Indicator Problems

[Carder]

I keep leaving my indicators on after turning. Is there a device I can connect to “buzz” when the indicator is on.

[Sleeper]

I have done this, but it wasn't easy as the lamp is lit by current in both directions , maybe someone has found a simpler solution ?

John ;-)

[geoberni]

I have done this, but it wasn't easy as the lamp is lit by current in both directions
John ;-)

What?
How?
The lamp is between the Flasher Unit and Earth; it doesn't reverse when selecting the other direction....

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I keep leaving my indicators on after turning. Is there a device I can connect to “buzz” when the indicator is on.

That's why many manufacturers place the Flasher Unit in the dash, not out in the engine bay where BMC put the Minor's...
The old electromechanical flashers can make quite a noise if attached to a suitable body panel
What year is your car, are they factory fit, i.e. post '63 or something pre '61 with an aftermarket setup?
(The DB 10 system, 61-63, is a very specific case.)

I've known people rig up buzzers to ensure they don't leave the headlights on, it's a similar principle.
There's a wide selection available on ebay.

[59Elva]

Did the early cars not have the directional stalk on the column? Does the cancelling peg need adjustment?

[ManyMinors]

Early cars - pre 1959 - did not have any self cancelling device.
They DO have a warning light though. Any driver should be aware of what he is doing while driving but yes, a buzzer can be fitted.

[Sleeper]

The earlier cars , after semaphores and before self cancelling stalk used the earlier version of the wiring where the lamp on the end of the stalk ( non self cancelling ) was wired so as the curent flowed in two directions through the bulb to either right/left indicators.

John ;-)

[Sleeper]

Am starting to remember, driving along at the proscribed speed limit and having some numpty pull out of a side road nearly into me.... red-faced as I then noticed my indicator still on...
I will have a diagram stashed away somwhere in the shed... but it could be right and left take-off through a couple of diodes to a mini electronic sounder...

To be continued ( wife dragging me off to Tesco )

John ;-)

[geoberni]

The earlier cars , after semaphores and before self cancelling stalk used the earlier version of the wiring where the lamp on the end of the stalk ( non self cancelling ) was wired so as the curent flowed in two directions through the bulb to either right/left indicators.

John ;-)

Err ...Incorrect, at least as far as how they were built.

Later type trafficator system (1956-61)used the bi-directional tell-tale lamp, there was no flasher unit used because standard Trafficators Don't Flash.

The Indicator system after trafficators and before separate indicators used the DB10 relay to provide US type indicators.
Hence why I said 'Indicators' did not have a bi-directional lamp.

I'm guessing you had a hybrid conversion of trafficators to Indicators, which is why I asked Carder what year his car was so we can understand what he has to contend with.

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[Sleeper]

My Moggie has a birthdate of 05/02/58 , chassis FAB1/582024 , with a blanked out semaphore panel on the B-pillar , maybe tells us something?

John ;-)

P.S. In your diagram N36 , what is 26, is that the indicator switch? and to the right of it looks like a filament or is it part of the switch ?

I think looking at it it operates to send current through the filament to either indicator 23 or 27, therefore being bi-directional ?

[svenedin]

I too have noticed that I have a tendency to leave the indicators on by accident. I didn't want a buzzer because the sound of a buzzer is so out of keeping with the car and it would irritate me every time I heard it.

Gil Keane of Better Car Lighting has developed a little unit that makes a very similar sound to an original thermal flasher unit but louder. This is the one I bought but I have not got round to fitting it yet. I have a late car with flashing indicators so the wiring is very simple. The sounder unit is fitted inside the dashboard on the driver's side (there is lots of room under the glovebox). There are positive and negative earth versions and the only reason for polarity sensitivity is because there is a diode lead. I don't know exactly what is inside the little black box but I think it is just a solenoid that makes the mechanical click-clack that sounds more appropriate in a car of the Minor's age.

Stephen

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[geoberni]

My Moggie has a birthdate of 05/02/58 , chassis FAB1/582024 , with a blanked out semaphore panel on the B-pillar , maybe tells us something?

John ;-)

P.S. In your diagram N36 , what is 26, is that the indicator switch? and to the right of it looks like a filament or is it part of the switch ?

I think looking at it it operates to send current through the filament to either indicator 23 or 27, therefore being bi-directional ?

Yes, your car was built with trafficators but later modified to indicators.
26 is the trafficator Sw with the tell-tale filament lamp, it's a terrible representation that doesn't really make sense electrically.

The actual diagram of the circuit, as per the Lucas Technical Manual is as follows, with explanation of how it works. Note there is a resistor inline with the lamp, this limits the current so the lamp will light but the trafficator does not deploy.

Lucas trafficator diagram.JPG (61.32 KiB) Viewed 3174 times

So it is bi-directional but was never intended to operate with Indicators, only with trafficators.

[Sleeper]

Thank you.

Almost vindicated ... so either the factory OR a PDO has wired it as above , to the indicators... I knew I had great difficulty trying to wire in a " bleeper" .

Will still look for my wiring diagram for the " bleeper " fitting.

Thank you...

John ;-)

[geoberni]

Thank you.

Almost vindicated ... so either the factory OR a PDO has wired it as above , to the indicators... I knew I had great difficulty trying to wire in a " bleeper" .

Will still look for my wiring diagram for the " bleeper " fitting.

Thank you...

John ;-)

Yes, I'm really curious as to how they made it work with Indicators.
I totally understand how it works with the trafficators, the resistor limits the current preventing the Trafficator Coil from operating.
But with just a pair of lamps in the circuit rather than the Coil it's really puzzling how they got it not to cause the 'wrong side' to illuminate dimly; it would have been far simpler just to wire it up anew.

I actually have an original Lucas Indicator Kit Instruction Leaflet (it was inside a SII Operation Manual I brought on ebay ) and it gives clear instructions on fitting, i would have expected anyone doing such a modification to simply follow the leaflet.

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