hi all, quick question,if i fit 12v trafficators to my 6v A7, will they work? i fitted a 12v horn and its fine, cheers DAI.

The 12v horn is not that effective on 6v, although as you have found out it will work.

Think of a torch with an AA battery in it, that is 1.5V, when new the torch will shine bright because the battery has in reality about 1.65V's in it, however if you measure the voltage when the torch starts to go dim you will find it's somewhere around 1.3V's, well above half it's stated voltage.

So, 6v's into your 12v trafficators will produce no movement whatsoever. My 6v trafficators are best when the battery is fully charged and the engine has some healthy rev's to give the dynamo a good output, then my indicators work OK, otherwise they struggle.

Best thing is try them, unless of course you are in the process of buying some, then unless you intend to change to a 12V system, don't buy them.

Algie.

Dai

I think I'm right in saying that a Cornwall Club member has converted some 12V semaphore arms to work off 6V. I cant find the article at the moment , but I believe it involved rewinding the coils?
I'll try and find it or maybe another Cornwall club member can remember more than me?

Steve.

Found the article...

Geoff Hardman from the Cornwall Club wrote it.
Basically the original 12V semaphores had a winding of 1000 turns and pulled 2 amps, so 2000 amp turns.
At 6V you would only have 1 amp flowing so giving 1000 amp turns i.e not enough to operate correctly.

Geoffs brainwave was to use the existing wire and unravel a section and then make 2 coils of 500 turns wired in parralel. Because each coil was shorter it allowed 2 amps to flow once more and 2A multiplied by 500 turns is 1000 amp turns, so the second coil which you wind over the top gives you another 1000 amp turns bringing you back to your 2000 amp turns albeit generated in two coils not the original one, and now requiring 4A.

This sound simple enough but Geoffs article goes into a lot of detail as to how this can be acheived from a practical point of veiw. It is definitely a job for someone who has good skills in fiddly work!!

Perhaps you would be better of finding some 6V ones!!

Regards

Steve

Or converting to 12 Volts.

Sandy

Thank you all, there were some 12v on ebay cheap and i thought they might do a turn,looked brand new, boxed as well, but i am going to stay with my 6vs, i dont plan to change to 12v, and the only time i use the trafficators is at MOT and to show kiddies how they did it in the old days,so its hand sigs and lots of care on right hand turns, thanks again gents,
DAI.