Issues with Glitch Ballast

[dennpars]

Hi all,

I'm having an issue with the glitch ballast I bought recently and I'm looking for some help. I emailed the seller, but from what I understand she may not be able to answer the technical questions about the installation.

My issue is that I have parking lights, but I don't have brake lights. The system in my car seems to be working fine. I have brake lights everywhere else (tail lights, middle light in window), but neon light won't light brighter than it is when the parking lights are on. Fuses are good, but if they were bad I wouldn't be getting brake lights in the other locations either.

I have checked my electric at the connection to make sure that I am getting power to the connector when the brake is pressed. 11.5 to 12V to parking light connector without brake pressed. When brake is pressed parking voltage goes to zero and brake goes to 11.5 to 12V. I have retinned the connector responsible for brake light operation. I have checked continuity between the connector end and the wire across my newly soldered connection. Tomorrow I will probably check for voltage across the connector when brake is pressed.

The only thing left is the ballast itself at this point. I'm wondering if anyone has seen any issues like this before. Is there something simple that I am missing?

Thanks

 

[unity]

Trunk harness wire loom? Could have an issue there, very common.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Have you messed with the adjustment on the new ballast?

 

[My Great 8]

^^^ What he said ^^^ There's a very small adjustment screw. You can use a flathead for eyeglass frames. It adjusts the intensity.

 

[Sonny Day Out]

All,

The screw only adjust the intensity of the parking lamp ! The brake lamp is preset ! Lower the intensiy of the parking lamp !

Good Luck,
Sonny

 

[dennpars]

Thank you for the intensity adjustment suggestion. I saw the screw and read the description and thought from it that it only adjusts parking light intensity. When I look at the lights while they are in park, I wouldn't say the neon is overly intense. And when brakes are applied the intensity of the other lights are much more than the neon.

I'll play with the adjustment today and see if it helps. Thanks all.

 

[turn_on68]

Let us know if that fixes it.

 

[dennpars]

Let us know if that fixes it.

Looks like the adjustment was the issue. I had to make quite a few turns (20-25) CW in order for it to even register being turned at all. Then a few more to get it to the point where the brake light would register when pressed. It seems quite a bit dimmer in parking mode, but at least I have a brake light now.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Continue to turn it up until you're satisfied with the brightness. Do it in the dark.

 

[dennpars]

I played with it for a bit. I guess I was expecting a gradual move in intensity of the brake light. What I found was the brake either worked or it didn't. So I adjusted it right to the point where the brake light started to work. It looks beautiful now.

 

[LSC CE 82]

Is this the neon tail you're talking about? I wonder if that's what's wrong w mine... See my post. Thanks.