How to increase turn signal flashing speed?

Jonathan KC8RYW · Post by **Jonathan KC8RYW** » Sat Aug 31, 2002 12:21 pm

My Saturn's turn signal doesn't flash fast enough for my likeing.

How do I make it faster?

Is there a faster flasher module I can get?

What is actually inside of those little metal flasher cans anyway? Could I just make something with a 555 timer?

LOL... I figured out that the turn signal noise is nothing more then the relay firing and releasing. LOL.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sat Aug 31, 2002 12:39 pm

hmm, this is a new one. Their are 2 types of flashers. Thermal, and non-thermal (electronic).

The thermal ones have a bi-matalic strip the power flows through. Current flows, it heats up and expands, breaking contact. Cools off, contracts, and makes contact again. Thats how it flashes. Depending on how many watts you signals draw will vart how fast is flashes. You could get a thermal flasher rated for less than what your vehicle draws and I guess it would flash faster.

A non-thermal/electronic flasher is not dependent on load. I would get one of those. The flash isn't REALLY REALLY fast, but it is consistant and not slow.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Sep 01, 2002 3:27 pm

the 21st century and we use THERMAL flashers in cars? good lord!

A10382 · Post by **A10382** » Sat Sep 07, 2002 7:01 pm

Heck, thermal flashers ain’t nutin'...

In NEW light aircraft, manufacturers are still using magnetos, updraft carburetors, and air-cooled engines. Add to this manual cowl flaps and bulbs that still have filaments in them.

Would you pay $150,000 for a car with 1930’s technology?

‘Upgrades’ to fuel injection and electronic engine controllers cost extra – a LOT extra!

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Sep 08, 2002 6:59 am

Heh all I can say is when you're flying in the ether... air cooled engines make a lot of sense! If you run out of air you've got BIG problems.

EC-7 · Post by **EC-7** » Sat Sep 28, 2002 8:55 am

Jon, I have mine flashing about 4 times faster on my Dodge Neon. I replaced the regular turn signal bulbs with Red LED bulbs that you can buy at Auto Zone or Murrays Auto for about $12 for two. They use a lot less amperage and will let the flasher alternate on/off faster. I do NOT suggest using those bulbs for brake/flasher combo due to them not being as bright as a regular bulb, but they work good enough for turn signals. E-mail me for more info.
[email protected] OR [email protected] OR page me at 877-637-9921

Post by **alex** » Sat Sep 28, 2002 12:22 pm

Cripes!

Where have you been EC7?

(yeah, sorry, off topic...)

-Alex

ExKa|iBuR · Post by **ExKa|iBuR** » Mon Sep 30, 2002 11:57 pm

In my old car, when the flasher had about a week of service left, it flashed almost as fast as a good lightbar..LoL

Maybe you can just run the heck out of a flasher..

Mike

chartofmaryland · Post by **chartofmaryland** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 9:47 pm

dear original question,

There is such a flasher to do what you ask.The name is electro-mechanical made by Peterson Manufacturing and has a variable resistor
under the ***RED*** top,and yes it has to be a red top. I think it's a
part number of 556 or so.Just check for the red outer cover and then
open up to see if there is a"VR" Once found,tune the flasher to however fast or slow you want (WHILE THE FOUR WAYS ARE ON !) with a phillips screwdriver and thats it.

Susan157 · Post by **Susan157** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:41 am

Yes they sell truck flashers that have a place
to adjust the speed of the flasher.

We found just the opposite about a flasher.
The slower it flashes( at an accident) the easier
it is to see it in the distance.

Faster was hard to see so we went back to slower.
Plus it saves on power.Less times on in a minute
means less power to run this equipment.

jim · Post by **jim** » Sun Jan 05, 2003 8:10 am

There is an adjustable flasher available at most "riceboy" performance car shops- the same places that sell these ugly clear taillights, LED brake lights, wannabe projection headlights and all of the other "Fast and Furious" accessories that make Japanese econoboxes perform no better than before.

Try http://www.nopi.com

Keep in mind- the Federal DOT standard and most state inspection standards require 60-120 FPM (flashes per minute). If you speed them up to a ridiculous leve, you might get a citation in some areas.

If you would get a solid-state driven OEM flasher and play around with resistances on the board inside, I'm quite sure you could add a potentiometer to adjust it.

RCVMO · Post by **RCVMO** » Wed Jan 15, 2003 5:14 pm

On our city busses, a specific type Ford Retrofit ELF had the nasty problem of burning out the TSswitch, and cooking the wires to the original MFR's. front TS. The problem I had found was the rear section of the original vehicle had been taken off(probably a van) and the new passneger compartment had been installed with the additon of six more TS lights on the rear cap. It doesn't take a mathematician to figure out why the TS switch was burning up.
I took the liberty after the Local DOT P.O's warned us about the hazard, and installed two relays to handle the load of the rear cap. The front TS wires were tapped off to operate the coil of the relays, and a 12 ga. was fed to the COM(pin30) of the relay. Now.........talk about a good flash rate that sez...."YOU IN THE BMER BESIDE ME .....I WANT TO TURN LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!)
Before, the rear cap lites were so dim when flashing, you could never see them when the LP's were on or off.
Now they are brighter than ever, and you can definitley see them in the brite sunlight.
Jimmy

How to increase turn signal flashing speed?

How to increase turn signal flashing speed?

1930's technology still in use today..

my turn signal is too slow!!

Variable Truck flasher "Yes"