How to wire a license plate frame with tail / brake light?

[Tommy P]

As far as I can tell I need to tap into the green / yellow wires after determining which is for the tail and which is for the brake with a circuit tester.
Assuming I've got that right, where do I tap into them? The wiring harness under the seat, at the tail light assembly or someplace in between?

 

[Obo]

Just as easy to do it where the wires go into the tail light. Put in a quick disconnect (male/female spade or round connectors) to make it easier to remove the rear fender (or you'll have to either cut the wire each time or take the splice apart (if you use a quick splice.)

These work well and are removable. https://www.posi-products.com/posiplug.html - see positaps. Posi makes some nice stuff, albeit a bit pricey.

They are much better (but more expensive) than than Scotchloks


I've also seen these, but never used them. The do not appear to be removable.

E-smartinlife 100PCS T Tap Electrical Connectors – Quick Wire Insulated Wire Terminal and Male Spade Connector Set (100PCS Blue) : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

E-smartinlife 100PCS T Tap Electrical Connectors – Quick Wire Insulated Wire Terminal and Male Spade Connector Set (100PCS Blue) : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.ca

 

[Tommy P]

Thanks for the tip. Posi lock looks a lot better than the quick splice route. Do you know what gauge the wire is?

 

[Obo]

I forget the wire size.

I just added extra brake lights and a flasher unit to mine and put it all in a project box under the seat with screw terminal blocks for easy removal when needed.

I soldered the wires from the brake light where it was split up to the project box. I still may to license plate lights and or side case & top case lights.

 

[Al st1100]

since, the new lights are led(I hope) the scotchloks should work just fine. Just pack some grease in them to keep corrosion and water out. Solder and tape would be better.

 

[Paul Troon]

I was doing some boat work and found out about liquid electricians tape. Its use would be to spread on an electrical connection for boat trailers that get submerged. That one bottle will last a long time.

 

[Obo]

I was doing some boat work and found out about liquid electricians tape. Its use would be to spread on an electrical connection for boat trailers that get submerged. That one bottle will last a long time.

I've used liquid electrical tape and it's good stuff, especially for oddly shaped things and if you want a good thickness. The only issues I have are the long dry time on it and I've had a couple of bottles "dry out" and turn into an unusable mess (think cottage cheese) after opened, even when they were properly sealed shut. In hindsight the "drying out" it could have been due to being in the garage under freezing temps...

 

[Upt' North]

Tommy, them posilocks seem decent kit.
If it's an 11, from memory the green and green and yellow are the brake light wires.
If wiring is for the number plate surround (new one on me) then I would go from behind the light.
Hope it helps.
Upt'North.

 

[Paul Troon]

Permanent solution anytime I used liquid tape. But your prior post notes a solution that allows for a disconnect. Decisions, decisions for the OP.

 

[Obo]

If wiring is for the number plate surround (new one on me)

Here's a pricey example but it combines direction signals, tail, brake and plate light all in one.

Oh no, your trial has expired | Maropost Commerce Cloud

Oh no, your trial has expired

www.badboybobbers.com.au

Here's a more traditional style

Black Classic Dual LED License Plate Frame w/ Red LEDs & Clear Lens

Manufacturing Motorcycle Safety products in the USA for nearly 25 years!

www.signaldynamics.com

 

[ST Gui]

Scotchlocs are removable but are not quick disconnects. Historically I've found them to be unreliable particularly with age and potentially damaging to conductors. But they're cheap and quick to apply. The use of dielectric grease or liquid tape could mitigate that. YEMV.

Posi-Locks are pricey but fairly convenient and easy to remove. They have a great track record for reliability. The one small nit is they're bulky - a T connection compared to the inline Scotchlocs.

The common barrier strip is cost effective though used alone it means cutting the wire and not just tapping it. But I see applications for it.

Those quick disconnect taps are interesting. I tend to think of these taps as temporary (though they're usually left until they become troublesome) so a quick disconnect to them seems - odd - to me.

Some license plate frames can be wired for both tail and brake light duty but my preference would be for a brake light only. I think the Off-On-Off pattern is more conspicuous than most of the combo frames tail-brake-tail pattern. As tail lights are on constantly they help serve as location/distance markers. They're more effective as dual lights higher and farther apart making it easier for following traffic to gauge your speed and location. Same with turn signals. IMNSHO.

