Indicator tick

[Rob_Jennings]

I know there is already a light for the indicators, but I have been thinking about how to add an audible tick too.

I have thought that adding a relay in series with the flasher stalk bulb seems the easiest option. the connections are dead easy to access being psuh togther style and just under the wheel, any cheap 12v relay would do only the coil needs to work.

Does anyone see a problem with this? I can imagine it will dim the stalk light a little (but it's already very bright and a relay coil is only a few ohms) the load on the flasher would still be about the same. I may put a protection diode across the relay to reduce electrical noise and back emf.

Any thoughts?

[alex_holden]

Does your flasher unit not already click? If it's not loud enough from inside the car perhaps you could move it to the space behind the driver's side glove box.

[Rob_Jennings]

can't hear it on the other side of the bulk head, and its also very quiet anyway

[alex_holden]

My new one is much louder than the old one was (I replaced it because the warning light wasn't working).

[Willie]

I had this problem as my model has non self cancelling indicators and I kept
leaving them flashing. The easy answer for my model was to fit a 12v DC
buzzer connected to the 'P' terminal on the flasher unit and mount it inside
the car on the parcel shelf. So loud that I had to glue some carpet over it to quieten it down! This system is fine for the non self cancelling flashers as
the pilot light is fed from the indicator switch and NOT from the 'P' terminal
so adding the buzzer does not seem to overload the flasher unit. ( the flasher
unit is rated at 2X21W+5W pilot)

[M25VAN]

I used a buzzer from Maplins, part no. FL40. Boy is it loud but then without any carpet or insulation I needed something I could hear.
I'm also going to fit one to the oil light and dynamo light so that I am immediately aware of any problems there.

[Rob_Jennings]

I'll think I'll stick with trying a relay, I just wanted a subtle tick, not a buzzer.

[Packedup]

I'll think I'll stick with trying a relay, I just wanted a subtle tick, not a buzzer.

How about an old small speaker (such as in cheapo PC speakers)?

It should thunk click or crackle every time a pulse goes through it, and shouldn't be too tricky to wire in

[Rob_Jennings]

12v through a speaker will burn it out in a very short time!

[Packedup]

12v through a speaker will burn it out in a very short time!

That's why you use cheap ones out knackered old PC sets! ;)

Not that I've ever used a speaker as a "test lamp" when I can't find anything more suitable for seeing if there's power going through, such as when setting the points...

[nebogipfel]

It used to be possible to buy a little buzzer which plugged onto the flasher unit wires and then the flasher unit plugged into it ................ don't know if they are still around but someone selling auto electrickery would probably tell you

[tickman]

So loud that I had to glue some carpet over it to quieten it down!

at work to quieten down alarm buzzers fut some self adhesive foam over the sounder, this still sounds but makes it much quieter. the foam is the sort you buy at b and q as draft seal!

hope this helps someone!

[badfelafel]

Wire in an mp3 player and record any sound to accompany your indicators
S thats not a serious suggestion!

[paulk]

But knowing Rob it could just work.

Although it will take him weeks to find the just right tick.

I suggest a Louis XIII grandfather clock from 15 feet away in an Oak floored hallway 100yds long. No curtains

[Roni]

Seeing as how this is on a Morris Minor how about a low tech solution. My car doesn't always cancel its left indicator so I may be doing this myself.
Move the indicator relay to the interior of the car, get the lid off an aerosol can, mount the relay to the outside of the centre of the lid and mount the lid somewhere you can hear the resonance it creates. It might work for you and costs little, if anything, to try.

[Rob_Jennings]

hummmm

thats got me thinking Badfelafel and Paul

now let me see, cheap MP3 player with one short track recorded on it, small speaker connected to it, wire a feed for power with correct regulator in line, and from the indicator light to the play button (use a high value series resistor so not too much current flow and damage to the device). you know it might just work and you could have novelty indicator tones, I wonder if I could rig it for left and right sounds?

It could be done.....

[badfelafel]

( I didnt even know the indicators were supposed to self cancel... mine doesnt! )

[paulk]

What ever you do don't use the 'Intel inside' jingle.

Or you could use the nokia ring

[Robins]

Wouldn't it be easier to fix the self cancel bit? probably just down to adjustment of the column in the clamp under the dash. Take off steering wheel and cover just under it held on with 3 small screws, and make sure the little stub on the column lines up with the cancel part of the indicator stalk. It could just want loosening off on the clamp and sliding up a bit.
Or how about making up a small loom to extend the wires and mount the flasher unit inside the car?

[bigginger]

'talways is the the line up of the pin and mechanism under the steering wheel - sometimes the column is put back entirely wrongly, so nothing lines up at all.