vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 hello, can anyone help. I have a 1983 mack r model 685. I installed an electric trailer brake unit yesterday, everything worked fine untill today.the lights are staying on all the time. I traced the problem back to the brake light switch wiring. For some strange reason now the cold side of swich has power all the time and the hot side is dead even with the wiring disconnected from the switch. what would cause that? I disconnected the trailer brake unit still no luck. A wiring diagram would be helpfull to trace back the wires. Thanks Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaddeusW Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 hello, can anyone help. I have a 1983 mack r model 685. I installed an electric trailer brake unit yesterday, everything worked fine untill today.the lights are staying on all the time. I traced the problem back to the brake light switch wiring. For some strange reason now the cold side of swich has power all the time and the hot side is dead even with the wiring disconnected from the switch. what would cause that? I disconnected the trailer brake unit still no luck. A wiring diagram would be helpfull to trace back the wires. ThanksOk so the brake lights are stuck on the R685 and the switch doesn't have power on the hot side and the side that should be cold when your foot is off the brake is constantly hot? Hmmmm. Sometimes an open ground wire can cause havoc in a lighting system. Had an open ground on my GMC savanna and it caused all sorts of odd problem like the brake lights to stay on and when you hit the brakes the brake lights went out and the reverse lights came on! And to top that off the dash board lights blinked along with the turn signal. Found a single ground wire at the rear of the van that once screwed back to the chassis fixed all the lighting problems. An open ground leaves the current with no return path and sometimes it runs backwards through other lights and wires so start checking for bad ground wires at the rear of the truck. Also check all your fuses/circuit breakers for the lights and see if they are blown/tripped. If you replace it and it blows again its a short. Quote -Thad What America needs is less bull and more Bulldog! Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17729 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HK Trucking Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 hello, can anyone help. I have a 1983 mack r model 685. I installed an electric trailer brake unit yesterday, everything worked fine untill today.the lights are staying on all the time. I traced the problem back to the brake light switch wiring. For some strange reason now the cold side of swich has power all the time and the hot side is dead even with the wiring disconnected from the switch. what would cause that? I disconnected the trailer brake unit still no luck. A wiring diagram would be helpfull to trace back the wires. ThanksCheck the stoplight switch. if it's stuck on, the stoplights will be on obviously, but you'll also have power coming back to the stoplight wire of the brake controller too.Also, if you have a "trolley valve", make sure that isn't slightly applied, which would cause the stoplights to stay on.Also check the foot brake treadle to make sure an accumulation of dirt or a corroded anchor pin isn't causing the foot brake to stay on slightly, which would also cause the stoplights to stay on. Quote "If You Can't Shift It Smoothly, You Shouldn't Be Driving It" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17732 Share on other sites More sharing options...
CML Service Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 A couple things to check. Many Macks light the stop lights when the parking brake is set so that is first to check. Did you install a new trailer electrical socket? If so perhaps a strand of wire has come loose and crossed circuits. Is the trailer connected while you are noticing this? That could be giving a feedback from the breakaway battery. Chuck Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17733 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freightrain Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 How did you wire the plug? Did you install a different 5,6,7 pin out back? Sounds like you might have something crossed up(if it's 7 pin, did you wire in the contant hot?), this could be backfeeding to brakelight switch?I suppose this happens with NO trailer hooked up?Another question: is this an air/elec unit? or plain electronic unit like used in pickups?My air/elec unit has an adjustment for "power level". If you adjust it up too far, it will leave the brake lights on. I ended up disconnecting that wire, as it was there so "IF" you actuated the brakes by the unit only, it would operate the brake lights. Safety gizmo I suppose? I was not worried about it. Quote Larry 1959 B61 Liv'n Large...................... Charter member of the "MACK PACK" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17736 Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanmayman Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 check your air pressure for the truck. sometimes the brake lights will come on when you have low air pressure Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17738 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Check the stoplight switch. if it's stuck on, the stoplights will be on obviously, but you'll also have power coming back to the stoplight wire of the brake controller too.Also, if you have a "trolley valve", make sure that isn't slightly applied, which would cause the stoplights to stay on.Also check the foot brake treadle to make sure an accumulation of dirt or a corroded anchor pin isn't causing the foot brake to stay on slightly, which would also cause the stoplights to stay on.I disconnected the wires from the switch thinking it was a bad switch but even when disconnected the cold side has power all the time causing the lights to stay on. I also disconnected brake controller with no luck. I will check the trolley valve and foot brake treadle. Thank You Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17744 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 A couple things to check. Many Macks light the stop lights when the parking brake is set so that is first to check. Did you install a new trailer electrical socket? If so perhaps a strand of wire has come loose and crossed circuits. Is the trailer connected while you are noticing this? That could be giving a feedback from the breakaway battery. ChuckThank You Chuck, I will check that out Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17745 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 How did you wire the plug? Did you install a different 5,6,7 pin out back? Sounds like you might have something crossed up(if it's 7 pin, did you wire in the contant hot?), this could be backfeeding to brakelight switch?I suppose this happens with NO trailer hooked up?Another question: is this an air/elec unit? or plain electronic unit like used in pickups?My air/elec unit has an adjustment for "power level". If you adjust it up too far, it will leave the brake lights on. I ended up disconnecting that wire, as it was there so "IF" you actuated the brakes by the unit only, it would operate the brake lights. Safety gizmo I suppose? I was not worried about it.I had the trailer hooked up and put new plug which was the same and every worked fine until the next day. even checked it with another trailer and it worked fine. I will check if something is crossed. Thank You Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17746 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 Check the stoplight switch. if it's stuck on, the stoplights will be on obviously, but you'll also have power coming back to the stoplight wire of the brake controller too.Also, if you have a "trolley valve", make sure that isn't slightly applied, which would cause the stoplights to stay on.Also check the foot brake treadle to make sure an accumulation of dirt or a corroded anchor pin isn't causing the foot brake to stay on slightly, which would also cause the stoplights to stay on.You are the winner, It was the trolley valve. My brother thinks he may have leaned on it when he put the dash back together. Thank You so much, It was driving me crazy. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17748 Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinny Posted March 21, 2008 Author Share Posted March 21, 2008 I would like to thank everyone for your input and helping me solve this problem. You guys are great , Thanks again Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/3537-help-brake-light-problem/#findComment-17749 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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