Aftermarket turn signals don't blink

[Anonymous]

Earl your onry :twisted:

[Planecrazy]

Re: Turn signals

A quick primer on standard flasher modules... basically there is a piece of "spring wire" inside that "springs" away from the contact when it heats up ... when it cools down (in a fraction of a second) it "springs" back and completes the circuit again. This cycle is what makes your lights flash. If your new bulbs are of lower wattage than the originals, you may not be creating enough resistance to heat up the flasher module and cause it to cycle. That's why you would need a resistor module.

An alternative would be to buy a new flasher that works at a lower wattage (or an electronic one that works regardless of wattage).

Good Luck!

Steve 8)

Your origional bulbs are rated at 23 watts(#1073bulb). If your replacements were of a higher wattage the lights would flash faster, more current drawn thru the bi-metalic arm of the flasher contacts due to the lower internal resistance of the bulbs. If they are of lower wattage they would flash slower or not at all, less current drawn thru the flasher, due to the higher internal resistance of the bulbs. Adding resistance to the circuit will only compound your problem. Adding a shunt resistance to draw more current would solve your problem but can get involved. Can you find a 23 watt replacement bulb for the new turn signal units? Easiest way out. Now for the obvious, turn signal assemblies are plastic. They require a ground connection to the bulb "socket". Not just to the housing. Check this out first. Jumper a wire from the socket to the frame to eliminate this possibility.

Ok, so just to verify what you're saying ... Higher wattage bulbs have a lower resistance than lower wattage bulbs? If so, thanks for the correction. I thought it was the other way around.

Steve 8)

[Clone]

Earl you're a funny guy
usually just hit it once and the connection is ok for the entire ride.

[Dark Jedi]

Re: Turn signals

Ok, so just to verify what you're saying ... Higher wattage bulbs have a lower resistance than lower wattage bulbs? If so, thanks for the correction. I thought it was the other way around.

Steve 8)

/digs deep in to old military training...

P=IE Power (wattage) = I(current) * E(Volts)

So, if your voltage stays the same (12V) you need to increase current to increase wattage. Lowering the resistance raises the current in Ohm's law E=IR (R=Resistance in ohms)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

[Anonymous]

turn signals

Right on Steve, Ohms law rules. The current draw of a lamp controls the heating of the flasher bimetalic arm. Example: My other ride, '72 Triumph Bonnie (check the avatar) takes a Lucas 382, 21W turn signal bulb. When the flasher went T/U I replaced it with an automotive flasher. The turn signals would not flash. The Lucas 382 draws 1.6 amps, with 2 in parallel, front & rear, plus the dash indicator, a 2 watt bulb, the total current draw is 3.35 amp. Replacing the Lucas 382 with the 1073 lamp (23w) the total current draw went to 3.75 amps, an increase of only 400ma. but the flasher now works. I dosen't take much.

[Planecrazy]

Haha -- Thanks guys! Now lets hope Curt gets his flashers working again!

Regards,
Steve 8)