pm

I changed the alternator myself.
I'm pretty sure I haven't disconnected anything else as its simply disconnect "3 pin yellow" alternator wires, replace and then reconnect when done.

magg
Senior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 1910
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:55 pm
Bike owned: VFR400
Location: Blue Mountain NSW Australia
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by magg » Mon Oct 29, 2018 8:25 pm

Disconnect whichever brake switch causes the lights to go off, the switch may be faulty.

st22041967
Settled in member
Reactions:
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:23 pm
Bike owned: NC30 Grey Import
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by st22041967 » Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:55 am

Ok, Done that no change.

As I suspected the brake switch hadn't failed during the alternator removal/replacement process (Why would it?)

magg
Senior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 1910
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:55 pm
Bike owned: VFR400
Location: Blue Mountain NSW Australia
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by magg » Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:35 am

Pure coincidence since as you say you only replaced the alternator. Does the fault exist without the engine running, why did you replace the alternator?

Suzuki416
Familiar Member
Reactions:
Posts: 298
Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2016 10:17 am
Bike owned: 3 x NC35, 3x NC24, NC29, RC46
Location: London
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by Suzuki416 » Wed Oct 31, 2018 10:23 pm

Also have you actually checked the voltage outputs?

st22041967
Settled in member
Reactions:
Posts: 72
Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2016 12:23 pm
Bike owned: NC30 Grey Import
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by st22041967 » Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:17 am

And the answer for anybody that is interested

BOTH of the rear bulbs which are the dual filament "stop/tail" type bulbs "Tail" filaments had blown simultaneously leaving only the remaining filament working on both. They were in fact taking all of the remaining current which made them VERY bright indeed so I hadn't spotted this.

Once I had actually taken the bulbs out and looked at them carefully it was obvious what had happened. Remove/Replace/Done.

Moral of this story....
Always start with the easiest/simple checks first before imagining more complicated problems!

But thanks magg & Suzuki416 for your help, much appreciated.

magg
Senior Member
Reactions:
Posts: 1910
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:55 pm
Bike owned: VFR400
Location: Blue Mountain NSW Australia
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues (SOLVED)

Post by magg » Mon Nov 12, 2018 8:31 pm

Interested, but must say your explanation does not follow the principals of electromagnetism as I understand them. The stop and tail light circuits are independent with the exception of a common ground return. Two blown tail light filaments should result in no tail lights, not two stop light filaments constantly illuminated that go out when you apply the brakes. Such a scenario would suggest a wiring issue resulting in a poor earth or return connection.

Simplysideways
Settled in member
Reactions:
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:57 am
Re: NC30 Stop/Tail light issues

Post by Simplysideways » Tue Nov 13, 2018 7:29 am

st22041967 wrote:
Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:17 am
And the answer for anybody that is interested

BOTH of the rear bulbs which are the dual filament "stop/tail" type bulbs "Tail" filaments had blown simultaneously leaving only the remaining filament working on both. They were in fact taking all of the remaining current which made them VERY bright indeed so I hadn't spotted this.

Once I had actually taken the bulbs out and looked at them carefully it was obvious what had happened. Remove/Replace/Done.

Moral of this story....
Always start with the easiest/simple checks first before imagining more complicated problems!

But thanks magg & Suzuki416 for your help, much appreciated.
Thanks for letting us know your solution , I have the same issue at the minute but haven’t looked into it yet as the bike isn’t on the road yet


Post Reply