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Sat Apr 16, 2005 11:47 pm

Looks good except you'll want both semaphore wires to "bridge". ( over the rear indicator light wire). :?

Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:31 am

Splitdog wrote: Looks good except you'll want both semaphore wires to "bridge". ( over the rear indicator light wire). :?

Thanks Splitdog I've corrected the diagram as you'll see below.

Hope it looks OK now.

Sun Apr 17, 2005 8:38 am

I'm confused...John...I thought you said the semaphore flashes...it looks like it is totally out of the flashing circuit...

Sun Apr 17, 2005 9:35 am

John Moxon wrote: What you will get from me is the wiring diagram without the technical back-up...sadly I'm no auto electrician, but the system works well and has been for the last 10 years.

Hmmm, well gitchesum I'm ending up quoting myself here as a defence :?

I've checked the trafficators in daylight and they appear to dim and brighten, (does that look possible?) rather than FLASH but were talking about a small 6v bulb.

From your original request it looks to me this will work for you...your rear lights will flash and the trafficators will stay out while they are illuminated.

As you say people just don't look for samaphores anymore and even if the semaphores did flash it still wouldn't fill me with confidence that people would notice them anymore than they do now. :(

One day when I get the time I'll search the web for a good auto-electrics tutorial, until then I'll have to rely on your expertise...know any good links :wink:

Sun Apr 17, 2005 10:17 am

Sun Apr 17, 2005 2:11 pm

Splitdog...You can also run a separate wire w/ground to a separate flasher for the semaphore bulb only...that way the solenoid sees the straight power, and the bulb would see power from the flasher....wait a minute....why can't you run the flasher wire as John shows, to the bulb only, and not the semaphore solenoid isself...did I make sense....??

Sun Apr 17, 2005 4:13 pm

Yes. You could do that. Actually, that's the best way. In about a month, I'm going to be doing this to my '51. I'm going to treat the rear blinkers and the semaphore blinkers the same. ( same circuit.) I will run an extra wire in my rear light harness, and run dual filament bulbs. They will light when you turn on the lights, and will have brake light and turn signal (flasher) on the other filament. (circuit). That circuit will also run the semaphore bulb only, leaving the original wire for the solenoid. (Whew!) It will come off the switch and divide, one to the semaphore, (solenoid), the other to the flasher which will then run to the semaphore ( lite) and to the rear ( taillights). The brake light portion won't lite the semaphore bulb because there's no ground. It will go through the taillight and ground out. If you have any questions, I will try to answer. :)

Sun Apr 17, 2005 11:39 pm

John Moxon wrote: I've checked the trafficators in daylight and they appear to dim and brighten, (does that look possible?) rather than FLASH but were talking about a small 6v bulb.

I know what's going on here. gitchesum is right, the semaphore in that cct is before the flasher, so it will see constant power as long as your indicator switch is on. The dimming and brightening you are seeing is a result of the added load of the other 2 bulbs on the battery. Those extra bulbs are pulling down the battery voltage when they come on, causing your semaphore bulb to appear to dim slightly.

Mon Apr 18, 2005 5:47 am

Bruce wrote: I know what's going on here. gitchesum is right, the semaphore in that cct is before the flasher, so it will see constant power as long as your indicator switch is on. The dimming and brightening you are seeing is a result of the added load of the other 2 bulbs on the battery. Those extra bulbs are pulling down the battery voltage when they come on, causing your semaphore bulb to appear to dim slightly.

Thanks for that Bruce...when you get to my age you begin to think it's something to do with your eyes. Relieved to know it's only the intellect that's damaged. :oops:

Mon Apr 18, 2005 11:26 am

Run all power wires separately. (to the switch, or battery) This will help the dimming.

Sat Jun 18, 2005 6:34 pm

Here's your chance !
:shock:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=190168

Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:06 pm

Richard Roth wrote: Here's your chance !
:shock:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=190168

Please explain what it does and how it does it. Nice piece, but explain the physics involved.

Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:35 am

Hey Richard, would you be willing to post a scan of the wiring diagram? I don't see how it works.

Sun Jun 19, 2005 9:03 am

Just to save complexity, and a fire...I ended up putting a 6V battery up front, and ran my semi wires to it...it works perfect, and I havn't had to charge it up in 2 months...takes no current at all...works for me...

Sun Jun 19, 2005 9:44 am

This showed up yesterday in the Gallery. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=213170

Sun Jun 19, 2005 5:43 pm

In the early 1990's I went to a VW show with Terry Shuler.
A small crowd was gathered around a '56 "Euro" Beetle.
It turns out it had flashing semaphores.
The guy showed us the "Blinkmotor" and said that is what did it.
Terry wanted to take a picture of it, but the guy had a ton of stuff under the hood.
The guy actually offered to take it out for the picture !
He said it would only take a second.
Well Terry put the picture in the magazine titled "Whatsit".
I asked the guy if he would sell it and said definitely not.
Well fast forward many years and I found another, only in the box this time, at a VW show in Cincinnati.
Here is the schematic that came with it, unfortunately, it is not "VW" specific.
I hope it helps.

Sun Jun 19, 2005 8:58 pm

Here's an online translation:

"The electrical connection takes place after accompanying diagram, whereby it is to be noted that the flashing engine behind the switch is inserted, and that a direct plus and minus supply are attached. On the vehicle identification plate indicated the ratings from 15 to 60 Watts for each side of the car are to be kept. As switches for the turn signals shown in accompanying illustration we recommend our guidance stick switches LS 2 U for passenger car and LS 12 U for truck and buses, just like the rocker switch SE."

Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:05 pm

It's just a motorized rotary switch. It goes around slowly, making contact half the time.

Thu Jun 23, 2005 7:24 am

I have a 60 Euro with the provisions for Semis, but the semis are not there :( . Inside the semi holes and under the dash are two wires running to each side. Each semi has two wires. I assumed that one was to power the extension of the semi and the other was to power the light bulb. If you apply constant power to the wire that extends the semi and hook the bulb wire to a flasher unit, wouldn't you get a semi that stay up, but flashes??? :?

Unfortunately my 60 had the semis removed and front signals mounted many years ago. I plan, in the future, to put some back in and had always planned to hook the up the the flasher that is already under the dash. I like the idea of two seperate flashers, one for each side as well as the extra battery idea just to operate the flashers.

If you put a battery in the front, would that assist with handling as well?

This is a great thread here! :D

Chris....

Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:10 am

One wire is for power to the semaphore, (and light), the other goes back to the indicator light in the dash. The semaphore grounds out at the semaphore. Right on, :)