Hi! If you think this video is long, well I’ll have you know I cut two entire sections from it! Including this bit about hyperflashing: When I was setting this demo up, I was surprised to learn that the thermal flasher doesn’t change speed depending on how many lamps are in-circuit. I thought that this was just a thing all flashers have always done. But once I worked out how this particular flasher functioned, I realized that of course it doesn’t hyperflash with a bulb out because that’s just not possible with its design. Same goes for the capacitor-based model shown here. I had honestly been assuming the Figaro had a thermal flasher, and finding out that it has a more-complicated flasher than the LED-compatible electronic one was quite the discovery! There probably are some thermal designs out there which will change speed based on the current flowing through them, but I don’t know the particulars. If you do, let us know!
I was wondering about hyperflashing the whole time too - if anything, it seems like a lamp out would run the flasher slower, since less current would be available for the heater (or at least adjust the duty cycle.) I wonder if any flasher modules used neon relaxation oscillators. Maybe it's just wishful linking, those neon bulbs are just so damn cool.
@@Simoneister I'll give him a pass on that one, because he clarified that it was a pair of pairs, which is just the miracle of buying two of two of them. The odd number is harder to forgive. ;)
"For fun I've tried to see if BMW used the same flash frequency as GM, but I've literally never had an opportunity to check for some reason." Fantastic BMW driver joke.
Do you know what is really funny? My BMW was recalled to have all the exterior lights replaced for some reason. Yeah, they replaced them with cheap, aftermarket LED bulbs.
Another reason turn signals were so imprecise in the past was because of the refinement level of the fluid used in them. Blinker fluid used to be a natural product that was roughly based on mineral oil, and the formulation wasn't consistent. However, in the early '90s, Valvoline patented a synthetic blinker fluid that was incredibly consistent batch-to-batch. They began supplying it to OEMs, and the rest was history. That's the main reason why BMW drivers never use their turn signals: because their blinker fluid is usually dried up.
With over 9 and a half THOUSAND comments, I'm mostly leaving this comment for my own sense of justice. THANK GOD FOR THIS CHANNEL AND VIDEOS LIKE THIS ONE! I sometimes think I'm the only person who thinks about topics like this and details like these. I love the fact that I'm not alone... and almost two million people have watched this!!! I feel validated. Thank you for this outstanding piece of research.
Yeah, the 35 year old flasher in my project truck was fucked and I swapped it without giving a thought to what had made it work in the first place and why it wasn't working now. Nice to learn why on both counts. (Also cool to see that A.C. watches T.C. too.)
I have been working on cars for 50 years, and next year I am an electric engineer for 40 years. I know the thermal flasher all too well. But I never saw the capacitor/relay flasher. One is never too old too learn. You run a very informative channel.
But you know you can make a relay oscillator without any components but the relay itself? Just wire the relay coil through normally closed contacts and it will turn itself off when energized, then on again because there is no current through the coil now, and so on. You will even produce some high voltage across the contacts because of the inductive kickback.. The capacitor is just delaying this cycle so it is not zzzzzzz but something like 0.5 hz lol
Best advice I have if you want to use LED lights: Don't just buy replacement bulbs. Buy them as unit with the housing and everything. If the headlight housing was designed for the LED in it, you're not going to run into the issue of running an LED bulb where an incandescent should be.
True. The front lens worked fine for my turn signals and looked better than factory (29 yo Ranger) but the rear units sucked. There can be problems with the blinker unit since it thinks the front bulb is burned out... quick flashing.
This video needs to be shown in high schools. When it's a relaxed day in class, maybe after major tests or something, they should show this and educate new drivers.
33:55 Being able to adjust the volume of warning sounds is such a nice feature! I have sensitive ears, and I rarely drive at highway speeds, so loud alerts can be so startling that it worsens my reaction time. I will definitely be testing whether the volume of the turn signals is impacted by that setting.
I'm quite the opposite, it'd be nice to make the generic "SOMETHING IS BROKEN" chime on my mid 00s Ford louder. And turn signal click, if it could be made speed-variable anyway (not a quiet car on the highway). Though the "hey gramps, you've had your turn signal on for over a mile" dinger works.
Update: our Honda (made within the last 5 years) does *not* change the turn signal noise when changing the system sound. The turn signals still click when the car is off. Also, there’s a separate option for “do you want the volume to increase as speed increases?” on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 is “no, don’t do that” and 4 is “make it comparatively much louder as speed increases”. Mine was already set to 3, which explains why I didn’t have any issue on the rare times I drive at highway speeds. Shoutout to the designers for caring about these little details so much that I never even noticed them until Technology Connections brought it up.
