I changed to LED bulbs for the turn signals and now I get the real fast flashers. I have the new flasher for the LED's but where the heck is it and how do you get to it?
In most cars, the flasher unit is in the fuse panel. The locations (I believe the Prius has 2) will be shown in the owners manual.
It's under the dash just next to the brake switch it's kind of hard to get to but if you can reach up there make sure to press the release clip on the side I had a heck of a time and had to get a screw driver up there to release it.
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If you're putting in LED signals, you'll need to use load resistors (yuck) or switch to an LED compatible flasher that won't need load resistors. You can find a raft of CF-xx flashers made in China on ebay or whatever that are somewhat compatible with LED signals but have issues with "first blink" being slow or malformed.. and alarm dis/arm flashes not quite working. But what do you expect for cheap? Since you're going through the trouble to upgrade signals, may as well consider an upgraded function flasher like the one that adds convenience signaling (one-touch) and funky new hazard modes (like wig-wag anyone?).. Google "tapturn flasher" it works on the range of Prii.
Related but not the same question. Is there such mod or hack that allows the signal to blink 3 times when just you momentary touch the signal stalk like the ones on the European cars?
I got the flasher too....read the thread on how to change the relay flasher...got on my back which cracked as I slid under the dash...looked up under the dash and said eff this! I can live with the rapid flash!
Turn your flashers on and listen for the click. That's what I did on my subaru. Doing LED conversion on my car prius soon. Or buy load resistors...just tap into the rear turn signals and done!
In the theme of power saving, load resistors suck, right? Switching to LED signal bulbs are great for lowering power demand. Lightening the overall electrical load placed on the alternator will use less gas. Here's a question, if the duty cycle of signal flasher was changed from 50/50 (percent on to percent off) to something having less on time in proportion to off time... it would draw less average power. Over the life of the car, and if you're a diligent signaller ... it might even save a little gas. I was wondering if there'd be any interest from the extreme economizers in having a "Prius version" flasher that has say, 40% on to 60% off duty cycle per blink? (While maintaining the regulation flash frequency of around 90 cycles per minute).
You can move to California where people have stopped using their turn signals because they're tired of inconsiderate drivers closing in on them as soon as they see their turn signals
when changing the turn signal bulbs (7440) from amber to clear or red, you will get hyper blinking. to eliminate that you will have to purchase resistors for each bulb changed. i had to do that to stop the hyper blinking.
Using load resistors will not help in reducing current usage as electric current will be shunted through the resistor thus negating any current saving. Only good thing is LED is longer lasting and looks nicer. I think the flasher runs on current load, i gets heated up and the bimetallic strip disconnect and the bulbs flashes, and when the current is low the strip gets less heat so flashes faster.
The really antique flashers used to work this way. Almost all modern flashers do current sensing internally with electronics and do not rely on heated bimetalic strips.
Not very sure about modern electronic flasher but if the flasher is in the relay then I think it can be modified to a lower duty cycle. I always believe a bimetallic strip was the most reliable and wasn't upgraded.. hehe must have been wrong.
Nowadays (2015) for about $6 you can get an LED-compatible replacement flasher - plug in replacement (BUT very hard to get at it)
