Turn signals, hazard flashers, and brakes.

[Brian VT]

For my knowledge, is that contraption that brings the wires through the firewall a male/female plug that I can disconnect and inspect?

 

[Nero]

Yes it is. It's either clip connect or (most likely) a bolt that holds it together. Sorry, a bit rusty on my bullnozes, I haven't owned one in a few years. Bolt should be on the engine side.

 

[Brian VT]

Thank you. Gives me something to shoot for.

 

[Brian VT]

I checked continuity from the brake pedal switch to the fuse box to confirm which pole of the brake switch the power should be fed to. Then I took power from where the fuse is for the running lights while I had them turned on and fed it through my multimeter to the proper side of the brake switch. It read 0.0 with the brake pedal up. I press the pedal and it reads -12.5v. But the bulbs don't get brighter. And the hazards still don't work. (hazard flasher confirmed to be good).
So I guess that means my brake switch is working.
What next?

 

[Nero]

So just to clarify, you do not have 12v at the brake light switch, you had to supply power with a wire from the running lights? And with this supplied power you still don't have brake lights?

 

[Brian VT]

I just ran a jumper from the running lights fuse position to the brakes/hazard fuse position.
Brakes & hazards work!
So I guess my switches are all good.
Now I've gotta figure out why no power to brakes/hazard fuse. Or just rig a permanent jumper from somewhere? It doesn't look like I can remove the fuse panel to work on the back side.

 

[Nero]

I'd try to back trace why you have no power at the fuse. Could have rubbed somewhere. Jumping power will just cause it to back feed on that circuit and could cause other issues. Sounds like you're narrowing it down though!

 

[Brian VT]

So I rigged a "permanent" jumper from the power door locks fuse to the brakes/hazards fuse.
It's half-azzed. But it works. So I can get a sticker on it.
I hate to leave it like that but I've got so many other chores to be doing.
Hopefully one day I'll fix it proper.
Thanks for all the help here.

 

[Brian VT]

Your last post came while I was writing my last one where I decided to just leave the jumper.
Now I'm nervous about the back-feed.
Ugh.

 

[Brian VT]

If my jumper goes to the "out" side of the fuse location and I don't put a fuse there then it won't back feed, correct?
And it's still protected by the power locks fuse that I'm taking power from.
Correction. I'm taking power from the horn/cigar lighter/cruise fuse. And that's a 30A. So I need to run the 15A fuse for the brakes/hazards. So I guess I am backfeeding. But that leg is already dead so no harm then?

 

[Nero]

Just because the leg is dead doesn't mean there could be an issue. A dead wire could be corrosion, or a cut/loose wire. Don't want one of them dangling around. If you take the fuse out and supply power to the load side of the fuse (the end that goes to the brake switch) you'll be fine, but I'd still run an in line fuse.
A pair of female blade terminals works great in a pinch.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Here's another option even if it's kind of jury rigged. Sometimes, your truck doesn't have a certain option, but there's still a spot for it in the fuse box. There won't be a fuse there, but you will still have power to one side of the fuse slot. You can use a spade terminal, solderless connector to get power from there. Then you can put your own inline fuse holder and run power from that to your desired location. In your case, that would be to your brake light switch.

 

[Brian VT]

I like that idea. But it seems the "not used" fuse spots don't even have any metal in them so, no power to tap.
Today I ended up grabbing an "add-a-fuse" kit. I don't know why I bothered to read the instructions after I got home and opened it but it says, "10A fuses max". Nowhere on the package does it say that. WTH?
I was stewing over it and I can't imagine why it would be limited to 10A. And my jury-rig certainly can't be any better. So I installed it in the 30A horn/cigar/cruise slot with 30A for that and a 15A out to a male spade feeding the brakes/hazards.
It's more sano and better connections and not back feeding the original supply to the brakes/hazards and that curcuit now has the proper 15A fuse.
I guess I'll leave my fuse panel cover off and see if it gets hot or melts something else down. lol

Pic of "add-a-fuse".

 

[IDIBRONCO]

But it seems the "not used" fuse spots don't even have any metal in them so, no power to tap.

I've seen ones that do, but they may have stopped doing that after the Bull Nose trucks.

 

[Nero]

I've seen ones that do, but they may gave stopped doing that after the Bull Nose trucks.

Nah my truck had a few of those, with one hot wire and no load wire. Came in handy actually.