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Jason Eden
Samba Member
Joined: July 04, 2003
Posts: 952
Location: Inland Empire
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 Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2018 12:50 pm Post subject: semaphore help ?? |
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My car is 12 volt but I have og 6 volt s semaphores Is running a voltage drop the way to go ? Any pics or ideas would be great. Thanks
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56Cabrio
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2008
Posts: 1899
Location: San Fernando Valley, CA
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0nebadbug
Samba Member
Joined: October 01, 2009
Posts: 1087
Location: Rockford, Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Oct 24, 2018 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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Yeah that resistor will work perfect if you're running just semaphores alone...
The only problem with those resistors is when their used constant (headlights, tails, wipers etc) they get real hot. real fast...
And never ever hide one under a tar board... (ask me how I know)
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jason
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2002
Posts: 3444
Location: Garage
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| Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 7:08 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| Run two. One to each semaphore after the switch. Those resistors run about $10 also. |
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FlatfourFrenchy
Samba Member
Joined: March 13, 2013
Posts: 297
Location: Boonville, MO
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| Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2018 7:08 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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I have seen some 12 volt repop semaphores from some online connection. Cip1 maybe, WW. I did see them.
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René R.
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Joined: July 06, 2015
Posts: 1710
Location: No. Calif.
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azbob
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2010
Posts: 714
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 8:26 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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Any one have experience with these? What's the quality?
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René R.
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Joined: July 06, 2015
Posts: 1710
Location: No. Calif.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2018 9:10 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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I have a set on my car, they look and work great.
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bugman1955
Samba Member
Joined: July 05, 2004
Posts: 171
Location: Montreal, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 6:59 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| The CIP1 ones are $207 US each..ouch! You could have your originals rewound to 12V which might be cheaper. |
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chez2165
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2014
Posts: 11
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:33 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| How long would 6volt semaphores last with 12volt run through them. |
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ghia4mea
Samba Member
Joined: July 23, 2007
Posts: 478
Location: Largo Florida
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| Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:55 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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The semaphores, as designed by VW, draw a certain amount of current (amps/milliamps) at 6 volts.
If the dropping resistor inserts the correct amount of resistance (ohms), then the semaphores will draw the exact same amount of current at 12 volts.
It is only a matter of inserting the correct amount of resistance and the semaphores will last as long as they would have at 6v.
The other issue is wattage. The resistor has to be beefy enough to disapate the heat that is created by the voltage drop. That extra 6v is converted to heat via the resistor.
I hope I have explained this clear enough.
Bottom line: there is no danger to your semaphores when run at 12v if they are only getting the same current (amperage) via the resistor. The voltage number means little as long as the current is no more than what they were designed to draw.
Ken |
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swanlakers
Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2005
Posts: 370
Location: Lost in space
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| Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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with no resister they would last for seconds
maybe a minute or two
you can put 12v through for a brief flash, just to see if they work - but even that might kill them instantly
so - not recommended
Ken (just above) has it right
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Last edited by swanlakers on Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:59 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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EverettB 
Administrator
Joined: April 11, 2000
Posts: 69802
Location: Phoenix Metro
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| Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| swanlakers wrote: |
| you can put 12v through for a brief flash, just to see if they work - but even than might kill them instantly |
I've done this for a split second - they absolutely slammed open too.
They were fine afterward.
I wouldn't recommend it though
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chez2165
Samba Member
Joined: December 02, 2014
Posts: 11
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 3:40 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| Thanks for your replies, thats answered my question. |
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Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17285
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 12:27 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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A friend of mine had a 54 that he converted to 12V without doing anything to the semaphores. He said they start to smoke after about 30-45 seconds.
You might think that by hitting them with 12V, you're putting double the heat into them. Not so. You're putting FOUR times the heat into them.
A stock 6V semaphore has 6A going through it. When you apply 12V to it, you get 12A. Therefore the power (heat), which was originally 36Watts, jumps to 144W when you apply 12V to it.
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Bruce
Samba Member
Joined: May 16, 2003
Posts: 17285
Location: Left coast, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 12:36 am Post subject: Re: semaphore help ?? |
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| ghia4mea wrote: |
The semaphores, as designed by VW, draw a certain amount of current (amps/milliamps) at 6 volts.
If the dropping resistor inserts the correct amount of resistance (ohms), then the semaphores will draw the exact same amount of current at 12 volts.
It is only a matter of inserting the correct amount of resistance and the semaphores will last as long as they would have at 6v.
The other issue is wattage. The resistor has to be beefy enough to disapate the heat that is created by the voltage drop. That extra 6v is converted to heat via the resistor.
I hope I have explained this clear enough.
Bottom line: there is no danger to your semaphores when run at 12v if they are only getting the same current (amperage) via the resistor. The voltage number means little as long as the current is no more than what they were designed to draw.
Ken |
100% correct!
The dropping resistor I picked cuts the voltage exactly in half, 12V to 6V.
Many people report that their semaphores are sometimes listless, lifting only part way in a 6V car. I could have picked a resistor that would make the semaphore see a little bit more, say 7V, but that has a drawback. More heat in the semaphore. The proper solution is to find out why it doesn't lift all the way.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2204906
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