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Extreme Veteran
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| Hi. I have a 1960 Chrysler New Yorker that the turn signals flash very quickly when in use. I read on a Imperial forum that the usual turn signal bulbs (1157?) are heavy duty bulbs and require a heavy duty flasher. There is a #552 flasher on there now and Napa or Rock Auto didn't list a heavy duty flasher.
Anybody have any ideas or are the fast flashing normal for this car. They been like that since I bought it and haven't remembered to ask someone that has a same car when Iv'e run across one.
Thanks, Ed.
I should have asked if a heavy duty flasher has a different # or do I just ask for a heavy duty #552?
Edited by local2Ed 2012-04-09 3:02 PM
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8948
   
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | a heavy duty will work but is normally used with tow package wiring . about any parts store should have one , considering they weren't just used in old mopars -------------------------------------------------------later
it may already be the heavy duty one and resulting in a faster flash sequence
http://www.ebay.com/itm/No-552-Flasher-Heavy-Duty-Turn-Signal-Hazar...
Edited by 60 dart 2012-04-09 3:14 PM
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Expert
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Location: Chestertown, NY ( near Lake George) | Try another 552, I have seen these flashers all over the place with flasher speed. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 782
Location: Edmonton, Alberta | I think 60 Dart is on to something. It's my understanding that a heavy duty flasher will flash the lights faster than a regular flasher, and that they are typically used for trailer towing applications. Could you already have a heavy duty flasher? As Shep suggested you might want to try a different flasher and see if you get different results.
Edited by sconut1 2012-04-09 8:59 PM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 582
| Went to Napa and bought a #552 flasher. The package said nothing about it being heavy duty but the flasher itself is marked "heavy duty". That solved the fast flashing turn signals.
Thanks for all the input. |
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Member
Posts: 36
| I would check on the correct bulb size first. I know my 56 Desoto does not use the 1157 bulb. I tried them becuase they had more candle power and thought I would like the slightly brighter bulb. My flasher speed changed
and when running just the parking lights the circuit breaker would trip off and on. Went back to the correct bulb number and problem was solved. |
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Expert
Posts: 1215
Location: SWITZERLAND | This problem of a fast blinking flasher I encountered already on my first cars, in the 70th, and I didn't like as well. I grinded around the flasher unit, where fixed, removed the housing, and with a small pincer I adjusted the initial gap of the contacts: smaller = faster, larger = slower.
I adjusted this "on-line" (attention: no short-circuit from pincer to ground!), and as soon I got the desirable flash-frequency, I glued the housing to the initial position. - SERGE - |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+
Posts: 13062
Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | sermey - 2012-06-25 7:27 PM
This problem of a fast blinking flasher I encountered already on my first cars, in the 70th, and I didn't like as well. I grinded around the flasher unit, where fixed, removed the housing, and with a small pincer I adjusted the initial gap of the contacts: smaller = faster, larger = slower.
I adjusted this "on-line" (attention: no short-circuit from pincer to ground!), and as soon I got the desirable flash-frequency, I glued the housing to the initial position. - SERGE -
Yep Serge, thats the real way to do it - funny, I did it too way back then! It's a good trick and it works splendid. |
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Expert
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Location: SWITZERLAND | I don't wonder that you did it already, Sven. To know for others: this works only with the small round flashers, on thermo-electric principle. The higher the current, the faster the heating, thus the faster the flashing. Advantage in the old times: when a bulb died, the flashing went slower - a reliable alert. There are bigger flasher units available, based on electro-mechanical principle, using a relay. The flashing is independent of the load, and is mechanically adjustable by a screw-driver. But this one is much more expensive. - SERGE - |
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | I've got a spare 552, so I can play with it.
Are you guys saying that I could Dremel-tool grind-off the inner workings from
the crimped-around-it case, then connect-up its guts to the power-wiring and, then
(lying on my back, underneath the dashboard) manipulate the points gap while
listening to the speed of the flashing (or, have an observer-helper) until I am
satisfied with the speed of the flashing...all while NOT shorting-out the guts against
some part the metal dashboard?
Or; I suppose, I could trial-and-error adjust the points with the guts disconnected
from the wiring, but, that sounds like a PITA prolonged-repeated procedure.
How tough is it to adjust the points?
It appears that the adjustment would not be difficult to do (lying on my back, underneath
the dashboard).
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-25 7:05 PM
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | That flasher unit Niel is a BiMetal type (much like the voltage regulator for the fuel/temp gauges.
You should be able to peel the lip open to get to the guts.
To adjust the speed on that type, you need to twist or bend (depending on how its put together) the post
that holds the arm with the contacts on it.
