Flasher Problems Continued

[rsawatson]

Hi all,

I made a post a while back now, explaining my plight with respect to my indicators - and how the internal warning light on the end of the indicator stalk suddenly ceased to work.

Having tested the bulb, I duly replaced the flasher unit with a new one and am still not having any luck. When connected up, the external indicator bulbs continue to flash as they should, but there is nothing from the warning light inside the car. I have tested the circuit of the warning light, by simply connecting the feed from the battery (which would otherwise connect onto the flasher unit) directly to the wire which runs through the warning light and then to earth; and in this instance the bulb illuminates - showing the warning light circuit is intact.

THE NEW FLASHER UNIT
Similarly to the previous flasher unit (an original Lucas), there are 3 terminals on the new unit: 1 marked 'X' (-ve feed from battery); 1 marked 'P' (through internal warning light and then to +ve earth) and 1 marked 'L' (through the switch on the indicator stalk, then to the external bulbs, then to +ve earth). The terminals on the original Lucas fitting are labelled, respectively, 'B', 'P' and 'L'.

Firstly, can anyone confirm that I have got the flasher unit properly wired up? I spoke to the bloke on the phone at the place from where I purchased the new unit and he insisted that the problem was likely to be that the flasher unit itself was not earthed properly (saying that this is achieved by it being bolted to the bulkhead). However, surely the casing of the unit itself serves no purpose as an earth - this is achieved via the bulbs?

Secondly, can anyone think of anything else which might be causing the problem?

Cheers!

[d_harris]

Yep, it earths via the body....

[rsawatson]

According to the wiring diagram though, the circuit earths via the bulbs?[frame][/frame]

[mike.perry]

If you have a car with the black speedo and oil filter warning light then you can disconnect the wire from the oil filter and connect it to the P terminal of the flasher unit. The oil filter warning light should then flash when you indicate. An independent check.

[bmcecosse]

And have you tried earthing the flasher unit to the body ? I agree it's unlikely - but better try it! Pretty sure it's a faulty flasher unit. Also try swapping over the other two wires on the flasher - don't think it will wok - but got to try everything!

[Chris Edgar]

For what it's worth...

When I fitted a new flasher unit recently I found it worked just the same when the unit was not bolted to the bulkhead as it did when it was.

Having dismantled an old duff unit once (marvelous things they are inside) the case is not connected to the works, so it should not need to be earthed as far as I can see.

[beero]

You may want to read this thread, littleblackflash had the same problem
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... 34&start=0

[rsawatson]

You may want to read this thread, littleblackflash had the same problem
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... 34&start=0

Very interesting to read this thread - thank you - it reassures me I'm not the one going mad!

This morning I bought YET another - so my second new part!

This time, when connected up properly, the warning light inside the car stays permanently illuminated, except when I indicate in which case it starts flashing. Being permanently illuminated - and therefore distracting/hot to the touch - I have resorted to refitting the original Lucas flasher from the 60s which - although the internal warning light does not work - at least flashes the external indicators properly!

I'm fed up with dealing with poor quality parts - I'd rather pay double for something that isn't going to let me down! I am certainly sending the flasher I bought from ESM back!

Looks as though I'm looking to get a new-old stock part, or taking apart one of my 3 flasher units and having a go at rectifying in the same manner as littlebackflash...

Thanks for all your help.