Howdy, folks. I finished the rewire job on the Merc, and everything works ~except~ that the blinkers are very weak and erratic. If I have the headlights on, the flash is so weak that they're hardly even perceptible. I've checked (and re-checked) that the running lamps and turn/brake leads are connected to the proper bulb filaments for all 4 sockets. I wired up separate ground wires to clean, bare metal for each lamp socket thinking maybe I had grounding issues (and perhaps I still do?). I also cleaned each socket. All bulbs are 6v 1154. The flasher is a 6v flasher. The brake lights are fine, and shine gaily with the headlights either on or off. WEIRD: I can feel/hear a faint, erratic/intermittent buzzing--which I think is coming from the voltage regulator--when the turn signals are on. The noise goes away once the blinker circuit is off. Any ideas? Thanks...
Wire kit or wiring from scratch? If its a kit did you contact tech support? My initial guess would be a ground issue but sounds like you have already tried to address that. Maybe Rebel43 here on the HAMB will chime in. Good luck. Chasing wiring/ground issues can be a real PITA.
Find out where the noise is coming from, it may be a solid clue as to what is going on. With the information you have given us I'll ask if you have tried a different flasher?
It's a kit (actually from Rebel Wire) and I have contacted him once about the issue. His idea was to check and see if I had the filaments switched (I don't) and to check ground connections. I did. I put in the old flasher, and it was acting erratic as well...until it quit after a few minutes. BTW, the new flasher makes no noise at all. I'm almost positive the buzzing noise is coming from the voltage regulator. It's hard to pin down exactly; it's more of a vibration than anything. The vibration/noise makes me think it's a ground issue, because it's the same kind of noise/vibration you get from an old VW when the horn grounds out...only a LOT quieter. It sounds like a coil vibration. I'm gonna poke around with some test leads tomorrow.
Nope. I did, on one socket that I found particularly suspect (front left). When I engaged the left turn signals there was no change.
My understanding of that term would be a ground circuit seeking a ground path through another route than intended. "The path of least resistance". Sometimes that will have one bulb filament seeking ground through the other filament because of a ground fault in the socket of taillight housing or??? Poor connections can produce some amazing diversions involving other components you would never think likely or possible. I agree with @firstinsteele (post #4) to take a good positive connection and connect it to the output terminal of the flasher trying each direction in turn. If you have good + and - connections at the various lamps, they should light at full strength. They will not flash since you are after the flasher circuit. If they do not light properly you could have a defective signal light switch causing your problem. The signal switch is a routing device and must have good wiring and internal contacts for the lights to function. And, of course, a 'known to be good' flasher is also a 'must'.
Two problems, the flasher is junk,plain and simple, the new diode flashers for 6 volt don't work, find a old style mechinal flasher, second your working with 6 volt and a generator, with the headlights on they are taking a big hit off the battery and with a junk flasher it won't work and the generator isn't charging at an idle, and that may cause the regulator to hum.
As it turns out, the problem was two-fold: Bad ground on FL blinker--though I had previously run a separate ground from the bulb housing and cleaned the socket, I found that the socket was a little bent outa whack, so the bulb's ground wasn't making good contact. Also, when I cleaned the socket the first time, I used my Dremel & wire wheel. That's worked fine every other time, but this socket was VERY corroded, and all that did was polish the corrosion. Another lesson learned. Bad SS flasher -- Vimtage Iron was right--the solid-state 6v flasher that came with my kit is/was a POS. I had previously plugged in the old points flasher, and it didn't work either, likely due to problem #1. Anyway, after rectifying the ground problem, I re-installed the old TUNG-SOL (!!) flasher unit, and it works like new. Thanks for everyone's help; I surely do appreciate it!
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