VERY slow flashers

[Odd]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> <font color="red"><b>Oh, if someone knows how to hook a buzzer up to the blinkers, I would really like to know about it! I can't hear them
when I am driving down the road and I have driven miles down the road with them on.
For some reason, the US instrument panels have all the indicators blacked out and they can't be read in sunlight con-
ditions. </b></font id="red"> jclay <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
With the LED-bulb flasher relay fitted (mentioned above - which is totally silent) I found myself in the
same predicament as jclay - I need to <b><u>hear</u></b> my direction indicators working!

So, I started thinking, and studying the schematic... I soon realised that I could <b>either</b>:
Fit two sounding devices, one to each of the electrical sides - after the switch on the steering wheel.
<b>or</b>
Fit one sounding device, fed via one diode from each of the electrical sides, still after the switch on
the steering wheel.
The 'via diode'-solution would look neater since a single thing is easier to hide than two... [:)]

So, a single sounder it should be, but what should I get that could emit a sound, that don't con-
sume amperage (= more heat!), that is easily available and don't cost a fortune..?
A 'you've-forgotten-your-lights-on' beeper of course! Cost was less than the equivalent of four local
stamps at our local petrol station here in the village. I'm sure they can be found just about any-
where, and also cheaper.

I broke open the plastic casing, replaced the two (red + blue) wires with the correct Lucas coded
wires for this new application. Each of the two (was a single red one) plus wires, one Green/White
and one Green/Red was connected to the little circuit board via one 1N4002 diode each.
The ground wire was (of course!) changed from blue to the proper black colour as well.
Then it was just a matter of glueing the casing back together, connecting the three wires to their
colour-cousins behind the instrument panel - And start working on how to <b><i>lessen</i></b> the volume of
the beeper! It is way to loud as it is now, but I think a dab of glue will silence it just enough... [8D]

Here's a picture of the little beastie taken just before glueing it together again:

[macutmore]

Interesting. My Brand new replacement flasher unit seemed to flash a little slower than the original. Rimmers now supply a round one whereas my original was a square one. With the engine off the indicators would in fact stop completely. It passed the MOT last year like this. When approaching and stopping at traffic lights though, the indicators began to stop winking at idle and would only actually flash, albeit slowly when reving, but at normal speed when actually driving a little faster!

This year at a different test centre the tester failed it purely on the indicators flash speed. When I put in my original 27 year old flasher unit, all however was well. Although some minor speed variation does occur with engine revs, the flasher always actually flashes correctly even with the engine off. Basically the test centre last year should not have passed the car. Beware of replacement flasher units. I think with well sorted earthing and decent connector integrity and with a correct lucas original spec flasher unit, all should actually be well.

[saabfast]

What does your voltmeter do at the traffic lights? Often the flashers slowing is an indication of a low charge rate and the alternator starting to fail (or a loose belt). Normal flasher units take some power and are generally one of the first things noticed when the charging is not what it should be. With an electronic flasher unit (very easily fitted) the rate is constant.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

[busheytrader]

Mac,

It's possible that Rimmers supplied you unknowingly with a duff replacement, or a flasher unit for one of the other models they supply.

As you say, keeping all the contacts and earths clean keeps the flashing rate of the original acceptable.

Adam



TR7 V8 DHC Jaguar Solent Blue. 9.35cr Range Rover V8, Holley 390cfm, JWR Dual Port, 214 Cam, Lumention, Tubular Manifolds, Single Pipe Exh, 3.08 Rear, 200lb Spax & PolyBushes, Anti- Dive, Granada Vented Discs & Calipers, Braided Hoses, 4 Speed Rear Cylinders, Uprated Master Cylinder & Servo, AT 5 Spokes and Cruise Lights. No Door Stickers. Mine since July 1986, V8 from 1991

[macutmore]

Alternator is new and charge rate voltmeter reading great too. The Flasher unit supplied last year by Rimmers was not a genuine Lucas one, but appeared, albeit round instead of square the correct spec by its id stamp. It still (just) fitted in the square metal mounting bracket. It worked fine but just slowed to a complete stop with the engine off. The original square LUCAS one is however totally perfect but not as loud as the replacement. I love that winking noise because it saves checking the arrow lights on the dash visually whilst driving! No doubt the modern electronic one is more constant– is it a good sound? Since my original is 27 years old and still going strong the only reason to replace it is for a better (slightly louder) sound. All the old flasher units seem to vary somewhat in ‘tone’ and level; I like it when they sound like an old mechanical positive clock....Classic indeed.

[macutmore]

Having now done some homework I can confirm that my original flasher unit is a LUCAS 8FL36 which has the part number 35048. Contrary to popular belief these seem to still be manufactured by LUCAS and have the part number SFB114. The UNIPART part number was GFU116.

These are actually fitted mainly on motorbikes and have been fitted also on hundreds of different makes of Vehicle over the years.

