Indicator stem light permanently on??

[Pedrotel]

I’m confused with my indicators.
I am restoring a 1960 tourer that originally had trafficators (blanked off and filled)but now has “standard” type.
I have fitted a new loom and steering stalk. Car is positive earth.
Both sets flash fine but the green light on the stem stays permanently on in the central position (it flashes when indicators are on). I have tried 3 different flasher units but all do the same. Can anyone help please

[Budgie]

sounds like another case of a bad earth to me but i,m sure someone else will be on soon to give another possible cause,btw welcome to the forum

[mike.perry]

Check the following
Have you used a 3 terminal 2 x 21W + 5W flasher unit?
Green from fuse box to B (or X) term on flasher unit
Green/Brown from L term to indicator switch
Light Green from P term to ind. warning light
Does it stay on with the ign. off? If so then you have used the wrong fuse

[crossword]

Can't remember details but I needed to rewire the indicator arm when I fitted a new one last year . I think the arm for trafficators is different to later type . It may also be affected by where the flasher relay has been wired in . iIf you have a workshop manual , a comparison between earlier & later wiring may be useful . Good luck with it & welcome to the forum, a very good source of knowledge .

Regards Andrew

[rsawatson]

I had a similar problem last year when the light on the indicator stalk suddenly stopped working. I bought two new flasher units and both of them caused the indicator stalk light to be permanently on. After seeking the help of a friend who had a rummage in his garage and found a rusty old flasher unit that had been lying dormant for years, I fitted it and it's worked fine ever since (touch wood!).

I'd therefore recommend eliminating the flasher unit itself as a possible cause!

Ryan

[Pedrotel]

I'm thinking the same Ryan.
I set up the units on a bench today to completely eradicate the wiring loom. I linked direct wires from the battery to the flasher, flasher to the stem, stem to light bulbs. I got both bulbs flashing correctly when operating stem (stem light flashing ok) but when in central position..............it stayed on. flashing!!!!!!!!!!!
I have bought 3 flasher units now from different suppliers (I suspect they all come from one main distributor).
I don't know what my next step is as I have been told that I need flasher stem to work to pass MOT.
Just a thought. The car is + earth. could it work if I change car to - earth??
I have been informed that the flasher unit is not polarity sensitive but it doesn't work wired up either way.
I will try setting it up on the bench tomorrow as neg earth.
Cheers
Pete

[Alec]

Hello Pete,

polarity is irrelevant.
Do you have a meter to ring out the three contacts. What I would expect is two will show continuity and one will not to any of the other two. If you put 12v to one the two with continuity and a couple of 21W lamps in parallel back the the other side of your 12v source. The lamps should flash and the third contact should have an intermittant 12v. If nothing then reverse the first two contact and you should then have the intermittant 12v on the third. If not then the flasher is U\S.

Alec

[stephenpolhill]

This is strange. Mine always used to work until a few months ago on one drive, the light stayed on. It still does now so I've taken the bulb out (I drive in the dark alot!). The indicators work fine so it doesn't bother me. Be interesting to know what you've found..

[Pedrotel]

Hi Alex
L and X have continuity
L and P do not
X and P do!!!!
Connected bulbs to X and to Positive earth
Connected negative to L
Bulbs flashed and
had intermittent signal to P
Is this right??
Cheers
Pete

[Alec]

Hello Pete,

that seems about right, although not quite what I expected. However, if the supply (green) is connected to L, indicators (green\brown) to X and the stalk light (light green) to P this should give the correct operation?

Alec

[rsawatson]

Honestly, I would send back the new ones yo'uve bought and ask for a refund - this is what I did with mine - perhaps it's just coincidence, but, as I said, the two new flasher units I bought were most certainly naff seing as the old rusty one works fine.

As for getting your car through its MOT, yes I do think it needs to be operating properly for the test - or at least where there is a difference between what the warning light is doing in the central position on the indicator arm and either raised or lowered...

Good luck with it - but I'd put money on it being the flasher units that're faulty. I look forward to hearing the outcome!

Ryan

[Pedrotel]

Sorted!!!!
Rang supplier and they agree that the flasher unit is probably u/s.
They said return and they would refund.
In the meantime I had a thought
When I set up the flasher unit as Alex suggested it worked without stem attached.
So I fitted switch between neg earth and L.
This only gave power when switch was activated and lights worked fine.
Problem was that it could only power one set of lights.
Wait a miniute, I have 2 flasher units!
So I now have live going to the feed on the stem switch, left hand load going to L on flasher unit 1 with right hand load going to flasher unit 2. X on flasher units going to respective indicators with both P's going to stem light.
I know its not standard but, it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Its not right but its good" I think that could be my new catchphase!
Thanks for you inputs
Watch out for my pics showing "Bessy"
Pete

[daveyl]

We had the same problem with with flashers on a series 2. We also wired it up with 2x flashers (one for each side), because we also incorperated semaphores. Only easy way we could figure how to do it.
But one of the flasher units had a short from the input to the pilot warning terminal, hence, why the stem bulb stayed on in the off position.
Drove me bonkers trying to work it out. We've had new ones flash too slowly or not at all, intermitant and now the same problem you have come across.
The units were exchanged ok. But we had to use very ancient ones in the mean time.