Ok, electronics gurus, need to figure out a flasher

More on the saga of upgrading to LED lights in the 94 Mazda with a 2-pole flasher.

Thermal flasher won't do it.  It works fine on the 4-ways because there is enough load with all four flashing.  Electronic flasher doesn't work in either position; 4-ways or turn.

I ordered a fancy LED-compatible flasher with the extra wire.  No good, and no returns on electrical parts.  Amazon reviews of every type of these special flashers is not good, so I don't want to keep wasting money trying to find a good one.  Is there something I can do to my existing electronic flasher to make it work?  I refuse to put resistors on each bulb.  That completely defeats the purpose of the low power consumption of LEDs in the first place.

On the NA Miata specifically, yes! I've done this, it works perfectly.

https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=335534 

Problem is, mine is a Mazda pickup which is a re-badged Ford Ranger.  I don't have those fancy electronics.  I get an old-school flasher and that's it.

Also, mine isn't hyperblink, it's no blink.  It doesn't kick the flasher on because it doesn't sense enough load.

Ah. Then get a '94 Miata flasher?  I think the problem is that most people hope for a universal plug-in solution when there are probably tweaks for each application. I'd contact Superbrightleds and see what they recommend.

Ha.... actually just did that from the link in the thread you referenced.  Thanks.

Ordered flashers from SBL.  Tech support didn't have high hopes for my application, but I'll give it a shot.  Now I have to also get a noise maker because the only flashers they have are silent.

I've used flashers from Advance Auto.  2 pole, plugs in where the original thermal flasher was, worked fine with LED's.

Curtis said:

  I refuse to put resistors on each bulb.  That completely defeats the purpose of the low power consumption of LEDs in the first place.

That is a very odd statement.  I'm pretty sure your incandescent bulb power consumption won't really affect your gas mileage, or the lifespan of your alternator.

Try running EFI on a 19 amp alternator system some time.  Yeah, you don't want load resistors on there.

Streetwiseguy said:

Curtis said:

  I refuse to put resistors on each bulb.  That completely defeats the purpose of the low power consumption of LEDs in the first place.

That is a very odd statement.  I'm pretty sure your incandescent bulb power consumption won't really affect your gas mileage, or the lifespan of your alternator.

Yeah unfortunately switching to LEDs saves very little in the grander scheme of automotive power consumption. Better reasons to switch are brightness and longevity.

Do you have the wiring diagram for the truck Curtis?  I’d be curious to see how the circuit is laid out.

Dr. Hess said:

I've used flashers from Advance Auto.  2 pole, plugs in where the original thermal flasher was, worked fine with LED's.

That's what I tried.  No flashy.

GameboyRMH said:

Streetwiseguy said:

Curtis said:

  I refuse to put resistors on each bulb.  That completely defeats the purpose of the low power consumption of LEDs in the first place.

That is a very odd statement.  I'm pretty sure your incandescent bulb power consumption won't really affect your gas mileage, or the lifespan of your alternator.

Yeah unfortunately switching to LEDs saves very little in the grander scheme of automotive power consumption. Better reasons to switch are brightness and longevity.

That is very true, and it is the real reason I switched.  Truth is, its just a ton of work to put resistors on and doesn't seem like a proportional amount of labor for the benefit.

In reply to Curtis :

I dunno, Curtis.  They worked for me on 2 different circuits on my bike and a similar 2 wire one on the Sportster.  You could try contacting suprbrightleds.com and ask them.  They certainly have the right part and will take it back if it doesn't work for you.

On the Sportster, I had to go LEDs for the running lights and head lights to get the spare current.  It makes a big difference if you can change from 10 watts of bulb to 1 or 2 watts of bulb times three.  That's almost 30 watts right there and almost enough to run a fuel pump.  Add in another 30 watt savings for the headlight and you're good.

paranoid_android said:

Do you have the wiring diagram for the truck Curtis?  I’d be curious to see how the circuit is laid out.

I don't, but I can tell you exactly how it goes... just like every other domestic vehicle until about 2000.

Battery, fuse, flasher, turn signal switch, lamp.  Super simple.

In fact, this one is a bit simpler yet because it has separate lamps for the turn signals in the back, so it is its own circuit.