Auxiliary brake light on dim when not in use.

[Paul332]

Anyone know what I need to buy to stop a SHAD auxiliary brake light staying on when I haven't pressed the brakes at all.
Tested the voltage and there is 1 + volt showing when the brake light isn't being pressed.
Thanks for any help here.

 

[wspollack]

Anyone know what I need to buy to stop a SHAD auxiliary brake light staying on when I haven't pressed the brakes at all.
Tested the voltage and there is 1 + volt showing when the brake light isn't being pressed.
Thanks for any help here.

Nope.

But in the meantime, a few questions:

1) Did you hook up the Shad lights yourself?

2) Does the brake light get brighter if you actually apply the brakes?

3) Where did you (or a prior owner) tap into the wiring? Way out back, or somewhere in the middle (e.g., see this pic and caption, when I added Skene lights out back, in my C 400 GT gallery: https://billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-40 )?

4) Did the Shad add-on ever work properly?

I just took a look at the Installation Manual (https://www.shad.es/assets/anexos/ANEXOS_WEB/500875_KIT LIGHT SHAD_SH29-SH40.pdf , a two-page PDF file) at https://www.shadusa.com/collections/shad-top-case-brake-light-kits/products/d0b29kl , and it looks pretty straight-forward to me. Not trying to be a smart-alec, but if you did this work yourself did you use a 12V probe or multi-meter, to make sure that you tapped into the proper wires?

I added a Shad 59X to my C 400 GT, but I did not add any Shad optional lighting. Still, we should be able to get to the bottom of your problem ...

 

[Paul332]

Nope.

But in the meantime, a few questions:

1) Did you hook up the Shad lights yourself?

2) Does the brake light get brighter if you actually apply the brakes?

3) Where did you (or a prior owner) tap into the wiring? Way out back, or somewhere in the middle (e.g., see this pic and caption, when I added Skene lights out back, in my C 400 GT gallery: https://billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-40)?

4) Did the Shad add-on ever work properly?

I just took a look at the Installation Manual (https://www.shad.es/assets/anexos/ANEXOS_WEB/500875_KIT LIGHT SHAD_SH29-SH40.pdf , a two-page PDF file) at https://www.shadusa.com/collections/shad-top-case-brake-light-kits/products/d0b29kl , and it looks pretty straight-forward to me. Not trying to be a smart-alec, but if you did this work yourself did you use a 12V probe or multi-meter, to make sure that you tapped into the proper wires?

I added a Shad 59X to my C 400 GT, but I did not add any Shad optional lighting. Still, we should be able to get to the bottom of your problem ...

Yes I wired them myself.
Yes it goes' brighter when brake applied but looked crap when dim.
I broke into the wiring loom behind the rear light, even doing it the way SHAD shown which meant not having a brake light in the main unit it still was on dim when not on as a brake light.
No it didn't, put a light under the number plate which looks better semi lite up.

 

[wspollack]

Yes I wired them myself.
Yes it goes' brighter when brake applied but looked crap when dim.
I broke into the wiring loom behind the rear light, even doing it the way SHAD shown which meant not having a brake light in the main unit it still was on dim when not on as a brake light.
No it didn't, put a light under the number plate which looks better semi lite up.

My guess is that you're fighting with the monitoring software built into the CANbus hardware on the bike.

I was reading this K1600 forum post -- https://www.k1600forum.com/threads/additional-brake-lights.184326/ -- and some of the posters there suggest that one of the (relatively expensive) specialized devices that circumvent the CANbus is needed, as the PDM60, ezCAN, etc. There are also a few comments there indicating that the folks at Shad are not particularly helpful.

There's also a post here, in the CE-04 sub-forum, that mentions adding Shad lights: https://www.bmw-scooters.com/threads/shad-47-install-with-brake-light.2974/ . User @jorgebri60 notes, as of a year and a half ago, that he has "... not added the brake light yet. I’ll get to it eventually." Perhaps he can chime in here, especially if he's accomplished this task since that post.

