help on license plate lights

[borlax]

My license plate lights are powered through a splice in my tail lights, there is only one wire for both sockets and no ground. They are aftermarket and the style shown in the picture. I have Sylvania 1156 bulbs and can't get them to turn on. The sockets get about 11 volts with the key and lights on. The bulbs that were in it were both burnt out and were smaller on the glass part than the picture. I had a problem with the same style bulbs with 2 different scooters where the specs had to match exactly or they wouldn't work. My back up lamp sockets have no power, though I'm assuming that's the switch on the trans. All of the fuses are good. any ideas? Thanks

 

[adsm08]

My license plate lights are powered through a splice in my tail lights, there is only one wire for both sockets and no ground. They are aftermarket and the style shown in the picture. I have Sylvania 1156 bulbs and can't get them to turn on. The sockets get about 11 volts with the key and lights on. The bulbs that were in it were both burnt out and were smaller on the glass part than the picture. I had a problem with the same style bulbs with 2 different scooters where the specs had to match exactly or they wouldn't work. My back up lamp sockets have no power, though I'm assuming that's the switch on the trans. All of the fuses are good. any ideas? Thanks

You know, you identified the problem in your own post.

I subtly marked the spot where you told us exactly what is wrong.

 

[borlax]

I was under the impression that the two nodes on the side of the bulb were the ground. If its just a single wire spliced to + on the tail light how would you suggest I ground it? It came with an LMC Truck bumper. It's on the lower right corner in the page of this link

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/fr/full.aspx?Page=73

Thanks

 

[MPRanger]

Ground it to any bare medal on the truck preferably the frame and with less than 18" of wire.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[adsm08]

I was under the impression that the two nodes on the side of the bulb were the ground.

No. The two nodes on the side are to lock it in place. Functionally the whole metal collar is the ground.

The nub on the bottom is the power, but you still recognize the need to hook it up to the vehicle's electrical system for that side of the circuit to work. Why is the ground side any different?

Just run a wire from the ground of the second bulb (in series is the worst way wire vehicle lights BTW) to the bumper, or the frame.

 

[borlax]

Where would the ground be on the second bulb? Wrap a wire around the metal collar?

 

[4x4junkie]

Is there no ground terminal or anything on them? Do the sockets not have metal tabs or clips that secure the socket assembly into a hole on the metal bumper? (or is there rust or corrosion on them?)

Maybe solder a wire to each of the metal bulb sockets and then run the other end to ground.

 

[adsm08]

Where would the ground be on the second bulb? Wrap a wire around the metal collar?

Get pictures of this thing please.