More pressure on the contacts (when its cold) will = longer flash rate
Less = faster flash rate.
Be carefull though, try to make the flash rate to long and you will let the smoke out and it wont flash no more
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | The current(pun-) flasher, and this one, too---IIRC, flash(es) too slow; didn't think about the duration of the flashing; only
interested in speeding up the flashing a bit.
So, there is, or isn't, a short-circuit/grounding issue with my playing with the flasher's exposed guts, while I'm on my back
cussing & fussing under the dashboard...?
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Expert
Posts: 1215
Location: SWITZERLAND | It is exactly this item. By peeling out the lips you will damage the hard-paper support and the shape of the housing there, so as it will not fit anymore. This housing, as you will see then, is isolated from the contacts. Only when bending the contacts, you have take care when blinking is switched ON, for they have +12V. It needs very little bit bending (0.1 - 0.3mm), make several small attempts (Sven, here the technician is working!). Depending of the amount of bending, you may influence the duration of the ON time. Safiest is to do this operation when the flasher is removed, as well for grinding around on a machine. The operation on the contact is reversible, thus with no risk.. As stated, the bi-metal is heated by the flowing current. Don't bend this moving bi-metal, but the other, fixed contact, where it is fixed. Because on one side of the contacts you have +12V, and the other side the directional bulbs, there is the full voltage across at open contacts, and therefore a beeper interconnected will sound as shown in: http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23691&start=84. http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23691&start=139
Edited by sermey 2012-06-25 9:00 PM
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Well, I don't need a flasher-buzzer.
Serge, are you saying that I CAN remove the edge-flap, and adjust the internal points-gap, with a pair of needle-nose pliers
and do all this with the 'guts' wired up to the battery, so that I can observe the chage in the rate of flashing.
Then, when I'm happy with the flashing-rate, I can glue/epoxy/whatever the guts back to the case, and live HAPPILY
ever-after????
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Expert
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Location: SWITZERLAND | This is so, Neil. I have added some comments before. To fix you can use as well a strong masking tape around where grinded, applied with high tension that will falting for o hold. then can re-open at any time when needed. The buzzer was just an option, here to explain again. To know: initially the contact in the flasher is closed (cold), so as the current to the lamps will flow instantly. At this point the heating process starts till the contact re-close. - SERGE -
Edited by sermey 2012-06-25 9:20 PM
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Well, this sounds like fun; think I'll try grinding-off the edge-crimping & wil post up a pic of what lies inside...
Gonna be busy for the next couple days, though.
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Expert
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Location: SWITZERLAND | Here I checked the described proceeding on a spare part. to see: http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23691&posts=156&start=156
Edited by sermey 2012-06-26 3:36 AM
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | Neil
Not really sure why you are doing this though
I am sort of guessing that you have fitted LED bulbs in your indidcators?
On a bi metal flasher unit, this will cause a slow or no flash as the flaher relies on the current used by the globes to heat the bi metal.
Later electronic flashers have the opposite problem with LED lights as in they flashes fast.
There really is 2 easy ways to fix this, 1 is to fit load resistors to the flashers wiring (1 for right 1 for the left)
Other way is to buy a flasher unit specifically desighned for LED lights (easy to get).
The bi metal flasher units are very un common these days and if you are trying to stay somewhat
orriginal, tapeing or glueing the housing back onto the base will still look wrong.
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Expert
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Location: SWITZERLAND | ttotired - 2012-06-26 5:52 PM Neil Not really sure why you are doing this though Some people like Neil and me like sometimes to investigate in old technologies. - SERGE - 
Edited by sermey 2012-06-26 12:18 PM
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Mick; nah...my turn flasher is just operating a little bit slowly, and this thread sounds like there's a way to customize
the rate of flasher-flashing.
It's been that way for a while, but, yeah, I do have LED's for the turn signal lights; the LED's didn't seem to affect the
rate of the flashing.
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Ok...so, when I open up my '522', I'll see something like this, inside it, and all
that I have to do is adjust the clearance between the two contact segments.
It should be self-explanatory, when I get in there (she said), but would it be better
to try to move the heavy metal piece, or that lighter weight 'sheet' piece?
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | The heavy piece
the thin piece is the bimetal
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | It looks like they're Dayuum-near touching, right-there.
