flasher

Where is the flahser unit located on a 75 Commando? I don't think mine has one anymore. When My Dad removed the flashers I suspect he took the unit out too. He never suspected that someone might want to put them back in :mrgreen:

The flasher unit is in the headlamp, small square two wires. If you are going to reinstall the turn signals I suggest you go to a auto parts store and get a electronic flasher unit. these will flash down to a very low voltage. Any of you in the group that have very slow flashing signals, or will not flash with the lights on, this will cure the probblem.

Ken G.

Cool! Good info, thank you! Sounds like what I had to do to my Jeep so that it wouldn't fash too fast when hooked up to trailer lights. Does it matter that the system is a pos ground? I don't know if the flasher cares about polarity or not. I have no flasher in there. Do you have a part # for the electronic flasher. Is it attached to something or just hanging loose in there?

Captain B said:

Does it matter that the system is a pos ground? I don't know if the flasher cares about polarity or not. I have no flasher in there. Do you have a part # for the electronic flasher.

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Not all types of electronic flasher relays will work positive ground.

You will need a two blade type flasher relay, or a three blade one that will work as a two blade flasher unit.

I've replaced all the flasher units on my Brit bikes with these Durite 140102 relays:
http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/165
http://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/f ... iagram.jpg

You may be able to find a similar type of flasher unit at an autoparts store?

The only downside I found, is that they are a lot bigger than the original unit, but it still fits inside the standard Lucas headlamp-just!

I used a electronic flasher from Napa auto parts #36608 it is a 2 prong type. On a MKIII the white wire goes to the minus, green with brown tracer goes to plus. The unit is bigger than the OE Lucas flasher, I tie wraped mine to some of the switch wiring toward the rear of the headlamp shell, it's been in there for several years with no issues.

Ken G.

motoracer8 said:

I used a electronic flasher from Napa auto parts #36608 it is a 2 prong type. On a MKIII the white wire goes to the minus, green with brown tracer goes to plus. The unit is bigger than the OE Lucas flasher, I tie wraped mine to some of the switch wiring toward the rear of the headlamp shell, it's been in there for several years with no issues.

Ken G.

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Awesome! Thanks 8)

I go to my local discount electronics store, the generic electronic flasher relays are less than $3

Jean

Jeandr said:

I go to my local discount electronics store, the generic electronic flasher relays are less than $3

Jean

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Do you have model/make information or at least the technical specs on the types of generic flashers you get?

Some of us are less than electronic geeks so some direction is helpful.

A picture is worth 1000 words... this is a 3 terminal one, but they have the two terminal one too (same price)

Jean



This is where I bought it from... for 1.99

https://www.addison-electronique.com/ca ... 51e4b6b38d

Super! Thanks. Do you have to have both front and back signals hooked up for them to work?

Not sure, but I think they would work with LED lights only. One thing I am certain of, they will work with a single bulb on each side.

Jean

Jeandr said:

Not sure, but I think they would work with LED lights only. One thing I am certain of, they will work with a single bulb on each side.

Jean

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Do the incandescent flashers pull more than 20 amps?

The std t/s bulbs are 21 watts each, thats 3.5 amps draw for 2 lamps. I put a 10 amp fuse in line just for safety, that would be the white wire, the green/brown gose to the t/s switch.

Ken G.

Sorry, I meant the stock setup in general. I know on my car that if a flasher bulb burns out then all of them on that side of the car quit flashing. Is the Commando wired the same way?

Captain B said:

Sorry, I meant the stock setup in general. I know on my car that if a flasher bulb burns out then all of them on that side of the car quit flashing. Is the Commando wired the same way?

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Yes. If you have a burned out bulb or no bulb in one of the sockets, then the corresponding direction indicator on that same side will not flash.

slupdawg said:

Captain B said:

Sorry, I meant the stock setup in general. I know on my car that if a flasher bulb burns out then all of them on that side of the car quit flashing. Is the Commando wired the same way?

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Yes. If you have a burned out bulb or no bulb in one of the sockets, then the corresponding direction indicator on that same side will not flash.

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I think with the electronic flashers the one turnsignal may work. But one more reason to change to LED.

The bimetalic mechanical flasher will not flash if one of the bulbs burns out, same as on a car. Electronic flashers don't have that "feature".

Sweet. I never knew that the newer flashers were like that. Now how will I know if a signal is out :lol:

The reason the older flashers would quit working when one bulb was out is the flasher needed the currant draw to heat the bimetal tang in the flasher, it would heat up and pull away from the contact then it would cool and make contact again. Electronic flashers don't care how many lamps are in the circut as long as you don't exceed the load rating. Thats why they work well if you pull a trailer with your car or truck. They have a clock that times the flash so the flash is constant to a very low voltage.

When you run the lights, or put on the brakes it reduces the available currant to the flasher unit so the flasher takes longer to heat, sometimes they don't get hot enough to flash at all. Make shure your charging system will make around 14 volts with the lights off. The newer three phase charging systems generaly take care of the low voltage and weak lights on the old british bikes.

Years ago when I was a wee lad, I worked in a shop that sold British motorcycles, and once or twice a year a guy from BSA/Triumph in the UK. would come to visit, he and the owner would go fishing and ride motorcycles in the hills. One evening after closeing we were having a beer in the shop, and I made the comment about the beer was cold because the fridge was made by GE not lucas, he had heard all the warm beer jokes. He said look the British bike industry was willing to pay 20 pounds, that was about $60 at the time for the entire electrcal system that encluded the chrome headlamp, that was in the late sixtys. He said that if they had spent just 5 pounds more they could have had the same quality as the Japenese had, but the bean counters said no as they were always trying to save a buck rather making the machines better. Things did improve some but by the time that started it was pretty much over.

Ken G.