LED Indicator Modification (flasher unit)

[svenedin]

I decided to fit LED indicator bulbs all round a little while ago. These bulbs do not draw enough current to operate the original bimetallic strip type flasher relay and so a new electronic unit has to be fitted. Holden sell an electronic 3 pin flasher relay which is a direct and very simple swap for the Lucas "can" type on the bulkhead and it looks identical but it does not "tick tock". Some owners fit a buzzer instead but this does not sound correct to me. There is an electronic type flasher relay that does make the familiar ticking noise but it is not identical to the original Lucas unit and would look wrong to me on the bulkhead. I did mount the new relay on the bulkhead but not only did it not look right to me but I could not hear the tick in the car (it may be quieter than the original or I may be going a bit deaf or both).

I decided to re-site the new flasher relay to inside the cabin, where I can hear it, using a very convenient pre-existing hole in the bulkhead. I used cable of the correct colour code and shrink wrapped it both for neatness and because the hole is in the bulkhead is too small for a grommet. The new relay needs an earth connection so I used a bolt through another convenient pre-existing hole underneath the glovebox. I sited the relay behind the strengthening arch bracket (my car is a convertible) so it cannot be seen at all but can be heard. The relay is secured with a large cable tie through more pre-existing holes. The relay could have been put behind the dashboard. There is a lot of space there.


For originality and rapid reversal if desired, the original flasher relay is left in place. The connections to the relay are disconnected and the new wires connect with male Lucar connectors and then the new wires (bundled in shrink wrap) go back through the bulkhead behind the dashboard.

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New wires, electronic relay and new earthing bolt

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Cable tie used to secure relay underneath

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[geoberni]

You're not a fan of the flasher not looking 'right' or not sounding 'right'..., yet you've fitted LED lamps which don't look 'right' in the way they flash sharply On and Off, rather than the fading of incandescent lamps.

It's your car and you can do what you like to it, I'm just having a little trouble understanding your reasoning.

[svenedin]

I can’t say the fading on and off of incandescent indicator bulbs is a concern of mine. I can’t see my own indicators. Other road users can and since I live and drive on the Southern borders of London, where the driving standards are often extremely poor I do want to clearly and unequivocally signal my intentions. The LED indicator bulbs are much brighter and the load on my elderly wiring loom and dynamo much reduced especially by LED headlights. It may be an age thing but especially on pitch black country roads I do find LED headlights a great improvement. With my indicator modification I could switch back to incandescent bulbs and the old flasher in less than 10 minutes.

[geoberni]

Fair enough , just curious as I also have LED lights but I don't have post '63 lamps.
My '55 was previously modified to have '61 standard lighting, so I had additional wiring to consider.