WHAT MAKES IT WORK? #14 Turn Light Flasher 'WHAT MAKES IT CLICK' tubalcain

Did you ever wonder how a signal light flasher on your car worked?
Be sure & watch all the videos in this series,

[jayminor]

Thanks Mr. Pete. I'm 61 years old and have been a helicopter mechanic for 40 years so figuring out mechanical things is in my nature but you just taught me something that I've wondered about on a few occasions. Hopefully age will never prevent me from learning new things. Carry on please, sir!

[suzukichopper]

From what I've seen over the years, there's not a lot of people who have ever even heard the click of the flasher because they NEVER use their turn signals!!

P.S. Love the What Makes It Work series!

[militech]

Wow what a fantastic video! This is how you make a proper video on how something works.

[bigcountry]

One of those things you don't really ever think about how it operates... learned something new today... thanks.

[michaelmurray]

That little metal piece that bends with heat is called a bimetal. Two pieces of metal with different rates of heat/ expansion laminated together. When heated, one expands more than the other causing it to bend. Same technology used in the thermal trip side of most circuit breakers. Neat video Pete!

[pierresgarage]

Brings the feeling of those 1950's cars where the whole body was vibrating when the flashers were actuated, every piece of steel in those cars were welded solid together, so the KLUNK was really loud... My first memories were my dad's 1953 Pontiac... ;)

[angiefav]

Hi my husband and l restored a 1948 bsa motorcycle it needed flashers we had no idea how a flasher worked, thanks to you we now have flashers on the old bike thanks again for the information cheers from Australia

[troypearson]

My daughter and I were working on replacing her flasher in her truck when you posted this video. Great timing, and yes girls also like watching your videos. Keep up the good work!

[eldoradony]

Great informative video. Loved your comments about the elderly Florida drivers. I'm there for the month and I agree with your observations completely. Lots of youthful aggressive drivers on the road too. I haven't decided which is worse.

[spp-wvob]

And another fine video class.
Thanks Mr. Tubalcain and to quote the famous teacher you are ..."So long for now"!
John

[infoanorexic]

I'll keep the idea of moving the flasher unit out from under the dash in mind. Tinitis and road noise won't let me hear them anymore. Too many hours on an old Cats with loose decking plates and un-muffled pony motors.

As a young man, I spent a day running a series of errands with my Father. One task took us by where he worked at the rail yard. At the board marker's office he met one of his peers, Mr. Raymond "Ollie Dolly" (as the female clerks called him) Oliver. They hadn't seen each other for a while, so there was the usual greetings and exchange of news, part of that was about the recent influx of new 'kids' (switchmen) and how 'green' they were.

Ollie asked: "Kenny, do you remember when we looked across the yardmaster's desk and thought 'when is this old prune-face going to retire?'" Dad nodded.
"Now we are the prune-face."

and now I are...

[willshankle]

Thanks for another great video. I'd like to add that I solved the problem of not being able to hear the "click" by wiring a seat belt buzzer in series with the flasher thus making an intermittent "buzzing" sound. It was just obnoxious enough that I never again forgot to cancel my turn signal. :)

[FilmMastersChannel]

The old ways are still the best ways in my opinion. Great display and helped me with my 1971 HQ Monaro.

[DeArmondTool]

I recall when Dad had to hang his arm out the window to signal!! ;-) For years, he did that even with the turn signal on. Thanks for sharing and bringing back some good memories!!

[DougFrantz]

You're old. Yet you make a better video than most folks can produce! Seriously good work. Thank you #subscribed #sorryidrankwhiskey

[grantlesueur]

Nice video thank you- Im replacing the turn signal lamps to LEDs on my 61 Chev. This is why I have to also upgrade to a solid state flasher for LED as LEDs do not impose enough load to allow the mechanical fisher to work properly. This was a good refresher to remind me why this is necessary.

[TryinFlyII]

Pretty Neat!!! Never gave much thought about that annoying little switch lol Nice to finally see what is in there mystery solved Thanks !

[quartzsitebusiness]

really enjoy the what makes it work series. Thank you Mr Pete.

[EugeneKhutoryansky]

Great video and thanks for making it. But, I think that at about six minutes into the video, you may have said it backwards. I think the heating element heats up when the contact is closed, and cools off when the contact is open. When the contact is open, no current can flow, and hence the heating element can't heat up.

[mikec.]

The mother-in-law took her car in for the "flasher" to be fixed. It was but the clicking sound went away. She told the mechanic, with a very strict voice to put the clicking back again, ...which he did. Nice video Mr. Pete