@@scout8145 Seems like it's either, "you'll like this thoughtful design choice that's satisfying," or, "this is as cheap as possible and barely works in a way I want it to."
I know it gets said a lot, but I genuinely don't understand how you make seemingly dull topics so exciting and engaging even with lengthy videos. Cheers!
I was actually able to abandon this one... as it's the very firstest of first world problems...something I probably gave 90 seconds of thought when I was a kid... But I'm sure I'll revisit it next time I'm stuck on the throne.
I’m glad you caught the detail about it being specifically the driver’s speaker. That one speaker, and only that speaker broke in a few GM cars I’ve had over the years and “stealth mode” is kind of fun. No chime sounds, no turn signal sounds, but the radio still mostly works.
I'm binge watching this channel, so far I haven't seen one I didn't like yet. You have a gift to explain away complexity in a way that makes the most mundane subjects interesting. Thank you for the content!
No joke - this question and observation has been stuck in my head ever since I was a kid and noticed it. And I CAN NOT BELIEVE, 15+ years later I’ve finally found a RUclipsr that answered my question with a 37 minutes long video. Cheers to you!
. Yeah! I didn't think it anyone else paid attention to this or tried to sync up theirs. I have been staring at turn signals since I was a kid too. (I'm 32 now) Since I never talked about it and never heard anyone else talk about it, I thought it was just another random, insignificant thing that my ADHD liked to pay attention to. It's super cool to know that I'm not the only one that's thought about this way more than just once or twice. Maybe I'm not so strange after all! haha But then again, "normal" is relative and entirely subjective.
By analysing the laws around vehicle lights over here in Belgium I actually found out that rear indicators are allowed to be red, just like in the US, but the front indicators are actually allowed to be white. So I got held up during my yearly car inspection for over an hour because the people inspecting the car didn't want to accept it was actually allowed. They eventually let me go and I felt happy with my victory :) only to switch them back to amber because everyone got confused by the weird white flashing light on my car
Now imagine this: since cars these days are always connected to the internet and have pretty accurate clocks, a manufacturer could make all of their cars flash their turn signals completely in sync. All the time.
@Tim Forget the manufacturer, a clever enough hacker could simply take control of a lot of your cars features like signals, radio or even switch the motor off.
@@KitOkunaru Like the GPS functionality on aircraft warning lights (used on high buildings) - they can be set to flash in sync without having a physical connection between them!
Or use beat detection on the audio system and make them flash some even fraction or multiple of the BPM between 60-120 flashes, so it’ll sync up with your music!
I admire how a seemingly trivial question is rewarded with lots of clever engineering solutions and historic details. This really is the essence of the greatness of this channel!
Lukas Pfeifenberger This is not clever engineering, just do it as cheap as you can! You sell Germans cars in the US, frankenstein levels of green cars, DIESEL fuckers, LOL!
28:13 Fun fact: in a 1990s volvo v40 (mine is a 98) the warning light for the driver seatbelt icon uses the turn signal flasher as audio and visual que to put your seatbelt on. It does so at hyperflashing speed. If turn signals are then used the warning light slows down to normal turn signal speeds. Moreover, the locking and unlocking of the car via key fob also activates the green arrows and click noises in the car. Would love to see the frankenstein circuit they designed there. :)
Well done! Thank you. As a little boy I called the turn signal a *dee-burr* because mother's old car bi-metalic turn signal can made that sound. Have seen brake lights which appear only a quarter-sized dot because the filament bulbs wereplaced with LED. Old turn signal flashers were cleverly made to speed up when a bulburned out.
I think the reason your videos are so soothing is because they're effectively elaborate grounding methods: they focus on some small part of our physical environment and go into as much depth as possible.
as an electronics technician, professionally, i absolutely love this deep dive into turn signal circuits. go ahead and laugh, i'm used to it. also, years and years ago when i learned what the hyperflash meant in my old VW GTI, i was kind of impressed with that bit of simple but effective design. anyway, love the videos. cheers! edit: omg, that BMW driver snark was just beautiful..well played.
I was just thinking that Doug once wondered why the sound of the door opened was overwriting the sound of the blinker. He even said: "maybe Ford thought this was priority" or something like that.
"look, I'm going down this rabbit hole so you don't have to." most understanding and considerate thing I've ever heard in a youtube video. I feel seen.
