What Makes Turn Signals Work? (Inside a Thermal Flasher Relay) • Cars Simplified

Thermal flashers are an early method of making turn signal lights turn on and off. Inside the flasher relay is a bimetallic component with a strip element that heats up, expands just enough to push on the metal it's attached to, connects the circuit, and allows electricity to pass more freely another way while the strip cools down. When it cools down enough, it snaps back into its original position, starting the process over again.

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[olakinberg]

I'm glad I was born in 1975 and grew up seeing all the basics!

[glowiever]

so that's where the ticking sound comes from. what an ingenious design. never know it was fully non digital.

[HaakSO]

Wow, thank you. This was explained extremely well

[KevinB-pdme]

It's a good design because the fast blinking lets you know you have a bulb out.

[DanovDaniel]

Regarding the part when you say that the more amps you have the quicker the blinker will operate... I don't know about that but quicker blinking can be seen also when you have a faulty incandescent bulb as well no matter that the current in the circuit becomes smaller than the one that flows through the circuit with all bulbs available. Less current causes shorter movement of the strip but still enough to contact the output terminal

[racyfreeman]

Well explained, the parts i understood anyway, all & all, i get how this type flasher relay works...Thanks!

[davemcguigan]

Too bad some people don't believe in using turn signals! Those lazy and careless drivers!

[jhonsontaruk]

Can we use flasher output for microcontroller?

[rossfricke]

great video thx, fyi at 4:00 you say I have a video here and no link

[sunnysacto]

Can any 3 pin 20 amp flash relay be replaced with another same 3 pin 20 amp?

[shaofuchang]

the explanation is good, but it doesn't explain why when a bulb is blown the flash rate actually increases :)

[lawhawk]

Can anybody give me the proper term for "it" "this" "them"?

[syafiqzzainal]

My flasher relay works fine when directly connected to battery. But when i put it in the socket, the flasher just turned on not blinking. Can somebody help me to understand this 🥺

[squeekyclean]

how do i disable or dampen the sound of the clicking? its annoying