The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Signal Stat 900!, please help

I replaced an after market 7 wire turn signal switch, column mounted with a Signal Stat 900. I followed Charlie's excellent Tech Tip only now I have very weak turn and flash.

The SS 900 came as a find from the most recent Winter Junkyard Tour from a military truck with very little wear. Upon pulling the entire unit apart there was very little wear so I buttered it up with a little dielectric grease after cleaning the contacts and installed.

I have front and rear LED signals and have an electronic NAPA flasher.

Questions and observations:

-I have very weak turn signals and 4 way flashers.

-Is the power source very important? I presently have power off a heater switch terminal. Where is the proper power source and is the location critical?

-Was dielectric grease a bad move? Is the grease lessening the available current to switch. I only used a little and applied it with a 'Q-tip'.

-For those of you that have LEDs, what is the 'best flasher'? Part # or source please, thanks.

-I noticed that the unit itself is 'Ground Contact' only via the metal to metal contact of the metal affixing band of the Signal Stat unit and the steering mast. Should I try a separate wire ground from the unit to the frame? It does seem like any paint from the steering mast is going to prevent good metal to metal contact.

Please help, dd/only vehicle. I believe the ensuing discussion and hopeful solution will benefit others.

Thanks to Charlie Harden for excellent Tech Tip!

Cosmo, I do not know if this matters, but it is my understanding that you need to use a Trucklite Flasher with the SignalStat 900. They have different numbers than the ones you get at the local FLAPS.

The 263 Flasher is for regular bulbs. I can't find the proper number on Trucklite.com for the LED version but I didn't look super hard. Hope this helps.

The back of the headlight switch nearest the firewall has 3 terminals. All of them are connected together. THAT is your unswitched power where the turn signals should go. That way your emergency flasher works without ignition.

A new How-To Article explains all of this and more..
http://devestechnet.com/Home/ADWiringSystem

By definition,a dielectric means insulator like rubber or glass. The electrons in a dielectric are tightly bound in their valance bands unlike copper. Use an ohmmeter to see if you have created a high resistance path in the switch.

Cosmo,
While I have also read that dielectric grease does not conduct electricity, in my experience, it does not prevent metal-to-metal contact in switches or at terminals, and in fact prevents oxidation and corrosion. I would hold off on gutting the switch at this point.
Most dim lights are due to the failure of electricity to go through 60 year old rusty frames, bed sides, and multiple layers of paint.
I would suggest that you start by going to the trouble of attaching a long jumper wire from the negative terminal of the battery and the ground of the LED lights.
Carl

Cosmo,

A quick and easy way to see if the SS-900 is grounded is with your test light, touch on end to known hot terminal and then touch the other end to the SS-900. If the test light lights then you have a good ground. If not try a test lead jumper wire from a good ground to the SS-900 and see if that makes any difference in it's operation.

Mike B

What I learned or re-learned:

-The highest quality turn signal that I have experienced is the Signal Stat 900. I had an 'after market cheapie' that was in service for 10+ years , but...always felt loosey goosey as opposed to the positive detents of the SS-900.

-GROUND IS CRITICAL. We all know this but the only ground is the metal case of the turn signal apparatus with the metal column. If you are protecting your newly painted steering column with say a 1" band of bicycle tube you have no ground. I ran a separate ground-to-frame from a screw on the attachment band.

-I removed my LED front turn/park bulbs and replaced them with 1157's. I couldn't find an electronic flasher to work with my turn signals on all 4 corners.

-The flasher I am using is a NAPA EL-13. It is extended life and has a very pleasing, no-irritating 'click'.

Thanks to Deve, that is the correct place to draw your power...off the headlight switch. Thanks to Mike, beltfed and 52Carl for your suggestions, I used them all!

Cosmo,
Its always refreshing to hear when advice doesn't fall on deaf ears, especially when the advice is offered to someone who knows what they are doing.
Carl