Re: The flasher strikes again

[Jay Mackro <jmackro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 01:38 PM 10/21/98 -0400, Jack Hagerty replied to
ERIC_LUTKIN@domain.elided
>
>>the emergency flasher won't 
>>stop flashing. 
>
>Is the problem because the button won't stay in? That's usually the case.

Yea, those large, red button -type flasher switches are a real pain.
They are common to many European cars of the 70's.  They eventually
wear out, just from vibration, and can go into "flash mode" at any
time - I've had batteries get flashed to death in the airport long-
term parking lot.  My fix is a lot cruder than Jack's - I just
epoxy the suckers into "flash disabled" mode.  Sure, I lose the
ability to flash all four corners at once - so what?  I can flash
the relevant side when needed, and as a recent thread noted, few
drivers pay any attention to flashing lights anyway.

On my old '71 spider, which had pretty simple wiring, I seem to
recall replacing the button with a DPST switch and a diode.  I
remember how I wired it, but it would be hard to describe, or
draw with ASCII art.  The diode allows the old flasher switch
to act as an indicator (there's a bulb in the thing), but not 
flash when just the turn signals are being used.  My 1970 BMW, 
which also uses the same switch, has about 38 different
wires connected to the various terminals at the back of the 
switch - I've never trued my "DPST + diode" fix on it (though,
needless to say, it's button is epoxied down too).

Replacement button-type switches cost a fortune, and given their
short lifespan, and expensive failure mode, I can't see any
reason to replace them.  Jack's idea of sharpening up the
plastic finger is clever, and certainly more elegant than my
epoxy + DPST switch solution.  Still, sometimes cruder is 
better.

Jay

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End of alfa-digest V7 #188
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