Only change one bulb first... You give THE BEST life pro tips! The bit about how to use the pre-rinse feature in one of your dishwasher videos changed me life. I am humbled by your common sense and ingenuity! 🤩
Great video(s)! I've discovered the channel just the day before and already seen couple of old videos, and really addicted. Unique, absolutely not like as one of those thousands of ordinary examples seen out there. Really really appreciated. Great job! 👍
I guess this is why I like Alec - there's always logic and reasoning behind his suggestions, rather than a blind "always do x" that might miss corner cases like this
@@williamreynolds6132 I did, so now I will check it out (been subscribed for less than a year, and only discovered him from the more popular videos like how vhs and CRT televisions work).
But the question still remains. Why did he not bring up the stupidity of how so many carmakers in 2021 still use incandescent bulbs to begin with? OEM LEDs don't suffer from the light distribution problems that aftermarket bulb replacements have and yet so many manufacturers refuse to use them
I was at a stoplight today, noticed the person in front of me was synced with mine, and started thinking about everything in this video, even was at the light long enough to notice is drift out of sync. Then the next time I opened RUclips a few minutes later, This Video was in my recommended feed!!!! I know your phones listen to you, but now it's reading my mind too!!
For 40 years, I have been wondering about that... And here is the man that I trust to provide us with the explanation. 37 mins is nothing compared with how many years I have been wondering about...
More often than not these days, it seems like at least half the cars on the road must have “like new condition” or “totally broken” turn signal arrays because so many drivers apparently view them as optional equipment. My husband occasionally likes to remind me that despite over 30 years of marriage, he still can’t read my mind. Unfortunately, far too many drivers seem to be under the faulty impression that I can read their minds.
@@tanya5322 Quite popular is also the good old “I’ll start signaling once I’m already turning/switching lanes” move. Thanks, I actually could tell that you were switching lanes because you are already are halfway in mine. But go ahead, start signaling now and not beforehand.
@@JustJustSid That's just being considerate. I literally saw someone stop and then turn into a side road yesterday, with no signalling, and THEN turn on the indicator as they were straightening up to go down the new road to, you know, inform the world of the maneuver they just performed.
@@JustJustSid I think most people do that because they are afraid you'll cut them off. I swear, most people don't understand that you're supposed to be courteous to other drivers.
Someone I worked with once told me: "Yeah, I use turn signals when others are around. But when there is no one around, why should I?" I never understood that mentality - just always wiggle the finger to make a turn signal, and you never have to worry or think about it anymore, since it's just automatic
You're not wrong, but some of us get bored with going through the motions of driving and so coming up with little tricks to keep the mind focused on driving is important for safety. After all, distracted driving is a strong contender with drunk driving for causing accidents; even if distracted accidents tend to be less disastrous. By paying attention to if there are cars around, that is one more thing that causes the driver to focus on driving. And even better if you can remember what cars are in what position around you, and the possible intent that each driver is making. And of course, the answer is yes you always need to use turn signals even when there are not apparent cars around. Because what if you're wrong about there being vehicles around? People seem to have trouble seeing motorcycles sometimes for one.
On older vehicles that used the old-style flashers, you had to install a heavy-duty flasher (especially on pickup trucks) when you were towing a trailer due to the extra load from the trailer lights. If you did not install the heavy duty one, your turn signals would flash very fast. Similar to what you see when a bulb burns out.
Honestly the most impressive portion of this video is that he managed to make a 37 minute video on turn signals and refrained from making a bmw joke for 30 of those minutes
I often find myself looking at the background of videos, but your style of editing makes it so I feel like im in a class I enjoy and am paying attention to what you're holding, doing, and saying in a way I wouldnt in any other youtube video.
Alec you scared the shit out of me. I was barely falling asleep and then i wake up staring at a zoomed up man saying “you should never ever ever put aftermarket LED replacement bulbs in your car don’t do that it’s bad” imma just binge your vids bc I can’t sleep. Thx.
I love this channel, you discuss seemingly mundane concepts that everyone has wondered about at one point but never cared to research, but you explain them in an interesting and easy to understand manner and I also love how you delve into the history of the technologies at play. This is the pinnacle of youtube, being interested in a 40 minute educational video about turn signals
Everyone of your videos makes me happy with the way you explain things, as well your spontaneous humor! I think it maybe because we both are from the Land of Lincoln too, that I enjoy your voice as I fully understand and interpret it !
The bimetallic strip is also used in some old Lionel train stations as their "Automatic train control" station stop system. I manage a Lionel layout with two of these stations at the Wisconsin Auto Museum, and when people ask how the train stops then restarts, I explain the technology, and how that is the same technology as early car turn signals, which ties everything together there nicely.