This flasher from superbrightleds is a great addition to any aux brake light or strobe to limit its flashing to be more acceptable to local rules of the road. Whether or not that's a concern for the rider - it's probably helpful to anybody following you. Great bang for buck. This would work for the stock brake lights as well though again my preference is not to modify the stock tail and brake lights if possible because they are reliable and street legal as is. I like to keep the farkle creativity to aux lighting. Except for LED headlights natch.

 

[Larry Fine]

Green is ground, green/yellow is brake, brown is tail.

 

[ST Gui]

I've never used any liquid tape product but it looks like properly applied it could make wire taps (not the John Gotti kind) a fairly permanent solution as well as sealing punctures when the taps are removed for whatever reason.

 

[Obo]

This flasher from superbrightleds is a great addition to any aux brake light or strobe to limit its flashing to be more acceptable to local rules of the road.

I got the flasher off Amazon for under $6 Cdn. They are just over $7cdn now.

SODIAL(R) Flash Strobe Controller Flasher Module for LED Brake Tail Stop Light 12-16V : Amazon.ca: Automotive

SODIAL(R) Flash Strobe Controller Flasher Module for LED Brake Tail Stop Light 12-16V : Amazon.ca: Automotive

www.amazon.ca

If I recall there are 2 models the GS-100 and GS-100A one handles the higher current incandescent bulbs draw.

I wired the flasher into only the 2 extra LED brake lights I installed. The OEM brake/tail light still functions like it always did.

 

[ST Gui]

Just an FYI - Amazon has the quick-disconnect T-taps a little cheaper for those south of our northern exposure (Canada not AK).

AND that GS-100A flasher.

 

[Obo]

Just an FYI - Amazon has the quick-disconnect T-taps a little cheaper for those south of our northern exposure (Canada not AK).

Lol. A little cheaper? $9.99 on amazon.com and $41.99 on amazon.ca. Change the .com to .ca and add $32 sounds about right...

Kuject 240Pcs T Tap Wire Connectors, 24-10 AWG Quick Splice Electric Wire Terminals, Self-Stripping Insulated Male Quick Disconnect Spade Terminals Assortment Kit with Case : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

Kuject 240Pcs T Tap Wire Connectors, 24-10 AWG Quick Splice Electric Wire Terminals, Self-Stripping Insulated Male Quick Disconnect Spade Terminals Assortment Kit with Case : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.ca

 

[Erdoc48]

I have that same flasher on 2 of my cars with the 3rd brake light LED and on the 94’s top case LEDs. It does get you noticed (in a very good way) so those not paying attention don’t hit you. On the 300ZX which has incandescents, I used a different flasher I got on Amazon, so it’s 4 flashes then solid on.

By the way, with the bikes, I removed the wiring from the rear recess of the bikes, fillet the needed wire to expose the core, then wrapped the wires from the license plate frame and the top case to the now uninsulated part of the wire, and used electrical tape to close each connection. It came out clean and except for the recent top case installation, they have been taped like that for years and have not failed. Soldering the connections would be a better idea, but It’s tough to get a soldering iron in a tight space. For the main tail lights, I use the Kisan Tailblazers with the halogen bulbs with which they come (gotta use proper grammar).

The only issue with the radius license plate frame (other than the very high cost) is the fact that it’s designed for an H-D fender, so it’s curved. A flat frame would be needed for our bikes.

 

[Obo]

Here's the flash pattern. It's non adjustable.

 

[Chunk]

I find the scotch locks work fine as long they are the correct size for the wire gauge, problems arise when they are not sized correctly. I've never used the other type shown here so YMMV. The posi-locks look interesting though, I'll pick some up and give them a whirl. They look better for trailer wiring than scotch locks and tape.

 

[Obo]

I find the scotch locks work fine as long they are the correct size for the wire gauge, problems arise when they are not sized correctly. I've never used the other type shown here so YVMV. The posi-locks look interesting though, I'll pick some up and give them a whirl. They look better for trailer wiring than scotch locks and tape.

The also have the posi-lock (for joining 2 wires inline), the posi-tap (for adding into an existing wire, the posi-twist (joining wires not inline), posi-tite (waterproof connector) as well as some posi-tap and posi-locks that connect wires of different gauges.