Loud Turn Signal Blinker - EB Electronics

---------------- LOUD TURN SIGNAL BLINKER --------------------

Project Motivation:
This project started when my father wanted a louder "blinker click" so that he could hear it better. He was accidently leaving the blinker on when the turn of the vehicle wouldn't cancel it automatically. So, although there is a real simple fix for this with any car with a flasher/relay, I decided to share it with the public. The blinker that I'm using is shown in the video below. It is rated at 5 times louder than normal vehicle flashers. The cool thing about this electronic style flasher is that no matter how many bulbs you are flashing, the flashing rate is always the same. In the video below I'm only flashing one bulb and it flashes at the typical flash rate used on most cars.

electronic turn signal flasher.mp4

DETAILS/BACKGROUND:

There are basically three types of blinkers out there on cars. There is
(1) the two terminal flasher type (can be mechanical or electronic),
(2) the three terminal flasher/relay type (can be mechanical or electronic), and
(3) the computer controlled type (electronic only - usually software implemented).

electronic turn signal flasher two terminal

Two terminal car flasher

--Electronic

Two terminal car flasher

Three terminal car
flasher/relay

The other type of flasher used in cars today is the computer controlled flasher that is built inside some module that cannot be removed or replaced (except by replacing the whole module). But, if your car has a two terminal flasher or three terminal flasher relay, you can easily replace it with a different flasher or flasher relay. In my case, I will be using a two terminal electronic (extra loud) flasher. I bought mine from NAPA auto store for around $10. They sell 2 and 3 terminal extra lelectronic flashers, but for some reason I could only find a two terminal LOUD flasher. Thus, I chose the flasher depicted below.

NAPA electronic extra loud turn signal flasher

The pinout is shown in the first figure. The X will be connected to power, while the L will be connected to the blinker bulbs. I will show this in more detail. Below is a schematic of a 2003 Honda Element:

2003 Honda Element turn signal electrical schematic

[click on image above to enlarge schematic]

This schematic was provided by AllDataPro.com. Notice that this vehicle implements a three terminal flasher/relay; however, I'm going to use a two terminal flasher, and I will show you how to do it. We are going to do it in such a way that the hazard flashers are still factory wired. The only changes we need to make to our schematic below is the following:

edited schematic with loud electronic relay added

[click on image to enlarge schematic]

We are going to use the blk/red wire to save us the trouble of having to run a new wire from the fuse panel (located under the dash on the driver's side) to the blinker switch (in steering column). Also, the way I have edited the schematic above is the least intrusive way (i.e. only two cuts and two splices, and uses the dedicated fuse for the turn signals). As a side note, you may ask why are we not just using a three terminal flasher/relay and be done with it. Well, so far, I cannot find a LOUD three terminal electronic flasher.

[insert picture of turn signal switch at steering column here]

[insert picture of rewired turn signal switch]

[insert picture of fuse panel location here]

central fuse box location for Honda Element 2003

[ insert picture of rewired fuse panel]