Signal flasher upgrade easy to do & what a difference

[grotflo]

Good research in this thread. Quick question about the EL13 for those who have installed them. How loud is the click? There's something nice and mechanical about the original relay that I'd like to keep. Modern cars sound more muted to my ear. 

[Dudeland]

It is a good click, in my opinion better than the original. 

[mataku527]

Somehow I'm still not getting it to work right. The PO changed out the front lights for led.

My dash indicator doesn't work with the original flasher but otherwise all my lights work as expected, except when I have my front lights on. When they are on - the front signal fails to blink, the back do blink normally.

I tried changing out the flasher for two different ones so far, both with XPL tabs. With the flasher they work the same as with the original flasher but the dash indicator is constantly blinking and the click is always on.

I cleaned out my signal lights and mechanism, drilled a new ground to connect to the lights, and checked that the bulbs have two connection spots.

At this point, I'm considering getting new LED lights vs going back to incandescent but thought I'd get some advice from the forum.

[Dudeland]

Make sure the the PO put in the resistor parallel to the line or you will get to the  or you will get hyper flashing or perhaps some other problems

 

[mataku527]

Make sure the the PO put in the resistor parallel to the line or you will get to the  or you will get hyper flashing or perhaps some other problems
 

Could you clarify which resistor you are referring to? Any reason why it doesn't flash when the front lights are on?

[Tsingtao_1903]

LED lamps do not draw any where near the current as traditional incandescence lamps.  Typical flashers expect to see some "resistance/load" from the lamps to sense that they are still there or they have burnt out.  So, a load resistor is needed in parallel with the LED lamp to fool the flasher into sensing the LED lamp.  An example is this:  https://www.amazon.com/Resistors-Signal-License-Warning-Cancellor/dp/B004EDF8HY 

 

If you install the load resistors, be aware that they get very hot.  Make sure to mount them to metal or something to provide heat sinking.  Or, use a more modern flasher designed to work with LED lamps.

  

Edited November 9, 2017 by Tsingtao_1903

[Dudeland]

This is the ones I used. You need one for every light.

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/led-light-load-resistor-kit-led-turn-signal-hyper-flash-warning-fix/190/831/

 

[mataku527]

I'll definitely consider that, the weird thing is that it did hyperflashing with the "modern" relay and actually worked somewhat normally with the original relay.  I'm going to see what happens with other bulbs before getting the resistors.

 

Edit:  figured out my issue - the PO had installed the bulb in the wrong direction - hence initially only one side wasn't working. When I took it all apart and reinstalled, I had switched the wires.  Just got to fix the dash light now.

Edited November 12, 2017 by mataku527

[jdt10768]

On 10/25/2017 at 8:52 PM, Clint Carroll said:

Yep!


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wondering where you sourced the 3 pronged black socket plug please . . . ? Thanks!

[N2MY2002]

I believe this is the one I got.

https://www.amazon.com/Socket-Pigtail-3-Prong-Automotive-Flashers/dp/B00O3H4DP4/ref=pd_bxgy_263_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00O3H4DP4&pd_rd_r=XHS6569ET4BKKGFM9GQM&pd_rd_w=iWI9B&pd_rd_wg=zpE6J&psc=1&refRID=XHS6569ET4BKKGFM9GQM

 

[Clint Carroll]

wondering where you sourced the 3 pronged black socket plug please . . . ? Thanks!

Sure thing - It’s actually a headlight socket that I sourced from NAPA as well; I don’t recall the part number (and my car is in California while I’m in Virginia) but I’d think trial and error at NAPA would get you to the right one.


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[nerdydorkus]

Just a small update, the Napa Flasher EL13L1 is compatible with both LEDs and incandescent bulbs, no need for resistors when converting to LED turn signal bulbs.  It does require grounding.

 

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NF_EL13L1

 

Same as this:

https://www.amazon.com/CEC-Industries-EF33RL-Flasher-Compatible/dp/B00JXLHE8S/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1516832157&sr=1-1&keywords=el13l1

 

Pigtail:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00O3H4DP4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3JJJJEKUDKNY9&psc=1

 

FAQ about Flasher Relays:

http://www.memotronics.com/led-flashers/

 

 

[Dudeland]

I have tried the setup without the resistors, and the EL13 went kinda crazy.  Not sure if this experience is unique to me. 

['76mintgrün'02]

Dude, 

the flasher nerdydorkus referred to is the EL13L1

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NF_EL13L1

 

to be clear, the one that gave you trouble was the plain old EL13, correct?

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NF_EL13 

 

 

[AustrianVespaGuy]

On 1/8/2018 at 10:40 AM, jdt10768 said:

wondering where you sourced the 3 pronged black socket plug please . . . ? Thanks!

FYI, you can also use the existing connector, just need to pop the terminals out and swap them around to the right positions to hook up to the new flasher, but the physical dimensions are the same (at least for squaries, not sure about roundies).