The taillight assemblies have a large single plate combination ground and bulb retainer for all the bulbs. One brown wire goes to a ground inside the engine compartment and to the other side plate. I’ll have to check to see if the other LED bulbs have 5v constant too, and just don’t light up.  

 

What confuses me is there should be no power going to the tail or brake lights with the ignition on until you turn them on or step on the brakes, so where is the constant 5v back feed coming from?

 

Stuart

 

 

 

From: dbeierl@gmail.com [mailto:dbeierl@gmail.com] On Behalf Of David Beierl
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2017 1:12 PM
To: Stuart MacMillan
Cc: vanagonlist a
Subject: Re: Backup light puzzle anyone?

 

Your voltmeter should be able to tell you where the problem lies.

 

Yrs,

d

 

On Tue, Apr 11, 2017 at 3:42 PM, Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@gmail.com> wrote:

Yeah, DC circuits are famous for floating currents when grounds are
disrupted.  I'll replace the ground wires and connectors and see what
happens.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: Dennis Haynes [mailto:d23haynes57@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2017 6:42 PM
To: Stuart MacMillan; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: RE: Backup light puzzle anyone?

You need to look at the grounds at one of the rear sockets. Resistance at
the grounds is putting the 2 lamps in series from the other bulbs giving you
the half voltage causing the low current sensitivity of the LEDs to light
up.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Stuart MacMillan
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2017 9:09 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Backup light puzzle anyone?

I got a pair of LED back up "bulbs" along with the other LEDs for my '85
automatic transmission Vanagon, and they are on all the time when ignition
is on (other bulbs work fine). The switch on the selector is brand new (both
parts), but there is a constant 5v at the backup lights and at the switched
contact on the selector switch, and the proper 12 volts on the power side.
5v is enough to illuminate the LEDs.

There has to be some kind of short in the wiring between the switch and the
lights, but where would that wire pick up 5 volts?  The rear taillight light
assemblies are in excellent condition and I've re-done the ground at the
left taillight.

I've had to go back to the filament bulbs until I can figure this one out.
Or maybe just forget about the LEDs because the short is probably buried
somewhere in the wrapped harness under the van.

No end to the fun!

Stuart