As a German, I was completely speechless when you made that BMW joke. It’s a really well-known stereotype over here: BMW drivers hardly use their turn signals. But I had no idea it made its way to the USA! What is it about these BMWs?!
from my experience its worse in the US compared to europe/germany. and the reason is simple: bmw driver are superior. you dont have to see the blinker, you already know where the bmw driver is going.
Brit here: I drove an F30 BMW 3-Series a few years ago; BMW turn signals are (were?) shite. When you move the stalk it doesn't lock into position and always returns to centre. To have the indicator remain _on_ you need press and hold the stalk up or down for a second; to cancel it you push the stalk up or down again. Of course, they also have lane switching lights (the three flashes). People either don't bother using the turn signal because it's unintuitive and clunky, OR they think it's active when in reality they've only activated the lane switching light.
“I’ve tried to see if bmw might use the same flash frequency as GM but I’ve literally never had an opportunity to check for some reason”. Oh that’s gold
On the other hand: It seems that syncing the indicators on the dashboard with the sound and the turn signals is not done. While the CAN bus is a real time system, it does not have that kind of synchronization I guess.
It has literally never occurred to me to do this, and I've been driving for fifty years. OTOH, my current vehicle is an '07, so it probably has an independent flasher control anyway...
TC: "I'd like a steering wheel with the stalks, 2 front light units, 2 rear light units, 3 flasher units, oh and some wire and stuff." Car breaker: "Hmm, sounds like your car has got a few issues" TC: "Oh no, I don't get out much and just want to play with this stuff in the house."
@Tip Toe "A car breaker yard is another term for a scrapyard. It’s where old, broken or end-of-life cars and vans are collected, stripped, resold, broken down or, in some cases, destroyed."
I love that the fact that you notice little things like the stuff in this video even if it does drive you a little crazy after finding them. It’s ok tho because that’s a cool talent that make these videos even more fun to watch
My biggest annoyance about modern cars and indicators etc, at least in Australia, is you cant see half of them because they dont use the coloured housing, they coat the bulb in film but unless you are directly head on you cant see the inticator, a real PITA on roundabouts etc. I wish the ADR (Australian Design Rules) would ban clear Indicator housings and mandata visibility of each inicator to a much wider angle, or at least enforce it because it seems to have given way to "fashion over function"
Jays2001, I'm a BMW owner/driver and it made even me chuckle a bit... But I'm worried that there's something seriously wrong with me, cause I actually use my indicators... 🤣
@@kevinjokipii4260 please tell your coworkers that having the signal stalks return to their neutral position even after the turn signal has been fully activated is a STUPID idea.
"the longevity of the turn signal flasher is at the forefront of every driver's mind!" No joke my grandfather (who was an electrical engineer) refused to use his turn signals because it would wear them out. I'm not sure why it mattered if he wasn't using them in the first place, but he was adamant.
@@MCarrick-ss7xc no joke, using the engine to brake is extremely important if you're trying to go slow downhill. Your brakes will overheat and turn into butter
I know what you mean, LEDs are pretty much directional and can't take advantage of the reflector inside the housing. It's not just the colored piece that is a Fresnel lens (like a convex lens but broken down into smaller lenses that "flatten" it out sort of like a mosaic), but that reflector is made to spread the light from the wire element (at the reflector focal point) of an incandescent bulb, and spred it to each tiny Fresnel lens segment. So it's hard to make a single LED, or even a few pointing at different directions to emulate a bright glowing wire radiating light in all directions. However, if your replacement LED assembly replaces the ENTIRE old assembly (that used a refector and Fresnel lens) with a flat array of say, 100 LEDs (in a 10x10 matrix), they work together just like the original. Nowadays, LEDs can be addressable like the WS2812 LED. These work with only 3 wires and are "daisy chained" from one to the next so only 3 feed wires can control 100's of LEDs. This allows not only individual control of all the LEDs' brightness, but color too. I designed a demonstrator rear lighting panel for cars that used a 144x8 WS2812 LED array. I used it to show "progressive" brake lighting, the harder you step on the break, the more LEDs go red. If an LED is not being used at the moment for say, a break light, the controller can turn it yellow for a turn signal. And even make the turn signals progress like is popular these days. It can even display text like "TOO CLOSE" or "CALL 911", like I showed in my demo. In reverse, ALL of the LEDs go white to really light up behind you, but as soon as you step on the break, the controller Instantly reassigns some of those white LEDs to become red for the stop indication and still have plenty of LEDs still white. It's all very innovative and adaptive - it makes use of the entire array for any indication condition. WS2812 LEDs are very bright, but because you can control each one individually to thousands of color and brightness levels, they work better than any traditional light scheme from the past.
