Flasher Relays: Substituting 3-Terminal for 4-Terminal

blistered · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 10:29 am Post subject:

I know this is an old thread but I'm struggling a little with this same issue.

I've got a 62 US import with emergency lights and couldn't get the indicator light on the dash to work (with the wiring as standard). Found out the ignition live wasn't connected above to the terminal above the bulb holder and every time I connected it it would set the flasher relay off.

I followed the instructions that have been suggested on here and moved the black/green/white wire to the iginition live fuse. This meant I could then attach the ignition live wire to the correct terminal and the indicators worked as expected (assuming the dashlight was basically acting as a permanent live before changing the wire to the other fuse as when touching the ignition live to the terminal would cause it to click the flasher relay even with the ignition off).

However, I now have the situation where the emergency lights will only work with the ignition turned on and neither indicators or emergency lights will work with the ignition off.

Anyone had the same experience? How did you get round it?

I'm not too worried about it as emergency lights aren't a requirement in the UK for a '62 built car but it'd be nice to have everything working correctly. I'm assuming no-ones tried finding a 4-prong flasher relay to use as a replacement?

dirtylawnchair · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 10:56 am Post subject:

blistered · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:01 am Post subject:

dirtylawnchair · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:07 am Post subject:

blistered · Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:11 am Post subject:

mastorna · Last edited by mastorna on Sat Sep 09, 2017 2:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

I wanted to give y'all a shout out. This thread solved my turn signal/flasher issue that ive been wrestling with for a while now. I have a 62 6v with an emergency flasher. I could get the turn signals to work and the e flasher but I could not get the speedo indicator to work. Following the wiring here worked for me.

I had a P L X three prong relay. I was totally confused about how that translated to 49 and 49a til I found this:

P = Pilot (dash light, same as kBl)
L = Load (turn switch, same as 49a)
X = + (power in, same as 49)

Another thing that confused me was how to best ground the relay. I have metal hanged that I clip my relay onto and that metal clip should be grounded to the body. Yet I think that ground isn't as strong as it needs to be. What I did was run a new wire off the pilot and grounded that to the body. That seems to do the trick nicely. Finally followed the rest of the instructions above and boom now I have full functional turn signals and emergency flasher (w key on).
_________________
1959 Type II Mango SO-23
1962 Type II Kombi Light Gray
1963 Type II Standard Sunroof SWR\BG
1963 Type II Deluxe MG\PW

BarryL

55samba

Eric&Barb

GERMANAIRE

Spectre6000 I truly appreciate you posting that drawing of how to hook up wiring for flasher and emergency flasher. Spot on! I, like dirty lawn chair purchased a 12v, EP35, 3 prong flasher and wired as the diagram and all works perfect. Just make sure all gounds and wiring contacts are good and you should be in business. Thanks again you guys and The Samba for all this great information Wink

Ps. I forgot to mention I used the factory 6volt emergency flasher on passenger side worked perfectly. If I have any problems with it I will post.

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telford dorr

Here's how to hook up a 2-terminal or 3-terminal flasher in place of a 4-terminal flasher WITHOUT rewiring the fuses.

1) The 3-terminal flasher has terminals 49 and 49a. Power goes in 49 (was terminal '+') and flasher signal comes out 49a (was terminal S).

2) The indicator light wire which used to go to terminal K is rewired to terminal 49a. However, this creates a problem when the ignition is off. Because the flasher has full-time power on terminal 49 (needed for 4-way flasher operation with the key off), the flasher signal from terminal 49a tries to ground through the indicator lamp and the inactive ignition wiring, causing the flasher to be weird. The solution is to insert a 1N4001 diode (Fry's, Mouser, Digi-Key, etc.) in series with the indicator light wire. This acts as an electrical one-way check valve which lets ignition power flow through the indicator lamp and then through the non-illuminated turn signal lamps to ground, but not from the flasher through the indicator lamp to the inactive ignition wiring.

The diode has a band around one end. The band end of the diode goes to the flasher terminal 49a and the un-banded end goes to the indicator lamp.

The diode is rated at 1 amp, which should be plenty adequate for the indicator lamp.

Note this connection method will give no indication of a turn/brake bulb being out like the 4-terminal flasher does. When flashing, the indicator will be lit when the turn lamps are not, and vis versa. The indicator will not flash in 4-way flasher mode. Most people can live with these anomalies.
_________________
'71 panel, now with FI
'Experience' is the ability to recognize a mistake when you're making it again - Franklin P. Jones
In theory, theory works in practice; in practice, it doesn't - William T. Harbaugh
When you're dead, you don't know you're dead. The pain is only felt by others.
Same thing happens when you're stupid. - Philippe Geluck
More VW electrical at http://telforddorr.com/ (available 9am to 9pm PST)


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Flasher Relays: Substituting 3-Terminal for 4-Terminal
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