Adjustable LED Flasher

[MrGoodtunes]

Made in China, probably design'd there too; comes in a package of 2 flasher relays (as if they're already providing a replacement) along with half a dozen female spade push-on connectors. Available from Amazon, here:

https://www.amazon.com/Gebildet-Electronic-0-1W-15...si_vtp_0_t

Note that the 3-prong arrangement is bas-ackwards in that the positive (B+ original German #49, which can alternatively be #30 or #15) and negative (E- original German #31, earth or ground) terminals are the reverse of typical VW terminals. In fact, a standard 3-prong H4 headlight socket pigtail has a red wire for this relay's negative and black for positive!!!

In other words, this relay has the RFL9 arrangement; versus stock RFL3 pin pattern for 1971-up Beetle. (Maybe this is the reason they're selling 2 for the price of 1; plus, sweetening the deal by including some terminals.)

A slightly different adjustable LED flasher with the more usual and proper RFL3 pin arrangement is available, here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EYGKRXK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Every 3-prong adjustable LED flasher relay I've found (the 2 link'd above, several on eBay, one at Walmart, and one at sears.com) all have the same jibberish printed on them:

Lamp-LED is general
12.8V 0.1W-150Wc/m
About dodges three times

Chinese English sort of explains the top line. Middle line is good until its last few characters. And the bottom line makes no sense at all, even to a Chinese friend who also speaks English. That almost caused me to not buy it, but the low price and adjustability seem'd worth a mockup; and the mockup makes it look like a go for my buggy! Mockup video is here:

https://youtu.be/PPGPlrlwGnk

[MrGoodtunes]

It's now install'd in my buggy. I was able to locate the flasher where its adjustment knob is easily accessable; and I'm liking fast blinking around town, but prefer slow when signaling for an innerstate exit.

I went with amber LED bulbs at all 4 spots on my buggy (1157 front, 1156 rear). Works flawlessly; lights snap on and off cleanly, showing full bright deep amber color. The flasher's tick-tock clicking sound is not as loud as what I've been used to with the stock 4-prong 1969 bug flasher I've been using for decades. Here's my circuit diagram and info re idiot indicator light:

Found the 2-diode Y-connector on Amazon at a store with a cool name, "2 Orange Harleys" here:

https://www.amazon.com/Custom-Dynamics-Metric-Diode-GEN-MDK/dp/B0041QIMPO/ref=sr_1_1

Note that the indicator bulb needs to have a constant ground (#31) connection; very different from the typical blinker indicator in a Beetle, which has a constant ignition ON (#15) connection. One of the speedometers in my stash provides ground for the middle of the 3 indicator light sockets. So I was able to use that type of bakelite 3-socket holder (left & center) in place of the stock Beetle 3-socket holder (far right):

Since LED bulbs caused hyperflash issues early on, "About dodges three times" may mean...

What this relay's all "about" is that it "dodges" flashing "three times" (or more, per second). After all, 3x per second (180/minute) is twice as fast as the upper limit of DOT legal range, 60-90 flashes per minute. So "About dodges three times" is simply Chinglish for "avoids hyperflash."

[indianpeaksjoe]

Thanks Mr Good Tunes, that is helpful!
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Adventures in owning a 66 beetle