That's why i hate the old turn light reflectors, you can only see them right in front of you, so only other cars can see them. Just remove the reflecting mirrors, LED is better ! We need better turn light, so AI can see what it is, bikes, modern users! never replace them, just replace the car!
@@lucasrem The system that I designed had the LED array on a "flex board" so the edges could wrap around the car a little. Since all the LEDs can be set to any color/brightness on command, I could make those "edge" LEDs do whatever is needed for side observers (human or AI). For example: At night, the edge LEDs are dim red to act as side markers, but as soon as the turn signal is turned on, some of those are reassigned to flashing amber. That is the beauty of my system... it takes advantage of all LEDs available for any indication and reassigns them as needed. I can update the LEDs at 20 times a second, that is faster than a traditional incandescent lamps that you can barely update at 6 times a second.
Thank you for your extremely enjoyable content. I've been watching a lot of you videos since I discovered your channel, and so while I watched this, I couldn't help notice that the blades of the flasher has holes like the plugs of everything else. Are they in the same place? Same size?
I've come to inform this thread (as much as it pains me to do this) of the following search query: Blinker type beat. You're welcome, and I'm sorry on behalf of all type beat producers that the end results aren't better 🤣
So, here I am, sick with Covid and I was going to watch Hulu all day. Instead, I find myself watch, what seems to be, the tenth video from this guy! 👏👏 Bravo, good sir, you now got yourself a new subscriber!
And a variation of the 555 would also explain the hesitation seen when increasing the voltage while the i dictator is active. In astable mode the 555 changes state as the voltage on the "control" capacitor reaches 2/3 of supply voltage (when rising) and 1/3 of supply voltage (when falling) As [dis]charge current is proportional to voltage, the rise/fall times are effectively independent of supply voltage, but as you're actively changing the supply, you're essentially "moving the goalpost" (the 1/3 / 2/3 level) compared to the momentary voltage on the cap) which has an effect on the current cycle, but should (if/once supply is stabilized) not affect any following cycle.
I wonder what your neighbours think of you sometimes. This time he's driving his car back and forth. The other time he's filming he's airconditioning in the middle of winter snow.
I knew from the sound the flasher 'relays' (or lack of) has changed over the years because I grew up with the really old / quite loud ones. But the greater in depth was interesting. I'd also never thought of the LED vs filament bulb aspects you brought up. I do find it interesting though that some folks CARE whether or not their car signals are in sync with the other cars waiting at the light. :)
I'll have you know I've used the indicators on my BMW so much that I burned out the controller. Clearly BMW didn't anticipate them being used twice in the same month.
@@naamadossantossilva4736 They're expensive and have status. I don't consider myself a douchebag, I just wanted an affordable used 400hp toy. I put way more miles on my grandpa car daily driver though.
I daily drive a 95 bmw 4cyl with over 200k miles on it. Parts are cheap and repairs are easy, though I can't give accolade to their power window systems in the 90's cars(e36). Enthusiasts like them because of the way it FEELS to drive! Can't say I'm into new models however, just like any car these days, they are just glorified computers.
Here in Germany, you have to do exactly that in order to pass the regular car safety test. And a policemen or similar person can stop your car and set it out of order until you fixed that.
@@ShenLong991 Unfortunately, the Cro-Magnons that we call politicians and policy makers that run the US aren't/weren't smart enough to have made a law that requires road vehicles to be checked for compliance on a regular schedule.
@@acywei You have to get your car inspected every year in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I couldn't believe I didn't need an inspection when I moved to Colorado a couple years ago.
I came here to say that. Thank you. There is currently crackdown on LED lamps where I live, especially "angel eyes" BMW's and loud exhausts. It seems that government doesn't realize, that "angel eyes" isn't a priority, and those who do have them mounted on their cars, most likely have everything else in check, as lamps isn't usually top item on BMW owners to-do list, meanwhile a gray civic with a rusted out floor is acceptable. Also, for those who think they don't need new headlight assembly when switching to LED, you're missing out. Might as well stay with incandescent bulbs.
@@MrC0MPUT3R here in North Carolina there’s a dude downtown Brevard that will pass your vehicle no matter what, ain’t got a working horn? No problem! Seatbelts get stuck? No problem! Seriously it’s nice but kinda bad at the same time…
excellent explanation ! now i understand why old cars and motocycles turning lights had a different flashing frequency when a bulb doesn´t work... greetings from Mallorca, Spain !
