Turn Signals

[HanksB3B]

I guess I have a Mao-Tse-Tung Ebay Universal Aftermarket Turn Signal Unit. It worked for a little under a year. It stopped working after I left the blinker on overnight.

Although the unit signaled properly, the small bulb of the unit never blinked to let me know they were flashing. It took a while to get in the habit of manually flicking the lever back to the neutral position. If I left them on too long, I guess the element in the 6Volt Flasher itself would overheat and cause the circuit to close and the turn signals on the truck would stay on and not blink.

Leaving it on overnight broke something.

Things I know:

1. I left it on overnight

2. The in-line-fuse appears to not be burnt out.

3. All wiring was connected (except I think it was not set-up perfectly because the small (12V) bulb on the unit never blinked, but would always be on (dimly because it is a 12V bulb).

4. I tried replacing the 6V flasher unit (can) with a new one that was slightly damaged in shipping.

5. VPW replaced it so I have a brand new one, but have delayed installing it for fear of burning it out.

Things I don't know:

1. The likely cause either a damaged circuit board (resistor?) in the unit? or;

2. The 6V flasher unit itself burnt out by leaving it on overnight?

3. The new but slightly damaged 6V flasher is really no good.

4. Should I first try installing the new and undamaged 6V flasher.

5. Is the circuit board able to be repaired?

And finally are there good, better and best aftermarket directional units manufactured and by whom?

Thanks for helping set me off in the right direction. I don't expect all my questions answered, but I know there are a few electrical genius's out there and I'm not one of them. (I do however crimp, solder, route and manage wires quite well though if I say so myself).

Thanks for your help,

Hank

Edited August 4, 2010 by HanksB3B

[DollyDodge]

My old truck had a signal stat 920. It was a very good unit and had been on the truck for nearly 40 years. This weekend I replaced all the old dry wires with new RI wires and fittings and the thing works like a champ. I think those old signal stats were very good. There is a lot of info on the web about them.

[Merle Coggins]

You can test things without using your new flasher if you're worried about damaging it. Connect a fuse between the two wires that connect to your flasher. This will give power to your switch. Your turn signal lights should now light but won't flash. If it all works that way reconnect your new flasher and try it again.

I can't understand how leaving your turn signal switch on over night would burn out a flasher or a switch. Don't your turn signals turn off when the key is off?

Merle

[Young Ed]

Hank if you want a good new one get a signal stat 900. Available in chrome or black. I have a black one on both my 46 and 48. Directions tell you which 6v bulb to put in the unit for a nice green indicator. I have mine wired to always hot so the 4ways would work in case of a break down.

[Allan Parkhurst]

I have a Foxtron 7 wire that had the drawing wrong. I will attach my coments from April. My indicator would not light either until i grounded the signal

.I found an error in the wire color code for Foxton 7 wire turn signal. Everything worked but when I applied the breaks the left front park light would come on. I found an error in the drawing supplied by Foxton, Number 3 shows left front flasher lamp Dark Blue but the correct color for number 3 should be Cyan and goes to Left rear.

Number 4 shows Left Rear flasher lamp color Cyan but the correct color for number 4 is Dark Blue and goes to the Left front flasher lamp.

I supplied the drawings for the Knowledge section so Page 23 needs to be updated along with page 24.

I also found why my indicator light on the turn signal would not light. I ran a seperate wire to ground the case to the frame, now it works.

I will send a note to Foxton for correction.

Allan

[HanksB3B]

Hank if you want a good new one get a signal stat 900. Available in chrome or black. I have a black one on both my 46 and 48. Directions tell you which 6v bulb to put in the unit for a nice green indicator. I have mine wired to always hot so the 4ways would work in case of a break down.

Given that it was on, which is more likely to have burned out the 6V can flasher, or the flasher unit.

Thanks for the help guys will try to find out tomorrow. The signal stat 900 is $60 on Ebay including shipping. About twice what I paid but you know what they say..

Hank

[HanksB3B]

I checked the fuse, all the lamps on the four corners of the truck (for no good reason), switched flasher units, disconnected 7 wires from the terminal block and finally removed and took apart the flasher unit itself. Everything seemed 100% good (except I didn't know how to verify if the flasher unit was o.k.) but with three of them, just figured one had to be good and it wasn't the problem).

I looked again at the wire that held the fuse. It must have cost .001 cents. I tested it with Harbor Freight Multi-Meter and guess what??, no current passed through from one end to the other. Replaced it with a no-fuse 14gauge wire. Everything works. I don't really need a fuse do I? The hot wire is attached to the circuit breaker of the light switch.

Thanks,

Hank

[MBF]

It's the little dogs that bite ya! Many years ago when I was in forklift school at the RAYMOND factory one of the bugs they put in was to place of clear tape over the battery connector. After 20 minutes of checking fuses and continuity-well just say its a lesson well learned!

[Merle Coggins]

It's the little dogs that bite ya! Many years ago when I was in forklift school at the RAYMOND factory one of the bugs they put in was to place of clear tape over the battery connector. After 20 minutes of checking fuses and continuity-well just say its a lesson well learned!

Yup, that's a good one. Even if you suspect a dead battery most guys will touch the battery post with a tester instead of checking at the terminal. Battery will show voltage but it doesn't get to the terminal. It simulates a dirty connection. I've done similar things by slipping plastic over a pin terminal in a connector so that it won't make contact. Another good one, if you have guys that test spade fuses by probing the back sides, is to cut the output spade leg off of the fuse and reinsert it. If you probe the back it'll show power on both sides and will be assumed good, even though it's not. Now, if you get a guy that pulls the fuses and looks at them he'll find it right away.

Troubleshooting training is fun. I get to put in little bugs and watch the guys chasing their tails trying to find them.

Merle