In line low pressure brake switch

I have a drum brake system on all four wheels. In September my battery went bad. I replaced the battery and noticed the hot cable was very brittle. I replaced all the cables with OO welding wire. When I took the original cable off you could bend it and it just broke into pieces. My horn has never worked. When I attempted to back out of the garage every time I turned the wheel the horn blew. I unplugged the lines to the horn. Someone pulled up beside me in Pigeon Forge and told me I had no brake lights. I checked the fuses and all were good. I then bought a new in line switch and the lights still would not work. I checked for fire at the switch was not hot. I replace all the fuses last night and pumped the brake and my third brake light came on and would not turn off. The rear lights never did come on. I am running out of ideas. I hope someone can give me some advise. I ready to go to the turkey run next week and feel I need the brake lights. Thanks, Jim

 

the brake light switch should have power to one side when the brake pedal is NOT applied. when you push down the pedal there should be power at both sides. that's where i would start checking

 

sounds like you need to run new wire. its shorted out somewhere. If the third light comes on, you are getting power. sounds like the problem is further down the line. Only a test light knows for sure.

You can chase your tail trying to patch it, or spend a couple bucks on a trailer wire kit and have all new brake, tail and ground leads.

I switched the wife's desoto from a pressure switch to a gm lever style on a keyed power source. worked like a charm.

 

need to know which car, what column, I guess it is your 32 since the GTO didn't have a pressure switch.

 

Like any switch, the pressure switch just provides continuity under pressure. Here's what I'd do:

- Disconnect wiring from switch, and verify that you have continuity across the two switch contacts only when pedal is pressed (under pressure), no continuity otherwise
- Then ensure a good 12v source to the pressure switch (fused/switched), and a good 12v out the other pressure switch contact when the pedal is pushed
- Then look for 12v at the taillight terminals (bulbs removed) when the pedal is pushed, no 12v when not

Easiest to chase these items upstream-to-downstream... eliminate variables as you go.

 

Thanks for the input. I will chase ends tonight and let you know.

 

If the third brake light works, but the others do not, it is usually a problem in the wiring to the turn signal switch, or the switch itself.