Have 2005 RedCat Vx-80, electrical problem seemed to start over night
while parked in garage, Stop light is on in the iginition switch "on only"
position, when ignition is placed in the "lights" position both elements of
the bulb are lit. Have checked brake light switch, is good, have disconnected it and problem still there. Do I have a direct short to ground ? Where else do I start to look or go to?

 

Are you sure you don't have two brake light switches? My quad (not the same as yours) and others have switches on both front and rear brakes, and they are wired in parallel such that either one, when applied, will light up the brake light. Even if you disconnect one of two switches, the other switch can still be stuck on and still light up the brake light.

When you turn on the ignition and the head lights the tail light should light up just as you described, whether or not the brake is on.

 

Lynn,

You are right! There was another switch on the
front brake lever! I removed and found the plastic stud
which actuates a spring into another stud, was worn down
tremendously. I was able to actuate the switch, actually
both front and rear brake switches, I disconnected both
switches and read across the terminal connections hoping
to see the meter zero out when depressed, and open, neither switch
did. Seems odd that a switch/s don't show continuity when
closed/or in the non active pos. Am I missing something? Possible both
switches are bad? I originally thought the rear brake light
switch was good, now not sure.


I then only had head lights come on when the ignition switch
was in the lights on position, and no lights at all when in the
run only position. I did manage to get the running light lit
off in the lights on position by connecting a jumper from the
ground wire of the light to the negative terminal of the battery.


What next, Shoot the beast? I of course will now have to try and
locate these switches (new) and knowing RedCat is out of
business doesn't thrill me.


Got anymore suggestions, advice or things to try?


Thanks for your help!

 

There is some conflicting statements in your two posts that need to be looked into further:

In the first post your brake lights were stuck on whenever the ignition was on. In the second post (if I'm reading it right) your two brake switches are open all the time (whether the switch is depressed or not). If that is true then the brake light would have been stuck off, not stuck on. This part is not making sense to me.

As far as replacing them, I wouldn't bother with the front brake switch. Just cut the wires. You need one brake switch to allow the starter safety interlock to be satisfied. For the back brake switch you can buy generic switches all over the place. Many internet sites have been recommended on this forum, plus last time I looked they were also available on eBay. My rear brake switch was flakey from day one. I eventually replaced it with an used Honda 750 brake switch on eBay (bike was being parted out). It wasn't a drop in replacement. I had to cut off the Honda switch connector and splice on my old switch connector, plus I had to stretch the brake return spring to get it to work right. That was two years ago and it is still working fine. Note that the rear brake switch has to be adjusted with the mounting nut to get it to open/close at the right pedal position.

Not sure what you mean by "running lights". My quad doesn't have those, but in any case I wouldn't think that grounding things is the right way to light them up. Most lights are turned on and off by switching power to them, not ground.

 

Lynn,

To clarify the first and second posting, originally when I switched on the
ignition switch to run only, both elements of the rear light came on, the head lights did not. The bulb is a two element bulb, one element was always lit off when the ignition switch was in the lights on position, just
like running lights on a car. The second element lit off when either the
front or rear brake light levers were pulled on the handle bars. The quad
doesn't have a foot actuated brake lever with a return spring assembly
etc. When the problem occured, both light elements were on in both the
run only position and the lights on position. I originally started my trouble
shooting by pulling the rear brake light switch. I used an ohm meter to
read across the switch with the rod fully extended, this should actuate
the brake light, I then read across the switch with the rod pushed closed
which should deactivate the brake light. My readings
actually did not zero out, or give me a resistance reading ,so I therefore assumed the switch was bad because it did not give me a closed circuit.


After you responded, I then pulled the other switch from the handlebar
assembly. This one actuautes the front brakes. The actuator rod on this
switch was almost worn down to nothing, this rod has to contact a part
of the brake handle in order to keep the circuit closed or not actuated.
I duplicated my ohm meter readings and again nothing in either position.

It was then that I left both switches disconnected and wondered if a
manually connected a jumper from the ground of the light assembly to
the ground on the battery what would I get. I then had no lights in the
run position but had headlights and the running light in the lights on
position. Of course I now have no brake lights. The running light will
not light off if the jumper is just connected to the frame.

Hope this makes more sense than my second posting. I do feel that
both switches are "open" if you will, because when they are in circuit
both the running element and brake element of the bulb are lit off.

Once again, thanks for all your thoughts and help!

 

That is strange. I've never seen a quad wired like that, but if it has always been that way til now it must not be hurting anything.

Yes, my bad. I shouldn't have assumed a rear foot pedal...

Please bear with me... I'm more confused than ever... Your brake lights were stuck on, right? Then you say the switches read open ("did not give me a closed circuit"). Then the brake light are described as being "lit off".

If the brake lights were ON then the brake light switch (one or both) *must* have been closed (shorted, or zero ohms). I don't understand. Maybe the problem is on the definition of a switch being "closed". A closed switch is shorted, connected, and allows current to pass (to light up a light for example). An open switch blocks current, is infinite resistance, and will keep a light from lighting. Note that this is different from a door, for example, which doesn't allow people to pass when it is closed, and allows free passage when it is open.

What does "lit off" mean? The bulbs are either "lit" or "off" but not both.

Let's come back to this after the brake light problem is resolved...

Don't despair. We can get to the bottom of this once we get definitions right and take a few more measurments...