This guy is brilliant. What a amazing and well produced explanation of something that most people wouldn’t even be smart enough to understand. Brilliant
@@nthgth That is true. I already know most of the things this guy makes videos about, but it’s just so entertaining and there are many times I learn little facts I didn’t know about before.
I've looked for my turn signal to be synchronized to another car's for my entire driving life, and it finally happened in 2015 in Anniston Alabama. I was sitting at a left turn and I happened to notice the car ahead of me was flashing in time. I had, of course, seen this many times in fleeting instances, but it always went away after a few flashes; but not this time. This time, our blinkers were synchronized for some minute or longer while we waited for our light to change. It was glorious, and I'll always remember it.
Hi! If you think this video is long, well I’ll have you know I cut two entire sections from it! Including this bit about hyperflashing:
When I was setting this demo up, I was surprised to learn that the thermal flasher doesn’t change speed depending on how many lamps are in-circuit. I thought that this was just a thing all flashers have always done. But once I worked out how this particular flasher functioned, I realized that of course it doesn’t hyperflash with a bulb out because that’s just not possible with its design. Same goes for the capacitor-based model shown here. I had honestly been assuming the Figaro had a thermal flasher, and finding out that it has a more-complicated flasher than the LED-compatible electronic one was quite the discovery!
There probably are some thermal designs out there which will change speed based on the current flowing through them, but I don’t know the particulars. If you do, let us know!
no, its not long enough, now i gotta wait forever for the next video :(
Oh man I would have liked to see that bit. I’d watch a whole 25-minute video just on hyperflashing.
Dig the hair bro
We want longer videos, 3 days long at a maximum.
I was wondering about hyperflashing the whole time too - if anything, it seems like a lamp out would run the flasher slower, since less current would be available for the heater (or at least adjust the duty cycle.)
I wonder if any flasher modules used neon relaxation oscillators. Maybe it's just wishful linking, those neon bulbs are just so damn cool.
"The magic of buying…three of them"
You've betrayed me
"Through the magic of buying…four more of them"
You continue to weather my already weakened trust
@@Simoneister I'll give him a pass on that one, because he clarified that it was a pair of pairs, which is just the miracle of buying two of two of them. The odd number is harder to forgive. ;)
@@ZGryphon IT'S MAGIC! IT'S FRIGGIN MAGIC! NEVER SAW IT COMING! MIND = *BLOWN*
nooo, you spoiled the moment for me! :(
As soon as I saw two completely assembled flashers I knew the magic of buying three of them was coming. Love it!
"For fun I've tried to see if BMW used the same flash frequency as GM, but I've literally never had an opportunity to check for some reason."
Fantastic BMW driver joke.
I instantly thought, 'What are the odds of him never once being behind a BMW using their turning indicat--' before I got the joke, haha.
Do you know what is really funny? My BMW was recalled to have all the exterior lights replaced for some reason. Yeah, they replaced them with cheap, aftermarket LED bulbs.
It's interesting that this jokes exists in the US as well, not just in Germany :D
I didn't get the joke until I read this comment. I don't drive in Chicagoland anymore and the trauma has faded.
It took me a second but it was fantastic once it clicked
-Unlike a BMW's blinker-
Another reason turn signals were so imprecise in the past was because of the refinement level of the fluid used in them. Blinker fluid used to be a natural product that was roughly based on mineral oil, and the formulation wasn't consistent. However, in the early '90s, Valvoline patented a synthetic blinker fluid that was incredibly consistent batch-to-batch. They began supplying it to OEMs, and the rest was history.
That's the main reason why BMW drivers never use their turn signals: because their blinker fluid is usually dried up.
I can't 😂😂😂
Yes bmws are vastly known for blinker fluid leaks
They miss out on other key maintenance features as well, unless it's the grocery getter and they regularly service it (rare for a beamer).
Don't forget BMW requires a special blinker fluid replacement tool to access the blinker fluid reservoir and that costs extra money!
Jesus loves you alot trust in His death 4 salvation and be saved from eternal hell
With over 9 and a half THOUSAND comments, I'm mostly leaving this comment for my own sense of justice. THANK GOD FOR THIS CHANNEL AND VIDEOS LIKE THIS ONE! I sometimes think I'm the only person who thinks about topics like this and details like these. I love the fact that I'm not alone... and almost two million people have watched this!!! I feel validated. Thank you for this outstanding piece of research.
Its interesting to read what people feel like somtimes.
I felt the exact same way! I feel a little less weird today
Jesus loves you alot trust in His death 4 salvation and be saved from eternal hell
37 minute video about turn signals; Time well spent.
