Had "one of those days"

[Thealien]

I go to a local car show today and as I was backing in another guy says my left brake light wasn't working. I checked all the lights just a couple of days ago! I only had a 10 in one scewdriver so I swapped bulbs from side to side and still no left brake or directional. I'm kind of an anal person so it was on my mind most of the day but I enjoyed the show. When I got home I grabbed my test light, the bulb in it was burnt out so I grabbed a meter. I put a new tilt column in a couple of weeks ago (have had it for many months, just got around to installing it) so I figured I would test at the curved connector since it was the latest "change". I tested on the good side (right/green wire) and the meter showed correct voltage. I checked the side not working (left/Yellow) and got the same reading, hmmm!

So I start at the back checking for voltage at the lamp, none. At the crossmember plug, none. At the firewall plug, none. I continue to check the good side to make sure there are no abnormalities using the meter and I get a good 12Volts on the good side?

Everything looks good and still no left brake/directional so I follow the harness and don't see anything. The front is working so it can't be the flasher. I decide to go back to the curved connector and I am getting poor reading on the harness side of the plug but 12 volts on the turn signal/hazard side? I take the connector apart, remove the pins (messed up the harness side pin, figures). Something doesn't seem right and I am getting frustrated. For the hell of it I grab the turn signal switch from my non tilt column and plug it in.

YUP you guessed it, it works. 3-4 hours wasted (I did put dielectric grease on all my plugs). I don't understand why I would get voltage readings at the plug but it wouldn't work (maybe the meter takes a lot less voltage than a flasher/lamp? Well I need a turn signal/hazard switch for my newly rebuilt tilt column. I also have to fix the connector it plugs into. Oh well thought I might give some of you a laugh at my expense. Even I think its amusing............NOW. One of those days.

Tommorow I think I may try to dye some seat belts, wonder what I'll screw up then?