Testing a 3rd brake light, how?

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Dec 3, 2005 | 02:00 AM

B R

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Melting Slicks

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From: Los Angeles, CA.... I know a guy who has a Lambo with Corvette doors

Testing a 3rd brake light, how?

Aside from hooking up a 3rd brake light to a car, what's the way to test to see if it's functioning? I tried to hook up 12 vdc direct to the contacts on connector, but didn't get anything. Does this work off some other voltage? Or is the light I'm testing just dead

?

Thanks,

B R

Dec 3, 2005 | 08:08 AM

0EG@EnglandGreen

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I hook it up to the car and use a big wall mirror behind the car so I can see it. Works for me.

Dec 3, 2005 | 02:41 PM

B R

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Melting Slicks

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From: Los Angeles, CA.... I know a guy who has a Lambo with Corvette doors

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnglandGreen

I hook it up to the car and use a big wall mirror behind the car so I can see it. Works for me.

Sorry, I guess I left out the point that the light I'm trying to test is not mounted on the car, so it's easy to apply power directly to it. I just assumed it was 12 vdc, but when it didn't work, I just wanted to be sure that I had a dead light vs. improper testing proceedure.

Dec 3, 2005 | 02:47 PM

Mike Mercury

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the C5 CHMSL is an LED unit. So if you hook it up externally, polarity of the voltage source is important.

And if it is the C5 CHMSL... be careful of the exposed contacts. They break off easily (and the contacts are one-sided too. So your test voltage leads will only work if touching the side that has a conductive layer)

Dec 3, 2005 | 06:19 PM

B R

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Melting Slicks

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From: Los Angeles, CA.... I know a guy who has a Lambo with Corvette doors

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Mercury

I know they are LEDs, & I tried the polarity both ways. I'm interested in what you mean about the contacts being one sided. They look like standard metal male connectors, & I was just touching bare wires to them in no particular way, other than to prevent a short circuit. Are you saying that only a certain portion of them makes electrical contact? If yes, which part?

Thanks for the info

Dec 3, 2005 | 07:32 PM

Mike Mercury

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Quote:

Originally Posted by B R

Are you saying that only a certain portion of them makes electrical contact? If yes, which part?

Thanks for the info

yes, but I can only speak about the C5 CHMSL. The "pins" visable (after the harness is unplugged) on the CHMSL body are not "pins". They are very narrow extensions-or-fingers of the larger circuit board inside the device. The circuit board is only plated on one side... so the pins (fingers) only have a conducting surface on one side.