Wagner 550 flasher in Twinsonic

[mls60442]

I'm trying to fix the wiring in my Twinsonic Model 12 MEF. I haven't touched it since I got it last year and it needs to be cleaned pretty bad. I'm just trying to get it wired correctly first. There was a Wagner 550 flasher in it. I don't know if the flasher went bad at some point because there is some homemade wiring in there that hooked the passenger side PAR36 lamps to the passenger side rotator lamp wire. Nothing flashed and I could only get everything to steady burn.

I finally got everything wired correctly (I think). This is how it is currently wired:



When I power up the flashers, only the driver's side lamps flash. The passenger lamps do not flash alternately. They do not even illuminate. If I wire the passenger lamps to the post with the driver's lamps then all four flash simultaneously. I can't get anything to flash off of the center post. Is the flasher bad? I'm assuming it is.

Also, what is the difference between 537 flashers from 550 flashers? I believe most of the Twinsonics were equipped with 537 flashers. Is the 550 flasher fine to use?

 

[MtnMan]

Use a 537 flasher and your problems will be solved.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

IIRC the 550 is the standard hazard & turn signal flashing simultaneously while the 537 is the correct alternating flasher. If you want a consistent, even alternating pattern, substitute a Tridon alternating flasher for the 537.

 

[mls60442]

Okay, thanks. I did find a 537 flasher laying around and tried that. It might have been bad though which 8s why it was probably laying around.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

Now that I think about it, the 550 might not have been the "standard" hazard/turn flasher, most of those were 2 terminal while the 550 is 3. Maybe the 550 was a heavy duty flasher for more bulbs/amperage

 

[CAPTAIN 58]

Found one on eBay for $9 I grabbed one he has 5 more NOS

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/173453143619

 

[Maxim2Eng]

On the 537 and 550, the posts should be marked X, L and P. X is power, L is lamp or load, P is pilot (think dash indicator light). The 550, P & L flash together. On the 537, they flash alternately. I found this out in 1969 when I wanted the hazard warning lights on my 66 Scout to alternate....

 

[BLUELIGHT]

Does the 537 have sufficient amperage capacity to flash more than one sealed beam? If PAR36, that's going to be close to 3amps per lamp. Probably should go with the heavier duty one. See this one or similar on eBay.132686608284
At one time I had a motorized alternating flasher, probably too bulky, and a Dietz Heavy Duty job in a rectangular box with terminals like a generator voltage regulator. Either would handle two PAR46 (55w ea?) per terminal. I ran two of these PAR36 school bus lights in the back window, and two inside the front grill. This was in a 78 Nova, back when you had room for stuff behind the grill.

 

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

@BLUELIGHT the 537 thermal flasher is the correct flasher for the Aerodynic series light bars.. so it would work for the twinsonic as well. As for max amp load.. I have one in a 24C clone which is flashing 4 par 36 lamps.. so yea it's fine.

 

[BLUELIGHT]

@BLUELIGHT the 537 thermal flasher is the correct flasher for the Aerodynic series light bars.. so it would work for the twinsonic as well. As for max amp load.. I have one in a 24C clone which is flashing 4 par 36 lamps.. so yea it's fine.

Did a little looking on eBay and found this. Look at
132686608284. And, believe it or not, it's likely this is the same place I got mine. It's been in my town since the 60's and I've done business with them before. If the 537 works, great. If not, try one of these.

 

[Stampeed Valkyrie]

Did a little looking on eBay and found this. Look at
132686608284. And, believe it or not, it's likely this is the same place I got mine. It's in my town since the 60's and I've done business with them before. If the 537 works, great. If not, try one of these.

The ones in the link you provided probably will be fine.. I would use them if I had no other options. Since I would aim for restoration correctness I would stick with the 537... and worst case a Federal FA-3.

 

[CHIEFOPS]

If you're OK with the uneven on-time and the flash rate slowing down the hotter it gets keep the 537. Otherwise go with either the Tridon or FA-3