Brake and Tail Light have no 12vdc at fuse panel

[DrRock]

Hello All, I’m chasing down an electrical issue where my Stop and Tail fuses have no power at the fuse panel, thus rendering the brake, tail and running lights inoperable. How does power get to the fuse panel for these items? Headlights, indicators windshield wipers all work fine. I’ve got a factory manual but it is for 1981 model year and my truck is a 1985.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Is there any power to the fuse panel at all?

This might relate to my Fusible Link Replacement Kit that you installed…

You know how you took the fat cable with the ring terminal coming out of the FLRK and attached it to the back of the alternator? Originally the alternator had a smaller white cable with a ring terminal attached to it. Did you leave that off? Both ring terminals - the original white one and the big red cable one from my kit - need to be attached to the B+ post on the back of the alternator.

That white cable, aside from being the factory charge wire between the battery and the alternator, also has a hidden tee inside of the wiring harness. It splits off and provides power for the entire fuse panel in the cabin, hence it needs to remain attached to the alternator.

The headlights are powered separately so those should still work. I believe the wipers are too. I do have this info in the instructions that come with the FLRK, but the instructions are pretty long-winded and a lot of people miss this piece.

 

[DrRock]

Hey

Is there any power to the fuse panel at all?

This might relate to my Fusible Link Replacement Kit that you installed…

You know how you took the fat cable with the ring terminal coming out of the FLRK and attached it to the back of the alternator? Originally the alternator had a smaller white cable with a ring terminal attached to it. Did you leave that off? Both ring terminals - the original white one and the big red cable one from my kit - need to be attached to the B+ post on the back of the alternator.

That white cable, aside from being the factory charge wire between the battery and the alternator, also has a hidden tee inside of the wiring harness. It splits off and provides power for the entire fuse panel in the cabin, hence it needs to remain attached to the alternator.

The headlights are powered separately so those should still work. I believe the wipers are too. I do have this info in the instructions that come with the FLRK, but the instructions are pretty long-winded and a lot of people miss this piece.

That was it! This is what I get for not reading the fine manual in detail. On the bright side, it made me clean up a bunch of bubba special trailer wiring I found in the Drivers side rear quarter panel.

Thanks again for the help, much appreciated.

 

[CruiserTrash]

@DrRock No problem! Glad you got it sorted! And yeah, if I had a nickel for every time folks didn’t read ALL of the instructions… I’d have a a few extra bucks haha.