Attaching Buzzers To The Indicators - Help Needed

[agent_zed]

Hi,

I can't hear the indicators ticking or see the dash light flashing so occasionally my indicators stay on as they arent great at cancelling themselves. At some point this will kill me so i decided to add buzzers so i can hopefully hear it over the engine.

 

So i have some little piezo buzzers and now i am trying to find a place to splice it in.

 

I found the flasher unit and thought great i'll just attach one there. But i tried all combinations of connection between the 3 terminals and couldn;t get it to work. Either it didn't work at all or worked when the emergency flashing was working but as soon as turned ignition on it when solid sound for no reason.

 

So my current thinkng is to find the wire that lights the indicator light in the clocks and splice into that. Any reason i shouldn't? i can't believe the little buzzer is going to be pulling much current.

 

any suggestions appreciated

 

thanks

[Guest MarkB]

I would do what you suggested, straight off the light

[agent_zed]

cool thanks,

just wasn't sure about loading on the light circuit.

 

off with the dash

[biksz]

i put one on mine for same reason I kept leaving indicators on.all I did was find the wires from the indicator stalk and spliced into them from there and now only problem is the buzzing does your head in lol

[alantoon]

The one on my Exmo is so loud that pedestrians turn round to see where the noise is coming from, but I still can't hear it when over 4000 revs.

[Guest david_l_perry]

I bought a unit off ebay for a few quid and it works a treat - very simple to wire in place and stops me looking like a prize cock.....well....not entirely...but it helps

[Guest iank]

Fitted a buzzer to mine too for the same reason. Wired it into the dash loom that feeds the indicator warning light. Works no problem. The piezo buzzer takes very little current.

 

Ian

[bullfist]

Be wary. If you have a single dash warning light, it is either:

a ) bridged between the left and right indicator circuits (using the non-flashing indicators as a low-current return to earth);

b ) diodes from left and right-hand circuits to your warning light.

 

Piezo buzzers are usually polarised (+ve and -ve). If so, circuit b ) is OK, but a ) is not (you will have +ve and -ve on opposite sides of the warning lamp, depending on whether turning left or right).

 

If you have circuit b ) ignore the rest of this post.

 

Otherwise, you will need to install a bridge rectifier. I wont (bore you) go into technical detail - but I can supply info if required.

I also added a capacitor across the piezo to smooth the suppy, and now I get a nice-sounding decay when the piezo switches off - just like submarine sonar!

 

-steve

[agent_zed]

thanks for the info.

 

I'll stick a multi meter on and switch between the indicators should show if it changes polarity.

 

what capacitor have you used?

 

thanks for all the replies

[Guest mr D]

Be wary. If you have a single dash warning light, it is either:

a ) bridged between the left and right indicator circuits (using the non-flashing indicators as a low-current return to earth);

b ) diodes from left and right-hand circuits to your warning light.

 

Piezo buzzers are usually polarised (+ve and -ve). If so, circuit b ) is OK, but a ) is not (you will have +ve and -ve on opposite sides of the warning lamp, depending on whether turning left or right).

 

If you have circuit b ) ignore the rest of this post.

 

Otherwise, you will need to install a bridge rectifier. I wont (bore you) go into technical detail - but I can supply info if required.

I also added a capacitor across the piezo to smooth the suppy, and now I get a nice-sounding decay when the piezo switches off - just like submarine sonar!

 

-steve

if type A see below

I was intending using a bridge reccy but just used a diode from each side of the lamp 2 anodes joined together taken as my +ve feed to sounder

Best to all

mr D

[bullfist]

Yes, I guess a pair of diodes would do it - I've over-engineered my solution!

Capacitor - cannot remember (and it's buried under the scuttle somewhere). Try 10uF - that's a good starting point - it will also depend on the piezo load. If the decay is too brief, increase value, if decay is too long, reduce value.

-steve

[Guest david_l_perry]

Do a search on ebay for "indicator buzzer"

 

It cost me £5ish, straight forward to wire in, and works a treat. No messing around with extra components.

 

Dave

[Longboarder]

I fitted buzzers that I got from Maplins. Did what it said on the tin but irritating round town when I and any pedestrians within 50 yards could hear them but didn't need to and absolutely useless at over 60mph when I needed them but couldn't hear them.

My usual problem is failing to cancel the indicators on motorways and they were no help at all. Perhaps self cancelling indicators like the Westfield clockwork ones are a better buy.

 

Nigel

[agent_zed]

Thanks guys.

i've already bought some little buzzers (although pretty cheap to change my mind i guess). My problem is normally low speed. Annoyingly my steering wheel is not on straight as that is the only way to get the steering equal both sides. This means that my indicators don't cancel after a left turning unless i go slightly past straight to the right.

 

There is a left turn at a junction near me and then the road continues around to the left and then past a t-junction. This scenario has almost caught me out twice now as i don't get straight for it to cancel so the people waiting to come out of the side road think i am turning in (same situation going right would be fine).

 

I'm thinking if it is too loud i'd just tape a piece of foam over the buzzer to suit.

 

The other option i did consider and will make you laugh is a... um... vibrating motor in the seat I could get one out of an old mobile phone or a games controller. That way i would feel when it is on, but no one would hear it. also no problem with higher speed noise, should still be able to feel it. anyone done that?

 

Thankfully if i did do that my seat is fixed so girlfriend can't drive the car as she'd forever be turning left

 

thanks

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Thanks guys.

i've already bought some little buzzers (although pretty cheap to change my mind i guess). My problem is normally low speed. Annoyingly my steering wheel is not on straight as that is the only way to get the steering equal both sides. This means that my indicators don't cancel after a left turning unless i go slightly past straight to the right.

 

There is a left turn at a junction near me and then the road continues around to the left and then past a t-junction. This scenario has almost caught me out twice now as i don't get straight for it to cancel so the people waiting to come out of the side road think i am turning in (same situation going right would be fine).

 

I'm thinking if it is too loud i'd just tape a piece of foam over the buzzer to suit.

 

The other option i did consider and will make you laugh is a... um... vibrating motor in the seat I could get one out of an old mobile phone or a games controller. That way i would feel when it is on, but no one would hear it. also no problem with higher speed noise, should still be able to feel it. anyone done that?

 

Thankfully if i did do that my seat is fixed so girlfriend can't drive the car as she'd forever be turning left

 

thanks

Being an ex biker the low speed indicator left on is the "killer " literally. High speed indicators on a motorway says "I have forgotten to turn them off"