Last, as I noted, I had no issues installing Skene LED running, brake, and turn-signal lights (https://skenelights.com/p3-lights-with-turn-signals.html ) out back. But on the other hand, I did NOT disconnect any existing stock wiring, but merely added to (tapped into) it (see my gallery). Perhaps that might be an approach you could try.

 

[mgg]

I added the Shad light when I put on my case. It has never looked good. I thought it was a waste of money. It lights dimily when riding and gets brighter when I apply the breaks. I also tapped into the rear light system. Are you suggesting that they are not working properly? That would make some sense.

 

[Paul332]

I added the Shad light when I put on my case. It has never looked good. I thought it was a waste of money. It lights dimily when riding and gets brighter when I apply the breaks. I also tapped into the rear light system. Are you suggesting that they are not working properly? That would make some sense.

Done the same as you, removed and binned it.

 

[mgg]

Done the same as you, removed and binned it.

I left them on the bike as they are not really ugly, thry're paid for, and they,re a PITA to remove. They just don't really enhance the appearance or make it any easier to see that you are breaking.

 

[wspollack]

@Paul332 and @mgg :

Sorry to read about your troubles with Shad lights (but certainly useful information for the community here).

1) You might consider using AdMore lights.

I have helped a friend over the years install some AdMore products -- both a license-plate add-on flasher/turn-signal and lights inside a Givi top case -- and can vouch that AdMore makes very bright, very high-quality products, and has been doing so for a decade or two.

As it turns out, AdMore offers some products specifically for Shad top cases; scroll down to the bottom of this first page of top-case lights:

Luggage Lighting Top Mounts | Innovative Motorcycle Safety Solutions

AdMore Lighting helps you find industry leading safety solutions & accessories for your motorcycle. Shop for Luggage Lighting today!

admorelighting.com

2) I think that top-case-mounted lights are optimal, because they are at or very near eye level of the typical car driver.

I had a Victory bagger for five years. That bike came stock with a top case, and that top case came stock with a wide, built-in, LED array. I added a (CustomLED Magic Strobe) brake flasher, intercepting the stock wiring (and did a write-up for the Victory community back in 2014 -- https://billanddot.com/customled-brake-light-flasher.html ).

That said, on my C 400 GT I skipped doing any lighting up top, and went with license-plate-area additions of Skene LED brake/running/turn-signals:

P3 Lights with Turn Signals-P3-TS

skenelights.com

I detail that farkle in my gallery, https://billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-38 through https://billanddot.com/C400GT/#S-45 .

I am extremely impressed with the brightness and wide viewing angle of the Skene LED modules (and the software options in the P3-TS control unit). In fact, I have added those same LED modules -- minus the control units -- to the front of my former and current C 400 GTs, as well as the front of my current Royal Enfield Meteor 350.

Like AdMore, Skene has been around for a long time, and has made improvements over the years. It, too, is one of the favorites of the GS and RT crowd in Beemerdom.

3) You might also consider a variation on option 2: mounting the Skenes to the base plate of a Shad top case.

That is, the modules are fairly small, and can be easily mounted with right-angle brackets, instead of straight ones. I was just out looking at my Shad 59X, and I think there would be a few ways that those LED modules could be attached up there (although I'm probably going to leave well enough alone in my case -- that is, I think the way I have them mounted, lower, is okay, given there brightness and dispersal angles).

In any case, I just thought I'd offer some possible alternatives for your consideration ...

 

[mgg]

Thanks @wspollack
For now I have decided to just run with the stock lights. I really think they are pretty good. I have over 6000 miles on the scooter now and have not ridden it more than a couple times at night. In the past I always have upgraded head lights and or added some running lights to my bikes but for some reason just not feeling the need on this one. The only reason I added the Shad lights is because the more I purchased the more I saved. This was the last thing I added to my order and installed it at the same time I added the case. The only reason I worte about them was to let others know what my experiance was and maybe save them some money.