6 V to 12 Volt semaphore

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 26 Mar 2011, 4:18 pm

#832611

just want to put the semaphores back in the beetle, however now its running 12v ..
don't want flashing or anything like that,
just pop out and light up..
i assume a simple resistor from jaycar will do the trick..
does it matter what one?..

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 26 Mar 2011, 4:22 pm

#832612

Yes

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 26 Mar 2011, 4:43 pm

#832619

thanks mat!e, however your answer was overly complicated for me.

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,474 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 26 Mar 2011, 4:49 pm

#832621

http://www.vollks.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=&products_id=2930

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 26 Mar 2011, 4:54 pm

#832624

cheers mate, you got a postcode for that thing?? 😀 .. id assume the motor for the wipers would pull more current (amps) then the phores.. or does that not matter..

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 26 Mar 2011, 5:09 pm

#832625

Have a look up in the top R/H corner......where it says CONTACT US. Hope that wasn't overly complicated for ya, old pal!

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

barls Administrator Causer of Chaos and Mayhem

9,474 posts · joined Jun 2004 · 26 Mar 2011, 5:12 pm

#832626

shouldnt matter id think, they also run stereos on these as well, phores should be about the same level current as the stereo.

“We all pay for life with death, so everything in between should be free.” Bill Hicks
the chaos project - click me

oldtub356 Seriously Crusin Dubber

139 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 26 Mar 2011, 6:39 pm

#832643

You have two choices (The third being a 12 to 6 volt converter, would not give you enough current to drive the semaphore solenoid)

Measure the resistance of one semaphore (including the internal lamp). Purchase a 50watt resistor of roughly the same resistance - don't get a ceramic one, get an aluminium encased type - the same case as the ones often offered for use with 6 volt wiper motor on 12 volt (they are usually about 0.3 or 0.4 ohms, 50 watts). Connect it to the power input to your semaphore switch - it will then drive BOTH semaphores - it should be mounted to bodywork which has the paint scratched off, so that the heat (50 watts is too hot to touch after about 30 seconds) is dissipated through the body metal - no need to change the 6 volt lamp.

OR, EVEN BETTER:

Measure the diameter of the wire in the solenoid coil of the semaphore, calculate the 'cross sectional area' of the wire:
http://www.rkm.com.au/calculators/calculator-circle-sphere.html
Halve the area figure and calculate the new diameter (same page as above).

Unwind the coil, counting the number of turns.
Rewind the coil with twice as many turns of the smaller sized wire that you calculated.
Often on eBay Australia, you will find winding wire sold for people to make jewellery (necklaces) - it would be nice to get some wire within about +/-10% of the diameter calculated.
Replace the 6 Volt Lamp for a 12 Volt .

Like Greg said - "Yes".

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 26 Mar 2011, 6:56 pm

#832646

Nice work there, Lance - not overly complicated.👍

If I find out that you've decided to forget about the semaphores and just use hand signals, Warb, watch out!😠

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 26 Mar 2011, 7:07 pm

#832650

nice one, i like the rewind option, will look into that!.good info.... I am also a fan of the hand signal, some dude used a hand signal to me today, in another car, middle finger extended, i think he was trying to tell me something???...

blutopless2 DAMSLO

2,457 posts · joined Jan 2004 · 27 Mar 2011, 7:44 am

#832706

i rebuilt mine a few years ago. Ultimate aim was to make them run on 12v and have flashing lights.
completely dismantled them, sandblasted and painted the bodies etc.
Seperated the wiring so that i could connect the light to the flasher circuit.
Being a sparkie myself i figured "how hard can it be to convert them to 12v?"... did the calculations myself... went to a coil specialist to double check what i calculated sounded right.
Bought the correct wire etc... counted the number of turns that came off the original coil.
Rewound the coil using a lathe to hold the former and an electronic counter mounted on the lathe with a limit switch triggered by the chuck (counting the number of turns)
With the lathe on a slow speed i could control the position of the wire on the former with my hands and let the lathe do the work for me.
It was successful but the calculations were not exactly correct. I cant remember now if i had to add more turns or take turns off... but it was definitely different to the calculations.
hth

see.... air and water do mix 😉

1974 1300
1997 MK3 Golf GL
2003 NB Cabrio
2012 Golf VI GTI
2014 Audi A4 Quattro

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 13 Apr 2011, 11:40 pm

#835648

cool man, sounds like some work... i just went for a resistor setup, plaid with some numbers and came up with a good result....

penguin ackkkkkk thhhhhpt!

3,383 posts · joined Aug 2002 · 15 Apr 2011, 6:14 pm

#835890

Would fitting 12 volt Semaphores have done the same thing?

'Ah, whatever................'

warb gimme some butter im on a roll.....

1,983 posts · joined May 2003 · 15 Apr 2011, 7:52 pm

#835906

i think you just answered your own question.... however i already had these + $1.30 at jaycar..