brake light always on....well it seems that way

is it common for the brake light to always be very close to full intensity all the time? When brakes are engaged I do see the slightest bit of increase in intensity but not much at all (hardly noticeable in daylight). Doesn't seem right to me. Note: with the key turned off, and the front brake lever pulled the brake light goes from completely off to on (as it should). Maybe nothing wrong here, but brake lights are important and I'd like it to be obvious to people behind me when I am braking - the very slight increase in intensity concerns me.

1982 XJ650 Maxim

 

The tail light is quite bright for daytime visibility, and the brake filiment is about half-again as bright as the brake filament. If you notice that the brightness increases when the brake lever or brake pedal is engaged, then it's working correctly.
It sounds like the brake light is a bit dim, so I'd recommend cleaning the sockets, and maybe getting new bulbs.

You might have someone run the brakes as you stand about 50 feet back from the bike. The angle that you look at the light from makes a significant differnence in percieved brightness.

 

I would say no. The Maxim should have two 1157 bulbs that are 27 watt for the brake and 8 watt for the tail light, which makes the brake considerably brighter. Check the bulbs as k-moe suggested, and make sure they are the correct number. Could be you have one brake filament burnt out or just not working. Could be someone installed LED bulbs, which many are known to have a poor differential in lumens between the tail and brake light.

Don't think that is normal. With the key off there is no power applied to the signal circuit.

 

thanks k-moe and Rooster.

are you sure Rooster ? when in Nuetral, and the key inserted and in the "off" position, if I pull my front brake - both the neutral light comes on and the braklight comes on. I did install a new fusebox and shore-up all of the connections a few years ago but I didn't change any wiring (other than add a cigarette adapter near my horn to charge my phone while riding ...easy and useful mod utilizing the open connector on the new fuse box XJ4ever sells.
everything electrically works good, headlight, signals, etc.

I'll definitely check my bulb wattages in the light and report back - that could definitely be it - I could have a 27 watter instead of 8 watter in my tail light

1982 XJ650 Maxim

 

Well yes, pretty sure about that as the ignition switch in the "OFF" position should disconnect all power to the three running circuits in the fusebox. If there is power in the signal circuit the horn, rear brake, and flashers would also be operational.

There is a "P" position on the ignition switch, but on the 650 Maxim this should enable only the tail light when that position is selected.

The 1157 bulb should be dual filament with 27 watts for the brake and 8 watts for the tail. So just be sure that is what you have and they are both functioning. I don't have a 650, but from the wiring diagram it looks like the bullet connectors could be swapped illuminating the incorrect filaments, however that would be unlikely as the color code for the wires is yellow and blue so they are easily identifiable.

 

OK I have two dual filament bulbs in my taillight (82 maxim). both bulbs are on with the key and there is an ever so slight increase in brightness when brakes are applied. the side of the bulb says 12V32/3CPB

can anyone with two bulbs in their taillight tell me if both bulbs are supposed to be on with the key?.....or should only one go on with the key and the other with the brake ?

I definitely have something weird going on, been riding it for years because everything works just as it should but here is what is weird........with key off, pulling in the front brake seems to liven up the electrical system, I can blow the horn, switch on the turn signals, even press the start button and turn it over......weird.....then the second you let go of the brake everything is off. I don't know if this is related or not to what I have going on with my rear taillight. All I know is that with the exception of what I have already explained, everything else works perfectly with the electrical system.

 

That should be correct

With the key on both bulbs should illuminate but only the low wattage filament, which is the tail light.
With the brake depressed (front or rear) both bulbs should get considerably brighter as the high wattage filament is illuminated.

This would suggest that the front brake switch is not connected to the correct wires. It is instead connected to a hot wire and consequently when closed routes power to the fuse box. I would start there to verify color correctness for those two wires - two bullet connectors. You should have a Br to Br and a G/Y to G/Y per the Haynes manual. The Br wire should only be hot when the key switch is set to "ON".

Also be sure to check the color coding on the tail/brake wiring as earlier mentioned.

 

thanks Rooster, I will report back.....currently when the key is turned on both filaments in both bulbs are lit. Then with the brakes there is a tiny increase in intensity (and I mean tiny)

 

fixed. I am embarrassed to say what the problem was.....I just kept thinking why would both filaments in both bulbs be lit without the brakes applied? answer....they wouldn't.....the tension spring on the rear brake light switch was too tight, therefore the brake lights were always actuated or on. Go figure that the addition of the front brake would actually make the filaments in the bulbs slightly brighter.
--thank you all for your help

 

----rooster this is what solved it for me, thanks!

 

Yea the two switch are wired in parallel, so the two together will supply just a bit more current to the bulbs making them brighter.

So what about the other issue with the key off and pulling the front brake lever?

 

yeah.......not sure I want to start tearing down to diagnose that since everything works as it should. Although I would like to get some opinions on what it might be based on the symptoms before I start rummaging around with the wiring. There is lots of black tape wrap all around the original wiring.....all of my NEW wiring for my new fuse box and switched out turn signals (the black rubber ones so they would fit inside my hard Yamaha saddle bags) was just at the ends...

 

OK I discovered this electrical oddity while solving a different one.

with the bike in neutral, and the key in the off position. Apply both the front brake and the rear brake at the same time and report what happens. Does the neutral light come on? do the horn and blinkers work ?

I can't believe that my bike is the only one that does this.............

 

ok you inspired me Rooster, I posted about the other problem....I want someone with this same bike to try it. Note the only reason I discovered this is because my rear brake switch was stuck in the actuated position. If it weren't for this I don't think I would have noticed it. You might never apply both the front and rear brakes at the same time with the key in the off position......it's like a weird back door to my electrical system

 

Mine does absolutely nothing...

 

OK, just to clarify. Before the rear brake was fixed when you engaged the front brake the entire electrical system became active. Now that you have adjusted the actuator on the rear brake so that the switch is no longer always closed, does just the rear brake light come on with the front brake only (key off), but the remaining circuits are dead?

 

lol

 

Which is what it shoud do.

@maybe4, you do indeed have an electrical issue. Please keep it in the thread you already started about the brake light. I can merge this one with it if you like.

 

ok merge, thx

 

yes (no headlight though). now that the rear brake switch is fixed you have to 1st step on the rear brake and then pull the front brake lever hard....(I actually hear an audible little electrical click) at which point the neutral light and the rear brake light come on and I can also turn on the blinkers and sound the horn (although it's weak). all during this time you must continue to keep both brakes fully engaged or everything goes dead.

You have to have both brakes engaged and the bike must be in neutral for the neutral light and also the tail light to come on (with the key off), the remaining circuits are not dead (except the headlight....that is dead). if both brakes are not engaged and if the bike is not in neutral, then everything is dead.