12 volt flasher in 6 volt system

Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?

On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:

> Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
> hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
> work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
> half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?

Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
decade or so.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
>
>
>>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
>>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
>>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
>>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
>
>
> Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
> certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
> decade or so.

I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.

This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
$2 flasher from autozone.

Masospaghetti wrote:
>
> Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> > On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
> >>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
> >>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
> >>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
> >
> >
> > Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
> > certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
> > decade or so.
>
> I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
> going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
> killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.
>
> This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
> kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
> $2 flasher from autozone.

If you are putting aftermarket stuff on, I recommend a voltage
regulator. Those 6 volt magneto systems are hell for voltage spikes.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Mike, do you happen to have one of those 6 volt flashers they use
for construction zones?? like this:
http://www.jmasafetylights.com/typea6volt.asp

there might be a free part in there you could use.....
although i believe the flash rate will be to fast....

also some mopeds operate on 6 volt....
http://store.yahoo.com/dratv/elparpas.html
you might be able to pillage some useful parts from a dead moped

"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
> Masospaghetti wrote:
>>
>> Daniel J. Stern wrote:
>> > On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are
>> >>kinda
>> >>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The
>> >>flashers
>> >>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
>> >>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
>> >
>> >
>> > Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
>> > certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
>> > decade or so.
>>
>> I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
>> going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
>> killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.
>>
>> This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
>> kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
>> $2 flasher from autozone.
>
> If you are putting aftermarket stuff on, I recommend a voltage
> regulator. Those 6 volt magneto systems are hell for voltage spikes.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

In a turn signal flasher the heating element is in series with the (normal closed) switch and bulbs. The resistance of the heating element is low compared to the resistance of the bulbs and the speed of the flash depends on the current. Since 6 volt bulbs draw more current than 12 volt bulbs you will need a 3 or 4 bulb 12 volt flasher to work properly with 2 6 volt bulbs.
In a hazard flasher the heating element is in parallel with the (normal open) switch, and are in series with the bulbs. The resistance of the heating element is high compared to the bulbs and depends on voltage. A 12 volt hazard flasher will not work in a 6 volt system.

Masospaghetti wrote:
>
> Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
> hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
> work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
> half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?

--
Mike Walsh
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

Most of the small bike and moped signals I am familiar with use a
voltage regulator and battery and just let the magneto charge it up.

The new electronic flashers don't care how many bulbs are hooked up so
maybe one of those would work?

Mike

john wrote:
>
> Mike, do you happen to have one of those 6 volt flashers they use
> for construction zones?? like this:
> http://www.jmasafetylights.com/typea6volt.asp
>
> there might be a free part in there you could use.....
> although i believe the flash rate will be to fast....
>
> also some mopeds operate on 6 volt....
> http://store.yahoo.com/dratv/elparpas.html
> you might be able to pillage some useful parts from a dead moped
>
> "Mike Romain" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Masospaghetti wrote:
> >>
> >> Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> >> > On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are
> >> >>kinda
> >> >>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The
> >> >>flashers
> >> >>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
> >> >>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
> >> > certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
> >> > decade or so.
> >>
> >> I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
> >> going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
> >> killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.
> >>
> >> This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
> >> kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
> >> $2 flasher from autozone.
> >
> > If you are putting aftermarket stuff on, I recommend a voltage
> > regulator. Those 6 volt magneto systems are hell for voltage spikes.
> >
> > Mike
> > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Mike Romain wrote:
> Masospaghetti wrote:
>
>>Daniel J. Stern wrote:
>>
>>>On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are kinda
>>>>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The flashers
>>>>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
>>>>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
>>>
>>>
>>>Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
>>>certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
>>>decade or so.
>>
>>I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
>>going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
>>killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.
>>
>>This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
>>kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
>>$2 flasher from autozone.
>
>
> If you are putting aftermarket stuff on, I recommend a voltage
> regulator. Those 6 volt magneto systems are hell for voltage spikes.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

It is regulated at 6 volts. It was spiking past 20 volts before I stuck
that thing in.

Mike Romain wrote:
> Most of the small bike and moped signals I am familiar with use a
> voltage regulator and battery and just let the magneto charge it up.
>
> The new electronic flashers don't care how many bulbs are hooked up so
> maybe one of those would work?
>
> Mike
>
> john wrote:
>
>>Mike, do you happen to have one of those 6 volt flashers they use
>>for construction zones?? like this:
>>http://www.jmasafetylights.com/typea6volt.asp
>>
>>there might be a free part in there you could use.....
>>although i believe the flash rate will be to fast....
>>
>>also some mopeds operate on 6 volt....
>>http://store.yahoo.com/dratv/elparpas.html
>>you might be able to pillage some useful parts from a dead moped
>>
>>"Mike Romain" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>>Masospaghetti wrote:
>>>
>>>>Daniel J. Stern wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On Thu, 5 May 2005, Masospaghetti wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Working on a 6-volt electrical system, and the 6-volt flashers are
>>>>>>kinda
>>>>>>hard to come by (and more expensive then the 12-volt ones!) The
>>>>>>flashers
>>>>>>work with amperage, right? If I used a 12-volt flasher, i'd just have
>>>>>>half the total wattage that i'd have with a 6-volt?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Just buy the right flasher. They're not *that* hard to find, they're
>>>>>certainly not *that* expensive, and you only need to replace them every
>>>>>decade or so.
>>>>
>>>>I just bought one off eBay and it failed within 2 days. This is actually
>>>>going on a small motorcycle, I'm not sure if the vibrations or what
>>>>killed it, or if it was just a cheap part.
>>>>
>>>>This entire project cost about $120 - so paying $15 for a flasher is
>>>>kinda steep for me. I will if I need to, but would rather get by with a
>>>>$2 flasher from autozone.
>>>
>>>If you are putting aftermarket stuff on, I recommend a voltage
>>>regulator. Those 6 volt magneto systems are hell for voltage spikes.
>>>
>>>Mike
>>>86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
>>>88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Great, I will try this. Thanks for the advice. (You did mean a 12-volt
electronic, right?)

Masospaghetti wrote:
>
>
> Great, I will try this. Thanks for the advice. (You did mean a 12-volt
> electronic, right?)

Yes.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's