Yeah I didn’t expect it to be that long about turn signals. Still need to finish it later lol.
Yeah, the 35 year old flasher in my project truck was fucked and I swapped it without giving a thought to what had made it work in the first place and why it wasn't working now. Nice to learn why on both counts.
(Also cool to see that A.C. watches T.C. too.)
Yay, Andrew, …….go watch his channel guys, it’s great 👍
This video was lit….
This man can make the most mundane subjects fascinating. I love it.
"I wanted to see if I could sink my flasher to a BMW; but have literally never had the opportunity" had me lmfao
Best gag of the episode
I guess I don't understand that joke. And isn't it written "synched"?
Edit: Oh, now I get it. :}
@@kryzethplays because BMW drivers don’t use blinkers.
i spit out my drink on that
BMW drivers will not get this joke. They are entirely too important to bother with humor, or listening, or learning things.
I have been working on cars for 50 years, and next year I am an electric engineer for 40 years. I know the thermal flasher all too well. But I never saw the capacitor/relay flasher. One is never too old too learn. You run a very informative channel.
But you know you can make a relay oscillator without any components but the relay itself? Just wire the relay coil through normally closed contacts and it will turn itself off when energized, then on again because there is no current through the coil now, and so on. You will even produce some high voltage across the contacts because of the inductive kickback.. The capacitor is just delaying this cycle so it is not zzzzzzz but something like 0.5 hz lol
you're 90?
@@petterlarsson7257 They can be 2 things concurrently.
Best advice I have if you want to use LED lights: Don't just buy replacement bulbs. Buy them as unit with the housing and everything. If the headlight housing was designed for the LED in it, you're not going to run into the issue of running an LED bulb where an incandescent should be.
True. The front lens worked fine for my turn signals and looked better than factory (29 yo Ranger) but the rear units sucked. There can be problems with the blinker unit since it thinks the front bulb is burned out... quick flashing.
I for one am thankful the engineers worked so hard to satisfy my deep internal need for blinker synchronization.
It is a primal need shared by all of humanity.
So am I!
I love your videos, by the way :-)
Blink-ronization for short.
No, it's kind of dumb. Why should they synchronize?
Cool to see you in the comments, I love your videos!
"I'm going down this rabbit hole so you don't have to" should be the motto of the channel.
21:51 And we appreciate him for doing so. These videos are addicting.
I felt that in the dishwasher episode when he showed what happens when you use dish soap instead of detergent
This video needs to be shown in high schools. When it's a relaxed day in class, maybe after major tests or something, they should show this and educate new drivers.
Today I learned that NOT all things that act like timing relays, are relays.
This is like the highway equivalent of waiting for the DVD screensaver to perfectly bounce off the corner of the screen.
Did we just become best friends?
@@Anonymous-mx9dh Yep! Do you wanna go do karate in the garage?
Oh man I fell my age but reminisce on the good old days
If that happened, I'd just have to follow them to see if I can make it happen again.
I think that went pretty well.
Technology Connections: "Turns out there's a very simple explanation"
Me: *Looks at the length of the video*
Simple is a relative term.
It is just one video.
@@forgiveman one so far....although we can say it's a sequel of the brake/turns combo ran-...video....do i smell a new series 🤔
Ah, the attention span of our modern world (myself absolutely included) means 40 minutes to explain something is too long to qualify as "simple".
I don't need sleep, I need answers!
33:55 Being able to adjust the volume of warning sounds is such a nice feature! I have sensitive ears, and I rarely drive at highway speeds, so loud alerts can be so startling that it worsens my reaction time. I will definitely be testing whether the volume of the turn signals is impacted by that setting.
skill issue
I'm quite the opposite, it'd be nice to make the generic "SOMETHING IS BROKEN" chime on my mid 00s Ford louder. And turn signal click, if it could be made speed-variable anyway (not a quiet car on the highway).
Though the "hey gramps, you've had your turn signal on for over a mile" dinger works.
@@jpassa9093 lmao
Update: our Honda (made within the last 5 years) does *not* change the turn signal noise when changing the system sound. The turn signals still click when the car is off.
Also, there’s a separate option for “do you want the volume to increase as speed increases?” on a scale of 0 to 4, where 0 is “no, don’t do that” and 4 is “make it comparatively much louder as speed increases”. Mine was already set to 3, which explains why I didn’t have any issue on the rare times I drive at highway speeds.
Shoutout to the designers for caring about these little details so much that I never even noticed them until Technology Connections brought it up.
@@scout8145 Seems like it's either, "you'll like this thoughtful design choice that's satisfying," or, "this is as cheap as possible and barely works in a way I want it to."
