Flasher Help?

[Bunky]

I'm having problems with the turn signal circuit on my VW roadster i can get the turn signals to work but the indicator lamp won't work I'm using a Tridon EL 13 flasher. as you can see in the diagram the indicator bulb is powered on the outside of the bulb and the end is grounded

I can't change the wiring as the oil,Gen and turn signal indicator are all powered off 1 wire the tridon EL13 puts 12 volts to thev(p)pilot rather then ground or connecting to the load to ground through the turn signal bulbs

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

The EL13 seems to be discontinued. There's no information on it on the Tridon web site; there's only the EL13A which is an alternating flasher for hazard indications.

Do you have a data sheet for the EL13?

Does the EL13 have an earth connection as well as the three you show on your diagram?

 

[Gryd3]

I think an over-simplistic solution if you want to keep all of the hardware and wiring you currently have is to use a relay.
The Pilot will trigger the relay, and the other side of the relay will sit in-between ground and the current wiring.
The only downsides I can see is another moving part that will wear over time, and some additional current draw.

 

[Bunky]

Ok I found the info on the flasher apparently Tridon and Novita Technologies must similar companies Here's the info on the EL13

http://www.novitatech.com/?q=aftermarket/products/electro-mechanical-flashers/el13

It doesn't have a ground only (X) Battery (L) Load and (P) Pilot.

I rather not at a relay If I can''t find the correct flasher I will just buy a 2 prong and Connect the Load and Pilot together

Thanks For the replies

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

The diagram on that novitatech.com page looks like this:


It's the same as your diagram except that the pilot lamp is returned to ground, not to +12V.

Unless you can post a schematic diagram, or at least some photos, of the insides of the EL13, I can't tell you any more than that.

 

[Arouse1973]

The diagram on that novitatech.com page looks like this:

View attachment 15717
It's the same as your diagram except that the pilot lamp is returned to ground, not to +12V.

Unless you can post a schematic diagram, or at least some photos, of the insides of the EL13, I can't tell you any more than that.

Yes indeed, how could the pilot light work without a connection to 0V. Unless it is using the body which might be metal.
Adam

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Well, the P pin that connects to the pilot lamp is as good as a direct ground when the internal circuitry isn't feeding voltage onto it. And when the indicator lever is switched either left or right, the L pin is as good as a direct ground when the circuitry isn't feeding voltage onto it, too.

I think the circuitry in the flasher must be a bit clever, because it must detect when the turn indicator is activated by looking for a path to 0V on the L pin. Then if it alternates the pilot (dashboard) lamp with the indicator lamps, there will always be a pin that's roughly at 0V. So I think there's a bit of magic going on inside the flasher unit.

 

[Arouse1973]

Here is something I also found.

Adam

 

[Arouse1973]

And this one.

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Right. That's what we're talking about, except that the EL13 is electronic internally, so the flash speed is fixed, whereas with the bimetal version, the flash rate is affected by the resistance of the lamps.

 

[Arouse1973]

Right. That's what we're talking about, except that the EL13 is electronic internally, so the flash speed is fixed, whereas with the bimetal version, the flash rate is affected by the resistance of the lamps.

Yep and I think the guy who drew the original circuit got the connections wrong.

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Yeah, looks like the dashboard lamp should connect to ground, not to +12V.

 

[Bunky]

OK I think I understand the function of the Flasher unit as it's been described and both terminals being a ground at one point, and the electronic EL13 probably flashes so fast that the indicator lamp doesn't have time to ground and flash, and the original flasher I removed was a thermal flasher not a electronic flasher, so the dash indicator flashed like it was supposed to.

The drawing I posted and Is correct, The OIL Lamp, Generator Lamp and Turn signal indicator are in the back of the speedometer and all are ran off 1 12 volt lead from the fuse panel, and all three (3) need a ground to light. So I need to find a 3 prong Thermal Flasher or transfer the wire to the Load terminal on a Two prong flasher.

Thanks To all that helped me..

 

[KrisBlueNZ]

Could you modify the dashboard so that the indicator pilot lamp is returned to chassis instead of being returned to the wire from the fuse panel? I think that might be the only way to make that flasher unit work properly.