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Turn signal blinking too fast?

8.1K views 26 replies 12 participants last post by  docvette  
#1 ·
My turn signals in my 70 Vette blink very fast, about almost once a second. I bought a new flasher unit and still no change.

Any ideas?
 
#2 ·
I'm willing to bet you have a bad bulb somewhere. What happens sometimes is the lower amperage filament of a dual filament bulb will break and move over and reattach itself to the higher amperage filament which doubles the load on your flasher causing it to blink faster. Pull all your bulbs and take a close look at the filaments to see if any have crossed over.

Vince
 
#5 ·
Fast flasher..

Doc here, :pimp:

Dudes....

Everybody Knows...on a 70 Corvette, the blinker Fluid is located just southwest of the lower granistan joint... :D

Now back to news and sports...

My vote is for a bad bulb..this includes side markers and indicators..followed up second only to a bad ground...in the flasher circuit..

When you replaced the flasher, did you get the flash unit..or the 4 way by mistake? a common error, the flash unit should be WAYYYYY up on top and the 4 ways on the bottom (at least it is on my Vettes, 3-78's and an 80) and a PITA to Change if your like me...chronologically Challenged...(an Olde Fa*t)

At any rate , one of those fixes should get you flashing with dispatch...(which may be Illegal in some states..LOL...)

Doc :pimp:
 
#8 ·
Actually, the higher the current passing through a blinker the slower it goes! Too little current and they flash frantically. Even less current and they won't flash at all. You probably have a burned out bulb in the system. Another change that causes this problem is switching to LED tail lights which draw so little current that flashers simply vibrate or quit altogether. They have come out with an electronic flasher to replace the electro-mechanical ones that don't rely on current like the old style.

The reason for this is in how the old standard electro-mechanical flasher is constructed. A thin metal strip composed of layers of two metals that are bonded perfectly together - nickle and copper for example- serves as one half of an electrical contact breaker. This 'bi-metallic' strip is wound with a coil of wire through which flows all of the current going to the lights, then the end of the coil is connected to the strip to continue the circuit. When current starts to flow, it passes through the coil, through the bi-metallic strip, through the closed contacts at the tip of that strip and on to the lights. This current at the same time quickly generates a lot of heat in the coil which in turn heats the bimetallic strip. Since the copper will expand farther per degree of temperature increase than the nickle (physical property of the metals), the strip must arch. This arching of the strip lifts the contact at its end, killing current flow to the lights and through the coil. The lights turn off. Then the coil cools, allowing the bi-metallic strip to relax its arch and reconnect the contacts, re-instituting the current flow. This happens over and over again, thus the flashing lights. If the current is high - lots of incandescent lights ('59 Caddy!!) the bi-metallic strip is heated a lot by the high current and arches a bunch during each fast heating sequence so it takes longer for it to cool and relax thus slow flashers. Conversely, with low current (burned bulbs or LEDs), there isn't enough current/heat to make the strip bend much so it cycles faster and faster until you install a system that doesn't pass enough current to get it hot enough to bend at all and the lights stay on and don't flash.
 
#9 ·
willys36@aol.com said:
Actually, the higher the current passing through a blinker the slower it goes! Too little current and they flash frantically. Even less current and they won't flash at all. You probably have a burned out bulb in the system. Another change that causes this problem is switching to LED tail lights which draw so little current that flashers simply vibrate or quit altogether. They have come out with an electronic flasher to replace the electro-mechanical ones that don't rely on current like the old style.

