How do you fix this thing?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Any of you ever get into repairing these?

Edited November 6, 2011 by Dodgeb4ya

[randroid]

Dodgeb4ya,

Quite honestly that's one piece of equipment I always farm out. There's a guy named Igor who lives in a basement and I just hand it to him and ask him to throw the main switch. He's always a little reluctant, looking all aghast and asks if I'm sure I want to throw the main switch, but eventually says "yes, master" and hobbles off to a dark and dank corner of his hovel. Almost like clockwork he'll have it back in ten minutes assuring me that my ping-pong balls should toast evenly every time from now on.

-Randy

[Dodgeb4ya]

Randy,

I felt like Igor today. I did go to the back of the shop and cranked up my magnifier lighting machine so I could see well enough to study this thing. I was shocked quite badly by 125 milliamps @ 6.5 volts during testing but survived and now the theory and path of electrical current travel is somewhat understood so I was able to repair 4 of these troublesome units. Funny thing though, now I'm howling at tonights full moon! Life is so good...

Bob

[BobT-47P15]

Well, Im in the dark I guess......what is that?

[Oldguy48]

Looks like it might be the innards of a turn signal flasher:confused:

[old stovebolt]

a little duct tape will do it....

[Plymouthy Adams]

it sings out to be something a bit different than a flasher...

[Don Coatney]

I see what appears to be a resistance coil and multiple contact points. I think possibly a multi speed heater fan controller.

[Dodgeb4ya]

"Oldguy48" is the winner of this one! Yes it's the guts of a flasher. I have had and dealt with turn signal issues over the years on my cars and customers too.. One day they work fine, the next they seem to blink fast, the next time the dash indicator doesn't light up yet the signal lights out side the car work fine. I would install a brand new flasher and a month later the signals didn't work correctly-already knowing the wiring and grounds and bulbs were 100% correct!!!!!

So yesterday after taking the NewYorker out for a drive and of course the T/Signals were not working like they should once again I put a known good flasher out of my 1 ton Dodge into the chrysler and the signals were strong and flashed at the correct speed and sound. So I put a NOS MoPar flasher in the chrysler and the signals worked except now no green dash indicator light. That really ticked me off.

I was mad enough now that I took apart the flasher and found that the 2 sets of contacts ( one set operates the Dash indicator-the other set the signal lights) needed to be carefully cleaned up and also found one of the 2 "X" terminal bent tabs had corrosion on it. So I soldered the othe side tab to correct the voltage drop. Did the same to 3 more flashers andnow all 4 flashers work fine! I carefully used a small pair of very sharp and pointed side cutter pliers to open up the rolled over aluminum bead to get the flasher assembly out of the can. Then used narrow nosed pliers to crush the bead back over the bakelite base of the flasher-not too pretty but works for me just knowing I don't have to buy anymore Chinese junk flashers from NAPA in the future! I found out that there are at least 2 design variations of these 6Volt flashers.

Some more pics....

Bob

[Jim Yergin]

That's impressive. Nice work.

Jim Yergin

[55 Fargo]

This is what you need Bob, a solid state 6 volt flasher, saving this one just in case

[Rusty O'Toole]

Flux capacitor for time travel unit. Allows you to drive a 1940s car on 21st century roads.

[BobT-47P15]

This is what you need Bob, a solid state 6 volt flasher, saving this one just in case

So, Fred.........where did you purchase that solid state flasher?    Seems like a good thing to have.

[Niel Hoback]

  It seems like you could do the same to resurrect radio vibrators, they work much the same way, only faster.

[Mark D]

This is what you need Bob, a solid state 6 volt flasher, saving this one just in case

 

Got a part number / supplier name?