TheSamba.com :: View topic - '65 bug wiring diagram

Tue Nov 24, 2015 5:52 pm

The '65 type 1 wiring diagram doesn't show a ground wire for the flasher relay. If I use a 3 terminal relay (111 905 185C), should I run a ground wire from terminal 31 on the flasher? Or, is it grounded by the connection to the bracket?

Thanks.

Tue Nov 24, 2015 6:02 pm

Hi
31 to ground with an additional wire to the bracket.
It wont ground through the tab for attchment

Tue Nov 24, 2015 6:04 pm

Perfect....thanks for the quick response.

Tue Nov 24, 2015 6:08 pm

I didn't have any brown wire at the time (its the black one on the left of the flasher relay), so I used a black one. Grounds via a ring to the screw holding the flasher to the bracket.

Sun Nov 29, 2015 1:02 pm

Update...I purchased a NOS 3 terminal flasher relay (111 905 185C) for my '65 bug. It was advertised as a '66 relay. I assumed it would work on my '65, but it doesn't. Speedo light comes on, but signals don't work. I double checked the wiring and signals were working fine with the two terminal flasher that I replaced.

Is there any reason this flasher should not work on my car? Or did I just get a bad unit?

Thanks.

Sun Nov 29, 2015 2:52 pm

111 905 185C ????

Thats not a good flasher relay part number..

Not sure what you have..
2 or 3 terminals and are they numbered or labeled???

A US spec 66 flasher is not remotely close to a 65 flasher.

I think a 6 volt flasher should be 111 953 185.. (maybe B or C suffix by 1965)

Typical . ..

49 = Ign Key on fused power
49a = Signal circuit and indicator light shared
31 = Ground

Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:03 pm

Sorry....my bad....I meant 111 953 185C.

It has the screw stud on top that mounts to the bracket referenced in your post (part no. 111 415 621C).

I connected the ground (terminal 31) to one of the screws holding the speedo to the dash. Wires from turn signal switch and speedo light are connected to 49a. Wire from fuse block is connected to 49.

Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:18 pm

In my experience, those old metal-can flashers can be hit or miss as for quality, even when they are NOS. (I've got a couple of NOS Bosch 12V smaller metal can three-terminal flashers that don't work for me either, and I had a larger one that never worked very reliably.) I have heard that some of them are sensitive to the angle they are installed (terminals facing up or facing down)

Sun Nov 29, 2015 4:52 pm

Well, for something that cost $2.85 in 1966 (the seller still had the original receipt), I guess it's not surprising that it doesn't work after 50 years on the shelf!

I'm going to get a WW relay. In this case, I need reliability more than originality.

Thanks for the feedback.

Sun Nov 29, 2015 6:45 pm

rcroane wrote: Well, for something that cost $2.85 in 1966 (the seller still had the original receipt), I guess it's not surprising that it doesn't work after 50 years on the shelf!

I'm going to get a WW relay. In this case, I need reliability more than originality.

Thanks for the feedback.

The cans are pretty large, large enough to fit the new relay inside, and then you can have it both ways.

Sun Nov 29, 2015 7:06 pm

Well, now I feel like an idiot. :oops: Turns out there is an adjusting screw near the terminals.....fiddled with that and bingo! :oops:

I also figured out that the ground connection to the speedo wasn't doing the job. Works much better when I ground it to the radio bracket.

I'm still getting the WW relay as a backup....I'm sure this can will give out eventually. KTPhil.....great idea to disguise the WW relay inside the can!

Thanks again for the input.