The reason for this is in how the old standard electro-mechanical flasher is constructed. A thin metal strip composed of layers of two metals that are bonded perfectly together - nickle and copper for example- serves as one half of an electrical contact breaker. This 'bi-metallic' strip is wound with a coil of wire through which flows all of the current going to the lights, then the end of the coil is connected to the strip to continue the circuit. When current starts to flow, it passes through the coil, through the bi-metallic strip, through the closed contacts at the tip of that strip and on to the lights. This current at the same time quickly generates a lot of heat in the coil which in turn heats the bimetallic strip. Since the copper will expand farther per degree of temperature increase than the nickle (physical property of the metals), the strip must arch. This arching of the strip lifts the contact at its end, killing current flow to the lights and through the coil. The lights turn off. Then the coil cools, allowing the bi-metallic strip to relax its arch and reconnect the contacts, re-instituting the current flow. This happens over and over again, thus the flashing lights. If the current is high - lots of incandescent lights ('59 Caddy!!) the bi-metallic strip is heated a lot by the high current and arches a bunch during each fast heating sequence so it takes longer for it to cool and relax thus slow flashers. Conversely, with low current (burned bulbs or LEDs), there isn't enough current/heat to make the strip bend much so it cycles faster and faster until you install a system that doesn't pass enough current to get it hot enough to bend at all and the lights stay on and don't flash.
no no no. it's the hi-viscosity blinker fluid..... where do you come up with this stuff? :rolleyes: :p :D
 
#12 ·
Hi Vis Blinker Fluid...

willys36@aol.com said:
They quit using that hi-vis fluid years ago. Found out it caused hemorrhoids in left-handed people. Now it is all silicone based.

Doc here, :pimp:

All Except Corvette...

for that you must use DOT5 or better Blinker fluid...or the seals on the master flasher will overheat and leak, Spilling thousands of Ohms out all over the passenger compartment.. :evil:

You want to be careful here...having millions of Megohms loose in the passenger compartment can put a filter on your gene pool... :evil:

Just kidding..Couldn't resist.. :D

Doc :pimp:
 
#14 ·
willys36@aol.com said:
Well the explanation for that is very simple - left handers don't buy Vettes!
Doc here.. :pimp:

Dang! I JUST knew there was a Flaw in my logic....

<Left handed Doc, was unscrewing all the time all the other high school kids were screwing..> :pain:

Going out and putting up 4 sale signs on the Vettes... :rolleyes:

Looking into a Hundai now.... :smash:

Doc :pimp:
 
#16 ·
Rob Keller said:
sounds like the mega ohms have discombobulated and warped something i need to adjust my flux compasitor i think i left it next to my radiator cap jack yep just another day in paradise
F.U.B.A.R.

SR66 :thumbup:
Doc here, :pimp:

Check your Flasher Gasket for electron Spillage...an Electron Recovery Kit is a good augmentation for this...not only will it recycle the electrons but burp the system of air bubbles..

Then you must determine if they are protrons or Neutrons...

If they are Neutrons..you can just put a bucket to catch the spillage..

But Protons will short out if they come in contact with anti matter..and send your warp drive into implosion...So ya wanna Be careful there...you could end up going where no man has gone before... :D

Doc :pimp:

P.S. There WAS a serious question in here somewhere...I just know it...
 
#21 ·
see i have to disagree the ball bearings are antiquated and are supported by non friction anti-gravitational magnetic devices ..now when you go to upgrade (because we all want to be state of the art ) dont make the mistake of buying the wrong hemispherical pole..but if you frequently leave the planet get the permanent magnetic anti gravitational device W/ part time friction so your bopping bobbing dog in the rear window knows whats going on every one know hes the one watching our arses

this just in no longer do you have to worry about directional direction bulbs spishack brand has just released its smart arse bulb it has a micro processor in-conjunction with your flux capacitor it will automatically tell you which side it needs to go in (there is a god)
modern technologies simply amazing

well i have to get my daily dose of electricity @ shock-wave electroshock therapy right next to the power plant

spark @ ya later

sr66
 
#25 ·
i think dodge omni's only had one direction downhill to the junk yard!
but yes a directory for the directional direction bulbs is directly need to avoid ANY confusion..so incidentally don't look directly @ the directional direction bulb it will cause a hypnotic effect that can be linked to the VIAGRA syndrome just look @ "smiling bob" he did not loose his sight completely but as you and I can see it has affected his vision and sensibility just look @ how hes dressing VIAGRA fired him and he had to go live in his grandparents house and work for enzite, and may cause hemorrhoids :rolleyes: to ambidextrous people