696 Brake light problem after tail chop install

[SAMoloGY]

need some help here as ive exhausted most of my options...

i installed the competition werkes tail chop yesterday on my 696 in the stock position (w/signals) and just before placing everything back together.. i decided to check the lights and signals. the signals are working fine but.. whats happening is that the brake light is now always ON.. as if im always pressing the brakes.. ive checked all the connectors and all the wires twice and problems persists.

any help would be appreciated, since driving at night could be very dangerous!

[Slide Panda]

Well I'm not familiar with the 696 wiring - but on all the previous monsters, there were 3 connectors leading to the bulb housing. 1 for running, 1 for brake and the ground. If you swapped the running and ground leads the result would be similar to your situation.

Got any sort of circuit tester? You can pick up one of the little ice pick light types for a couple bucks and any auto parts place. That'd at least give you a 2nd way to check if the running light is always on, and the brake like comes one only when a switch is closed.

[Howie]

Also check to see if you pinched the wires going to the tail light causing a short.  Before doing that, disconnect both front and rear switches.

[floyd turbo]

Check to see if you put the bulb in backwards

[Popeye the Sailor]

Check to see if you put the bulb in backwards

The pins are typically offset, so you can't actually do that.

[floyd turbo]

The pins are typically offset, so you can't actually do that.

oh is this how it starts here? now i know why i lurked for 2 years before signing in

if everything was working before chances are the wires are mixed up maybe a bad ground or the bulb was inserted wrong.  the pins are not typically offset they are offset but people manage to put them in backwards everyday

i was just making a suggestion

[Howie]

Check to see if you put the bulb in backwards

The 696 is an LED tail light (one piece assembly).

The pins are typically offset, so you can't actually do that.

People manage to do that anyway, not sure how.

[ducpainter]

<snip>

People manage to do that anyway, not sure how.

On my old girl the socket for the bulb is so loose it's really easy to do it.

[Popeye the Sailor]

oh is this how it starts here? now i know why i lurked for 2 years before signing in

Actually it starts here: http://ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?board=14.0, where we all innerduce ourselves 


Welcome to the board, btw.

[ungeheuer]

Check to see if you put the bulb in backwards

And that would make what difference exactly?  (Not that its possible anyway on a 696).

[ducpainter]

And that would make what difference exactly?  (Not that its possible anyway on a 696).

The brighter filament would always be lit (tail light), and the dimmer one wouldn't make any difference in brightness.

[Popeye the Sailor]

And that would make what difference exactly?  (Not that its possible anyway on a 696).

It would go out while braking and get brighter while accelerating 

[Raux]

the CW kit is awkward for wiring and yes you can ground and pinch wires easily. Check the wires from the rear wiring loom connection back for pinching. then unplug the tail lights two connections and put shrinking wrap tubing on them. reconnect them. check the light again (as said always on with brighter with braking), if all is well heat the shrink wrap.

[grunte]

If you have a friend with a 696 (I know...not likely) you could take your brake light and hook it up to the other bike.  That will let you know if there is a problem with the light fixture itself or with the wiring.