GHILA Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 As above the flashers on my Spitfire 1500, light up but dont flash. The car has stood for 25 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 Flasher unit?. Old style where Bi-Metal. Its probably siezed in the "on" position Try swapping it out for a New one and or known working one. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 a bad earth will be top of my list and check the rear lamps the claw holders can all get mixed and cause griief some eart via the claw some earth witha wire and then there is the single / twin filament mix of bulbs and holders , Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB Posted May 12, 2021 Report Share Posted May 12, 2021 You might try replacing the original mechanical flasher unit with an electronic one. I think mine cost about £10. The old unit worked alright in the day time but at night with the lights on, when I had to wait in the middle of the road to turn right, the voltage decreased and the flashing rate decreased and sometimes stopped. With the electronic version, the flashing rate is constant no matter what the output from the alternator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 Do you remember the part number of the electronic unit you used Graham as theres various types? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVD3500 Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 Doesn't an electronic flashed help (=is required) if you convert to LED as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 doesnt just help, irs essential as the mechanical unit needs a certain current flow and if that changes due to fitting different or more/less bulbs its operation will change. You might just get away using an LED in the dash but the flash speed could change... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 if t your lamp earth is poor the circuit back feeds via the side lamps they wont illuminate but add load tot he flasher more load slower flash too much load and they stay ON same is reversed a bulb failure gives a faster flash wink wink whats on the flasher unit many show 2 x 21 2x21+5 (for repeaters) and LED compatible you cant mix them Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 I fitted the electronic flasher unit some years ago and can no longer find the exact unit but something like this should work. You will have to connect the earth terminal via a short wire to an earth such as the clamp holding the speedometer. I have no connection (is that a pun?) with the company but have used them several times to buy relays, wire, fuses etc with no complaints. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 I run 2 LED flashers at the rear with incandescent at the front with a old bi-metallic flasher all OK, then I switched to an electronic flasher & it did funny things so disconnected power reverted to the old set up with LED rear only and all OK again, emergency Lucas 4 way set up also OK with mixed LED/incandescent too. Daughters Spit the same set up been that way since around 2004. I should go ALL LED's with LED electronic flasher can, on both normal and emergency and see if it all works OK, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 As I say, I think theres two types of 3 pin electronic flashers, one has a separate output for the dash light. Dont know what effect it has if you use the wrong one but the case should say 2 x 21w + 5w so the one Graham has shown appears to be the wrong type... As Pete says the lower current being drawn by your LEDs means a mechanical flasher will operate more slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 This on ebay should do the job but I havent tried one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 No, it is correct. If you manage to read the small print in the photo, the three terminals are power in, power out to indicators and earth (the electronic timing circuit needs a constant current of a few milliamps so has a separate earth). There is no separate connection for the dash mounted indicator which is correct for the Spitfire. This compares with the mechanical unit that just has a power in and power out. If I remember correctly, the mechanical unit has one male and one female connector so you need to change to female connectors on each wire as the electronic unit has three male connectors as in the previous post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 Ahhh there are two separate dash repeaters for the Spitfire then? On the earlier cars its just one common one so the flasher unit has have a separate output for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamB Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 There is is only one dash board indicator wired directly between the left and right indicator circuits. When you signal left the indicator earths through the right had bulbs and vice versa. The current through the indicator is less than 200 mA so not enough to illuminate the bulb through which is earthing. There is no separate connection from the flasher unit to the dash board indicator. 40 is the flasher unit, 41 the indicator switch, 44 the dash board indicator. I have removed the hazard warning switch for clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 13, 2021 Report Share Posted May 13, 2021 interesting, so thats why on some cars although the indicators bulbs can be changed for LEDs the dash one cant as its got to flow current in both directions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjit Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 On 13/05/2021 at 22:05, johny said: interesting, so thats why on some cars although the indicators bulbs can be changed for LEDs the dash one cant as its got to flow current in both directions... You can swap the dash repeater bulb to LED with a little wire swapping. I forget exactly what I did, but then I swapped it/the bulb back after about 2 drives - the LED bulb was so bloody bright it turned the whole cockpit green, and at night made it hard to see where you were going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 Hi, The most elegant way to have a single LED act as the cabin repeater is to fit a bridge rectifier. No extra wires or grounds needed. i opted for two cabin LED's- Left/Right. I had to ground the cathodes. Cheers, Iain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 why the rage to update to LEDs with all the pitfalls of not keeping it SIMPLE yes they can be Brighter and yes they use less current thats about all Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 43 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said: why the rage to update to LEDs with all the pitfalls of not keeping it SIMPLE yes they can be Brighter and yes they use less current thats about all Pete They last much longer than the metal spring things burning in a non perfect atmosphere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 My experience of LEDs is that they are overpriced, over hyped, and don't last anywhere near the much publicised 25,000 hours. With mains voltage units they have a nasty habit of tripping the circuit breaker when they blow plunging everywhere on the same circuit into darkness. They have been forced on us by the environmental brigade as being better for the environment, probably as long as they are made in a country with lower environmental standards than ours...cynical view with no proof to back it up so please advise otherwise. Not a great fan but my dashboard lights are still ok at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 45 minutes ago, Badwolf said: My experience of LEDs is that they are overpriced, over hyped, and don't last anywhere near the much publicised 25,000 hours. With mains voltage units they have a nasty habit of tripping the circuit breaker when they blow plunging everywhere on the same circuit into darkness. They have been forced on us by the environmental brigade as being better for the environment, probably as long as they are made in a country with lower environmental standards than ours...cynical view with no proof to back it up so please advise otherwise. Not a great fan but my dashboard lights are still ok at the moment Hi, Your experience of LED's. Should be your experience of assembled LED modules? Don't blame the LED's. A lot of DC & AC LED stuff out there though. A lot of sellers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 I use what I can buy. I assess what I have bought. I had no idea that units were available other than assembled modules?? I just replace the ones that go bang, literally, with monotonous regularity. Like car spares, some good many more bad no way of telling which, when new. To me, an 'LED' comes in a box and gets plugged in and switched on. Simples, or so I originally thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpitFire6 Posted May 15, 2021 Report Share Posted May 15, 2021 38 minutes ago, Badwolf said: I use what I can buy. I assess what I have bought. I had no idea that units were available other than assembled modules?? I just replace the ones that go bang, literally, with monotonous regularity. Like car spares, some good many more bad no way of telling which, when new. To me, an 'LED' comes in a box and gets plugged in and switched on. Simples, or so I originally thought. The ones that go bang. Are they gu10 type? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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