VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Electrical - 6 volt Brake Lights when brake is applied

I pulled the dash out of my 47 chevrolet stylemaster to have it refinished. Prior to pulling it I had the brake light working just fine running and when the brake was applied. Now I cannot figure out how to rewire them to the switch to make the brake lights come on when the brake is applied. I have both wires to the switch but cannot find the right combination to make them work and the manual just does not help me. You all have come through for me before. You are my best hope now. Thanks!

Looking at the wiring diagram it looks like you have a hot wire from the light switch going to the stoplight switch then a wire from the stoplight switch going to the brake lights. If the wire going to the brake light switch is hot and there's no power to the output when the switch is activated it's a bad switch. If there's power to the output it's possibly a bad ground. It looks like a pretty simple switch, one wire in and one wire out. It shouldn't make any difference which terminal is connected to which wire.

Exactly - it worked before I pulled the wires and refinished the dash. Now in hooking it back up I cannot get the brake lights to work when the brakes are applied. Nothing has changed except the disconnect at the switch of both wires. I will go at it again to see if I can figure out the proplem. Thanks.

Fixed - you were right. It was a bad ground wire. Thanks - always can depend on someone to stir me into the right direction.