installing rear running light

[Fkat]

Alright i'm a complete noob when it comes to wiring. Im working with a 1990 gsx600 harness. i know that i need to connect the running light i bought from advanced auto parts(its 2 bulbs) to a ground and the other "to a key on hot wire"... dunno what the quotes mean but i found a black/white trace ground wire and the brown running light wire... hooking those wires up to the light didn't work tho.. how do i test these wires with a multimeter? or better yet, am i even doing it the right way?

thanks,
fkat

[05RedKat600]

Black white is ground. Lemme check the wiring diagram for your hot.

Yup, brown should be your hot, as the white/black wire is the brake light wire.

To use a multimeter, black goes to black/white, red goes to brown, set to DC voltage, turn key on.

[Fkat]

Black white is ground. Lemme check the wiring diagram for your hot.

Yup, brown should be your hot, as the white/black wire is the brake light wire.

To use a multimeter, black goes to black/white, red goes to brown, set to DC voltage, turn key on.

thanks for your time redkat. I wrapped the wires onto the right probes and tested on all the dc voltage magnitudes and they all read 0. Where do i go from here?

[05RedKat600]

Fuses. Well, maybe. Have to check again.

Check for voltage at your license plate light, as it uses the same wires.

Also, do your turn signals work back there? The running light uses the same ground......

[Fkat]

Fuses. Well, maybe. Have to check again.

that what i would have figured but all my fuses are intact. I've got new 10a red fuses in all the slots

Also, do your turn signals work back there? The running light uses the same ground......

As for my turning signals.... i bought aftermarket ebay led ones.. and they will turn on but don't flash(ive been looking into that but haven't delt with it yet)

[05RedKat600]

Ok, so the ground should be intact....what about the license plate light?

[Fkat]

Ok, so the ground should be intact....what about the license plate light?

license plate light doesn't work either, bulb still seems fine too

[05RedKat600]

If the license plate light doesn't work, it's time to hit your ignition switch. That brown wire comes directly from the ignition switch.
T
The other place to check is somewhere by your right front turn signal, there should be a pair of wires. Brown and black/white, these are also running lights. No power there, it's for sure somewhere by the switch, if not the switch itself.

[Fkat]

If the license plate light doesn't work, it's time to hit your ignition switch. That brown wire comes directly from the ignition switch.
T
The other place to check is somewhere by your right front turn signal, there should be a pair of wires. Brown and black/white, these are also running lights. No power there, it's for sure somewhere by the switch, if not the switch itself.

I hit the ignition switch, even started the bike, but the license plate light didn't work. I don't have front running lights but i tested those wires and i was getting some feedback from the multimeter. numbers were jumping around 0 to -180 when i had it on 200m/2000m

[05RedKat600]

You don't want to test resistance! It needs to be on DC voltage.

If there is no voltage, then there is a problem with the brown wire which comes directly from your ignition/key switch, which means most likely there is an issue with your switch.

[Fkat]

You don't want to test resistance! It needs to be on DC voltage.

If there is no voltage, then there is a problem with the brown wire which comes directly from your ignition/key switch, which means most likely there is an issue with your switch.

don't i have it on DC voltage? The front wires showed signs of life when i had dc voltage on 20... but not the rear ones

[05RedKat600]

yeah, you do. I thought you were talking Ohms...as in 200 M-ohms etc. It should be on 20 so you can measure 12 VDC.

[Fkat]

yeah, you do. I thought you were talking Ohms...as in 200 M-ohms etc. It should be on 20 so you can measure 12 VDC.

Ah i c. ok so what does it mean when if i don't get any feedback from the rear wires when on 20 but it seems to work on the front? And do you know what number it should read?

[05RedKat600]

Ah i c. ok so what does it mean when i don't get any feedback from the rear wires when on 20 but it seems to work on the front? Do you know what number it should read?

It should read the same as your battery, maybe a few tenths of a volt less. ideally, somewhere around 12-13 volts at the brown wire on every connection. If you don't, it's either shorted or not getting power at all.

[Fkat]

It should read the same as your battery, maybe a few tenths of a volt less. ideally, somewhere around 12-13 volts at the brown wire on every connection. If you don't, it's either shorted or not getting power at all.

Alright thanks for your help! learned a couple new things. I think i can figure it out from here. if not, ill be back :P