Bench testing a turn signal flasher.

[KidVermicious]

Like so:

I don't have a test lamp, so I used a multimeter instead. With 12v on terminal three and ground on terminal two and my multimeter between two and one, I should have heard the relay clicking and gotten bouncing voltage, right? I heard no clicking and measured a steady 12.something volts.

Just want to clarify I'm doing this right before I run out and buy another flasher...

 

[85straight]

From my understanding it definitely should have jumped slightly. I would go get a tester to be sure, at least the tester isnt gonna cost a lot $$$

 

[BoatRacer]

I think the flasher fuse/relay needs to see the resistance from the bulb to flash? Your meter is dose not provide a load, it's just measuring incoming voltage.

 

[SV_Dude]

Find a 55w household bulb and solder some wires to it to make your own quick and cheap test bulb. I could be wrong but I would think you would hear the relay open and close though but maybe not with this type of relay.

 

[slacker]

I think the flasher fuse/relay needs to see the resistance from the bulb to flash? Your meter is dose not provide a load, it's just measuring incoming voltage.

this is correct .. and also exactly why you cant just put a LED in place of a incondesent for a flasher bulb
you need a bulb to bench test the flasher

.

 

[KidVermicious]

But - if the flasher doesn't see resistance, it flashes faster. This one is refusing to flash at all.

I ordered a new one. I'll try my tests on it too before I stick in the truck.

 

[RAD4Runner]

... I used a multimeter instead...I should have heard the relay clicking and gotten bouncing voltage, right? I heard no clicking and measured a steady 12.something volts.

Correct, KidV. With a multi-meter, relay should click fast because it is seeing high resistance of the voltmeter. It needs to see low resistance (around 6 ohms or less in order to flash at normal speed)

I think the flasher fuse/relay needs to see the resistance from the bulb to flash? Your meter is dose not provide a load, it's just measuring incoming voltage.

First sentence is incomplete.
Flasher relay needs to see low resistance or enough current. This means low (a few ohms) resistance of conventional bulb allowing more current OR low resistance (I believe around 6 ohms) of the shunt resistor used with LED's.

If relay sees high resistance, as in using LED's only, it would flash fast.

Second sentence is correct. Flasher relay sees Multi-meter as a high resistance = no load like an LED bulb. It should flash faster.

Find a 55w household bulb and solder some wires to it to make your own quick and cheap test bulb. I could be wrong but I would think you would hear the relay open and close though but maybe not with this type of relay.

I wonder if FSM means 55W-110Volt bulb or 55W, 12V auto bulb?

 

[fourwd1]

55W 12V, a standard size for halogen bulb used in aftermarket lights.