So no reason why that lovely classic "winker noise" cant still be with us for years to come! It is basically a (2 x 21W) + (5W) specification flasher.

OK it won't last as long or be as efficient as the new 'electronic type' (that needs earth modification), but bizarely it is an original part still being made and strangely is not being supplied (at least in its original square Lucas form by our reputable suppliers for us today).

Since mine lasted 25 years and flashed perfectly pre deterioration, I see no reason why I shouldn't get another.

The Lucas website cross references the part number to many makes of vehicle.

[wedgewa]

With all due respect to the variety of new systems proposed, the original signals are pretty simple. The flasher unit depends on both voltage and current for operation. As aging connections increase in resistance, conditions change quite a bit. I just went through a serious repaint with all lights and trim removed. Also replaced the stalk switch on the steering column due to a failure of the high beam switch portion. With all the connectors and all the lamps freshly reinserted and a new switch, it's amazing how fast the flashing is. And both left and right are back to the same speed (they were not before).

Something else you can do that I carried over from fixing the relays in old Lionel electric train whistles and horns is clean the contacts inside the flasher. Those rectangular Lucas flashers have aluminum covers that are crimped on. Very easy to remove and replace. I have cleaned the contacts in mine several times by lightly squeezing a white business card between the contacts and scrubbing a bit. There's not much to it. That's how I'm still blinking with the original factory flasher from 1980!

[trphil]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by wedgewa</i>

With all due respect to the variety of new systems proposed, the original signals are pretty simple. The flasher unit depends on both voltage and current for operation. As aging connections increase in resistance, conditions change quite a bit. I just went through a serious repaint with all lights and trim removed. Also replaced the stalk switch on the steering column due to a failure of the high beam switch portion. With all the connectors and all the lamps freshly reinserted and a new switch, it's amazing how fast the flashing is. And both left and right are back to the same speed (they were not before).<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Even so I bet they still stop flashing when you've got the headlights on, the demister running full blast, the windscreen wipers running full speed and you're braking to make a turn...

[wedgewa]

"Even so I bet they still stop flashing when you've got the headlights on, the demister running full blast, the windscreen wipers running full speed and you're braking to make a turn..."

Nope, they work fine with all that PLUS the air conditioning and fog lights on. (Of course with the ac there's a throttle jack that kicks up the rpms at idle when the compressor engages.)

[FI Spyder]

Me too. With all contacts clean and a stock basic alternator that is putting out, my flashers are fine. At idle with lights on and even wipers going they do slow down a little but hey, that just takes me back to the era like the car is supposed to.[:)]

TR7 Spider - 1978 Spifire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra

[john]

This post title reminded me of that comidian who used to say i'm writing this letter slowly as i know you can't read very fast [:D]

[8 whole cylinders worth of punch to ram the world through the windshield and out the rear view mirror. Car & Driver]
1981 Grinnall TR7 v8
1981 Black FHC
1979 & 1980 Black Premium FHC(laid to rest) Sorry


John

[stevie_a]

<font color="maroon"><b>I would say bin the original flasher unit

Go in to Halfords and get your self one of these flasher units

connect it up add an earth and you will have no more problems</b></font id="maroon">





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<font size="4"><font color="green"><i>If it's not broke don't fix it.</i></font id="green"></font id="size4">

[macutmore]

I'll certainly bin the original flasher unit that has deteriorated! Since a replacement original <i>Lucas</i> flasher unit still appears readily available for only a few pounds that will still give that lovely <i>original noisy coarse winking noise </i> associated with a true classic car.

I remember swapping these things over in the eighties to ensure that the flash rate did not significantly reduce when electrical demand was at maximum. It is just a tolerance issue, nothing more.

[Spectatohead]

I've been reading this thread with much interest. My car, besides being as old as anyone else's here, has sat for 8 or 9 years. I don't remember my '80 TR7 having this problem but this car had it big time. The right signal worked fairly well but the left would stop completely if my foot was on the brake. The indicator in the dash for the left signal was out, so, I replaced it. Well this didn't make any difference in the overall behaviour of the signals. They were still slow and the left one would stop when the brake lights were on. There were several suggestions for replacement flasher units in this thread. I decided to experiment with my own. I went to Auto Zone and bought a Blazer brand FL32 electronic flasher for $8.99. It is a two pin 25A variable load unit for trucks and RVs. The existing connectors snap right on to it and the signals work great. It also clicks louder than the original flasher so it is easier to hear, but not too loud. It flashes about 90 times a minute at idle. I'll see how it works in practice over the next few days.

Jim Clark
'80 TR8
'97 Maxima 5spd

[Underdog]

I was quite interested in this thread when it first started as mine were slow. I often wonder if it may have been partly to blame for getting rearended.

Anyway, an update. As part of rebuilding the car I replaced all of the brake & turnsignal bulbs with new ones. The signals now flash perfectly just like ones on my daily drivers. I have no idea why but they do and I never did anything with the flasher units??

Jim Underwood
72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.