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Expert
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Location: SWITZERLAND | d500neil - 2012-06-27 12:07 AM Ok...so, when I open up my '522', I'll see something like this, inside it, and all that I have to do is adjust the clearance between the two contact segments. It should be self-explanatory, when I get in there (she said), but would it be better to try to move the heavy metal piece, or that lighter weight 'sheet' piece? Neil, We'd liked to see your flasher, how you did it, and not the picture I took and mounted in Photoshop (see zommed window) yesterday . . . . . .  This link already shown above: (here again . . . ) http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23691&posts=156&start=156 . . . again and again . . . - SERGE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZlfVSTFx_g
Edited by sermey 2012-06-27 12:12 AM
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Heh, heh...haven't had time to get mine apart, yet, Serge.
Is the points gap really microscopic?
I can see why the adjustments would have to be made while the flasher is flashing.
It's good that I'm gonna be playing with a spare unit.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 982
Location: Upper Hunter NSW Australia | ttotired - 2012-06-27 3:52 AM
Neil
Not really sure why you are doing this though
I am sort of guessing that you have fitted LED bulbs in your indidcators?
On a bi metal flasher unit, this will cause a slow or no flash as the flaher relies on the current used by the globes to heat the bi metal.
Later electronic flashers have the opposite problem with LED lights as in they flashes fast.
There really is 2 easy ways to fix this, 1 is to fit load resistors to the flashers wiring (1 for right 1 for the left)
Other way is to buy a flasher unit specifically desighned for LED lights (easy to get).
The bi metal flasher units are very un common these days and if you are trying to stay somewhat
orriginal, tapeing or glueing the housing back onto the base will still look wrong.
I know from experience with old Holdens ( an Australian built GM car ) and their original Bosch and Lucas bi-metal flash cans , if one of the turn signal bulbs is blown, the flash rate increase significantly ( sometimes not at all too ) so that would tie in with Mick's load resistor line above.Even a blown turn signal bulb in the dash can increase the flash rate due to less load on the can.
On the other side, if you added a trailer on to the tow bar, then the additional load of the trailer turn signal light would SLOW the flash rate significantly, again, in line with Micks loading statement.
You would probably remember those clear cased palstic bi-metal flash cans Mick ( aftermarket ) that used to be available in the late '70's and '80's here in OZ where you could actually see the bi-metal switch in action, interesting to watch as they did their thing.
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Expert 5K+
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Location: Perth Australia | I have the clear cased electronic ones in stock
They have a relay in them and you can see them move
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | OK....got a story to tell.
You will recall my comment that whatever flasher was 'currently' installed flashed a little bit too slowly.
Took it out and photographed it alongside the spare-Wagner flasher.
Installed the Wagner and saw that it flashed very quickly and somewhat weakly.
Ground off the edge flashing of the Wagner and saw that one end of the bi-metal section was a bit dog-eared
but that that area was intact.
First effort was to increase the pressure of the strong-alloy-arm-point against its contact on the bi-metal.
That resulted in the flasher NOT flashing at all, but remaining solid-on.
Back to the bench, where the contact gap was opened, but the flashing was still to rapid.
Back to the bench, where the contact was further opened, and the flashing became slower and almost a little
bit irregular, but, overall, about 85%-90% satisfactory.
Gorilla-glued (EXCELLENT stuff, btw) the guts back to the case, and while feeling over-all rather smug with
the .5 hour's work, I happened to look again at the back of the 'currently' installed flasher and saw that its
two legs are marked "X" and "L".
Hmmmmm....I wonder if the "X" might mean that it was supposed to receive the 12V input connection?
Oh, well, the Gorilla was still drying, so, went back to Horrie and re-connected the 'currently' flasher, and......
VOILA!
The 'current' flasher, when connected with the "X" post to the 12V lead produces a PERFECT flash effect:
bright and definitive-flashing on/off with a most excellent cycle duration.
In my first pic, below, you can only see the "L" on the 'current' flasher's post ; ain't gonna remove that
flasher, now, just to show y'all what the "X" marking looks like, but, you can see that the "X's" connection,
into its guts, is much sturdier (well: longer, anyway) than is its "L" connection.
So, I would suggest that the obviously-newer 'current' flasher (while carrying the same 552/12V nomen-
clature as the Wagner guy) would be the one to try to find at your local parts emporium.
Dunno its brand, but it does have a sort of logo on its face.
So, with no further ado...
Edited by d500neil 2012-06-30 5:01 PM
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Exner Expert 19,174 posts. Neil passed away 18 Sep 2015. You will be missed, Neil!
Posts: 19146
Location: bishop, ca | Postscript: if your flasher is not getting the job done to your satisfaction, try swapping the two leads going into it (so that
the 12V hot lead travels to the middle of the flasher---at least, that change rectified my current flasher's too-slow operation.
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Fast blinking turn signals?
