# Help with Twin-Flex Luggage Carrier Taillite



## shutterbugKELLY (Jun 14, 2007)

Does anyone know how to get this taillite to work?






The wire runs from the switch in the tank to the taillite in the rack.  There are 2 holes in the bottom of the canister; one for a screw to secure it to the rack, and another for the wire.  Where does the wire go after that?

Kelly


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## Gordon (Jun 14, 2007)

*light*

Looks to me like tightening the lense down so the base of the bulb touches the battery would complete the circuit and make the light work without using a switch.


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## shutterbugKELLY (Jun 14, 2007)

That's how the Delta light on our Belknap works, you just twist the lense to turn it on.

I've been fiddling with the light, and realized that the battery goes the other way (I assumed it went in the same way as our other Delta taillite) other wise the bulb holder won't screw in.  The light comes on and stays on, but that's no good either because the lense is separate from the bulb holder so tightening or loosening it would have no effect.

My great-uncle may have had problems with the taillite back in the 40s, because when we got the bike several years ago, the switch had been taken out of the tank and the wire had been cut.  He died about 40 years ago, so it's a little late to ask him, lol.

At least if we can't get the switch to work, we can always unscrew the lense and tighten the bulb to turn it on when we show the bike.


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## kunzog (Jun 14, 2007)

By looking at your pic, I would think the spring around the bulb should be at the - side of the battery.


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## shutterbugKELLY (Jun 14, 2007)

I think the spring is just to keep the bulb from screwing all the way in.  Without it, the light stays on all the time even with the bulb holder barely in in the canister.

Now, with the light together I can stick the wire through the hole in the bottom of the canister to turn it on, but the switch doesn't do anything if I flip it on-and-off.  Maybe it has to be mounted in the tank first for it to work?  Or, maybe the switch is a dud.


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## militarymonark (Jun 14, 2007)

well sometimes its hard when its not right in front of us cause when I have things in front of me I can figure them out. if you dont have it figured out by the time I get over to your place I'll see what I can come up with


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## Oldbikes (Jun 14, 2007)

Okay, I believe I have the solution to your problem...
First, the light is not operated via a switch.  It is designed to be turned on by simply tightening the lense -- making contact with the bulb and the battery --and loosening it to turn it off.  
Try this simple solution:  Take the battery and set it on it's end on a peice of paper and trace the circumferance of the battery.  Next cut a hole in the center of the paper big enough for the nipple of the battery to fit through.  Slide the battery into the cannister with the cut out paper covering the end of the nipple end of the battery and then slide the spring loaded part with the bulb into the cannister over the battery making certain that the legs on the spring loaded bulb holder make good contact with the wall of the cannister, grounding it.  You should be able to tighten it down enough to allow the bulb to make contact with the battery, thus turning it on and then loosen it a turn or so to turn it off.

Good luck,
Alan


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## shutterbugKELLY (Jun 14, 2007)

I do have another Delta canister tail light, similar to this one, that is meant to be turned on-and-off by just twisting the lense.  The canister is just a hair shorter, the bulb holder doesn't have legs which allows the bulb holder to move freely, there is no wire around the bulb, and it doesn't have a hole in the bottom to allow for the wire.

Because of the legs, it pops into place and doesn't move.  I can tighten and loosen the bulb itself to turn the light on-and-off, but the lense doesn't move the bulb holder itself unlike other tail lights.

As of now, the tail lite lights up when the end of the wire is stuck into the bottom of the canister, but the switch won't turn the light off.

Hey oldbikes, what does the paper do?

Military Monark, start thinking.  I might run by R&M tomorrow to see what they suggest.


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## bike (Jun 19, 2007)

*If there is a wire from the can*

sometimes there was a "blank" instead of a battery to allow remote power. A Also (and more likely) the reflector should take 2 bulbs, one for the TAIL light that is turned on by twisting the lens and the other for the STOP light activated by a switch on the hub.


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## 37fleetwood (Jun 30, 2007)

I think the switch is not correct. it is correct for the tank not the light. the Zephyr tanks have a cutout for the switch to run the pair of Silver Rays used on other models. My Twin Flex tank has the opening but the holes have never been drilled. My streamliner has the silver rays and switch. the switch doesnt make sense in the tank when the battery is in the light not using the tank batteries.
Scott


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## shutterbugKELLY (Jul 1, 2007)

I stopped by R&M the other day, and let them play around it.  They said that the switch was self grounding in the tank, and that the wire runs from the switch to the canister through the small hole in the bottom, and to make sure that the wire is insulated all the way until it touches the battery.  I think they said the screw that holds the canister in the rack is what grounds that part it. 

Though our switch is no good because the guy who soldered the wire to the switch got it overheated and made it warp just enough to prevent the switch from sliding completely side-to-side, oh-well, the Twin-Flex just sits parked in our living room anyway.

Kelly


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