Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Installed a period correct turn signal switch in my '40 Ford and wired it in front to work my park lamps as the signal lamps, and then spliced into the stock tail lights. 6 volt system using 6v bulbs and flasher. This setup works fine except they don't flash at the rate we are accustomed to seeing - the interval between the pulses is very short and the flash rate is very rapid. Anything I can do to slow it down to a more conventional flash rate? Is there something in the circuit to check that might be causing high resistance? Any electrical experts out there with some sage advice? :)

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

You are using the wrong filament for the directional lights.
You can’t use the park lighfilament for flashes. They will flash too fast.
You must use dual filament bulbs in the front parking lights. The dimmer,smaller filament for park lights and the brighter filament fo directional lights.
Same in the tail lights, the bright filament has to be brake and directional while the dimmer one will be the tail lights.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

That is correct. Problem is the proper bulb is to big and hits the glass. I am going
through this. The typical flasher has to have a load and the #63 parking bulbs don't
have enough candle power to load the flasher. My only way is to modify the parking
light housing so a 6vt #1154 duel contact bulb clears the glass lenses.. This is on a
46 but the 1940 will have the same problem. I could go to the 1947 48 parking lights
but really don't wan't to.....sam

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Great information - I hadn't thought about that being the problem. I have some work to do! Thanks guys!

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Yes I'm running duel filliment in my 48 park lights. 6v I think I got them from G&G along with related pigtails and bulblhoder that just slotted in as a replacement. I had a 46 previously, I think the pigtails and holder from G & G is supposed to fit them as well as 47/48

GB

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

So will 6v LEDs work with a flasher?

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Don't remember the part number, i think it is NOVITA EP35, but there is a flasher that is mechanical rather than load sensitive for the 12v system, they probably make one for the 6v system too.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Novita LL535 3 Pin 6 volt or LL525 2Pin 6volt

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Or just ad a resistor in parallel with you bulb...same is done with LED´s to trick the relay thinking it has a regular bulb installed.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru - Part 2
 

Well, this is a little embarrassing :o but it's been a while since I've worked on or driven my '40 Ford and I completely forgot about having made some modifications a few years ago to the turn signals, so let me backtrack a little!! :o

After doing a brief inspection, I found that I had already added an additional socket and bulb using a 6 volt #209 bulb, which burns brightly when connected to a battery charger, but dimly when installed on the car. My question now is, do I need to change to the 6v electronic flasher unit mentioned above to correct the very excited flashing problem? It seems the bulbs don't stay lit long enough to allow them to reach full brightness. Photos below...

Further thoughts????

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru - Part 2
 

If you use Novita listed above your lights will flash the proper interval and you
can have 1-6 bulb in play. I use these flashers on jobs and have had good luck with them.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

I guess if one understands how a flasher works it is easier to deal with. It is no more than two strips of metal fused together with different expansion rates. This bi metallic strip when heated becones curved and breaks the connection. No current flow then no heat and it straightens out and completes the connection causing it to heat up again. If there is too much current which you get from more or brighter bulbs it will cycle faster. Too little from LEDs or a burned out bulb and it will not work at all.
That being said figure out how to reduce the load on your system. Either remove excessive bulbs or use bulbs requiring less current.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Are you running LED brake lights by any chance? If you have LED brake lights, swap 'em back and see if the flash rate slows.

As I recall it, there are two kinds of flasher: electromechanical (where the flash rate is dependant on the load) and electronic (which will flash at a constant rate regardless of load).

The beauty of the electromechanical unit is the flash rate would speed up greatly if one of your globes was dead (from a lightly loaded circuit) - telling you of a problem.

The less load you put on the flasher, the faster it would flash. For this reason my guess is you need more load on the flasher circuit, hence my first question.

I think your options are to either get an electronic flasher, or try fitting some resistors into the signal light circuit on each side. Value of resistor? I'd try the ones you can get for the LED lights.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

It probably won't help you since your car is 6v, and it seems you've already got it set up, but for future reference there are "small globe" 1157 bulbs available from motorcycle shops and online that will fit under the front lens of the 1940 Ford.

Re: Another turn signal question...need advice from electrical guru
 

Still having issues after re-checking everything. My question seems to be going back to the way I have the flasher itself connected. If you look at the diagram attached, it appears they are using a 2 pole flasher connecting the incoming power wire and the Pilot on one pole. I have it hooked up with a 3 pole flasher following the markings on the flasher:
Terminal X = power wire coming into the flasher
Terminal P = connected to the Pilot lamp lead
Terminal L = connected to the turn lamps through the signal switch
I'm going to try a 6 volt 2 pole flasher and wire it like the drawing to see if it makes any difference. Otherwise, guess I'll punt.