Ok I may not be the first to ask but...

Has anybody successfully converted there bug to 12v and kept there semaphores working without been all limp

I know about voltage droppers but I dont think I can remember the last person that said they worked well

any other ideas maybe a rewind if so who will do this?

I just changed to 12v & i used two 10w 3.3ohm resistors in parrellel for each side.
So that is four all up .I got them from Jcar.
They work fine.
hope thats clear .

Yes this has been done before.... Its better if you can make the globe blink as well, saves buring the lens out all the time with the extra heat from the 12V globe

Hick do yours flash?

I have seen them 12 volt before. I had a quote to have it done years ago. Was $100 each semaphore. Too much for my liking.

Hick that is a great idea. I tried years ago to get someone electronic to do that for me but they all said it was too hard. Not interested in other words. I knew a bit about it but didn't know whats sizes to use. Have you been using them long under that config. Also which wire did you put them in line with both of them or just one of them. As far as I know one is for the armeture and one for the globe??? Do you put one resistor on both lines so one the armeture doesn't burn out and two that the globe doesn't blow or burn out the lense.

Also you used to be able to buy the piece that attaches to make the semaphore flash. I think it sat in the lense and was like a small relay cutting the power off and on. Guess you could still do this today. I just wouldn't put it in the semaphore.

I'll be going 12volt soon, I was thinking of making up some super-bright leds to replace the semaphore globes. They will not burn anything, as they produce little/no heat.

Thats a brilliant idea Pat. Let me know how it goes.

J-car do a replacement bulb for car interior lights that uses high intesity leds which should do the trick.

If you use the resistor the way i did you just leave the 6V bulb in & it is just the same as the 6Vsystem. The lens wont melt because the same amount of amp's are being used.
Mine dont flash because you would have to put a flasher in & your arms would go up & down.

Type-one ,
I have used it about two months .Driving every day to work.
It does not mater which wire you use as one is power and one earth.The one i used was the one that comes from the switch & just cut it , wired the two resistors in parrallel & joined them in the wire i cut,. The same on other side.By the way the reason i use two resistor is i could not buy one with the resistance i wanted.The are about $2.00 each.

I will have a look at the jaycar ones, might be exactly what I need.

I'd prefer to change from the 6volt semaphore globes, because they are a bitch to find and cost $10 dollars each when you do.

So how would I wire the globes to be 12v and the solenoids to be 6v, do they have seperate wires?

I haven't had them apart yet, so I don't know.

hey Pat (if you're still here) how did you go with the conversion?

I'm about to do this myself... I just discovered that my semaphores on my beaten up bug both light up, both move down upon disconnecting the power but they don't move up. I'm going to clean the metal up and see if they move up

they are damn bright with 12V! If the LED works that'll be perfect, but the resistor idea sounds good to me too. if anybody here knows how to "clean up" a semaphore please let me know!

I got some 12v to 6v step down resistors from flat4 in tokyo. I hope to make them flashing by running a separate wire to the semaphore bulb and connecting that to the flasher relay.

cleaned them up today, still don't move up
any ideas guys?

try to find some good used ones... i know the guy at Rivo auto electrical can try to repair them by scavenging old ones.

Rivo Auto Electrical Phone Paul 9627 1874
19 Hobart St
Riverstone

oops forgot to say thats in Sydney

thanks anyway jon

looks like i'll have to take them apart to clean the inside