"a quirk only Doug can appreciate"
We will now be shown the quirks and features of modern turn signals!
I don't get it. (Really, I don't need to.) (I think.)
Doug DeMuro is a car reviewer here on RUclips. You can tell he's rather popular from the number of RUclips Poops cs188 has made featuring him.
_This_ is a turn signal relay
I know it gets said a lot, but I genuinely don't understand how you make seemingly dull topics so exciting and engaging even with lengthy videos. Cheers!
I genuinely don't understand how you get so interested in it.
Nevermind. I'm getting sucked in and I just can't muster the will power to leave. Its so damn hypnotic!
It's the acerbic wit
I was actually able to abandon this one... as it's the very firstest of first world problems...something I probably gave 90 seconds of thought when I was a kid... But I'm sure I'll revisit it next time I'm stuck on the throne.
@@control_the_pet_population sitting on the throne for 37min? You might need more fiber in your diet.
"There is no way I can be interested in a video about turn signals for 37 minutes"
(37 minutes later) "Well, I'll be damned."
I confess to fast-forwarding a bit through the PSA, as someone with no desire to replace my lamp bulbs
@@cloudkitt I usually replace them when they're out of service, as I don't have the funds to replace the car every time that happens. 😉
You must be new here lol
I’m glad you caught the detail about it being specifically the driver’s speaker. That one speaker, and only that speaker broke in a few GM cars I’ve had over the years and “stealth mode” is kind of fun. No chime sounds, no turn signal sounds, but the radio still mostly works.
I'm binge watching this channel, so far I haven't seen one I didn't like yet. You have a gift to explain away complexity in a way that makes the most mundane subjects interesting. Thank you for the content!
Same! More bingeable than many tv shows
No joke - this question and observation has been stuck in my head ever since I was a kid and noticed it. And I CAN NOT BELIEVE, 15+ years later I’ve finally found a RUclipsr that answered my question with a 37 minutes long video. Cheers to you!
My sentiment precisely. Thanks for writing it out. And thank you Alec
Exactly!
. Yeah! I didn't think it anyone else paid attention to this or tried to sync up theirs. I have been staring at turn signals since I was a kid too. (I'm 32 now) Since I never talked about it and never heard anyone else talk about it, I thought it was just another random, insignificant thing that my ADHD liked to pay attention to.
It's super cool to know that I'm not the only one that's thought about this way more than just once or twice. Maybe I'm not so strange after all! haha But then again, "normal" is relative and entirely subjective.
Same!
At this point it feels like there's a RUclips video for every obscure question I had but no one knows the answer to.
"I've literally never had the opportunity to check for some reason."
Damn, that shade was darker than the lights from a tinted taillight.
Master ruseman, hard at work
Got a chuckle out of me. Could have been audi drivers too
It took me a second to get it, lol
@@jmacd8817 I feel stupid, but I still don’t get it.
@@brendan95delany BMW drivers don't use turn signals.
By analysing the laws around vehicle lights over here in Belgium I actually found out that rear indicators are allowed to be red, just like in the US, but the front indicators are actually allowed to be white. So I got held up during my yearly car inspection for over an hour because the people inspecting the car didn't want to accept it was actually allowed. They eventually let me go and I felt happy with my victory :) only to switch them back to amber because everyone got confused by the weird white flashing light on my car
The fact that I've wondered why my 2005 wrx doesn't match up with others wrx of the exact same make and I come across this video is amazing
Now imagine this: since cars these days are always connected to the internet and have pretty accurate clocks, a manufacturer could make all of their cars flash their turn signals completely in sync. All the time.
They could also use a radio receiver to synchronize the clocks without internet.
@Tim Forget the manufacturer, a clever enough hacker could simply take control of a lot of your cars features like signals, radio or even switch the motor off.
@@KitOkunaru Like the GPS functionality on aircraft warning lights (used on high buildings) - they can be set to flash in sync without having a physical connection between them!
Or use beat detection on the audio system and make them flash some even fraction or multiple of the BPM between 60-120 flashes, so it’ll sync up with your music!
It might be real if cars were using GPS. GPS is built into every modern car and it provides really precise clock.
I admire how a seemingly trivial question is rewarded with lots of clever engineering solutions and historic details. This really is the essence of the greatness of this channel!
Lukas Pfeifenberger
This is not clever engineering, just do it as cheap as you can!
You sell Germans cars in the US, frankenstein levels of green cars, DIESEL fuckers, LOL!
28:13 Fun fact: in a 1990s volvo v40 (mine is a 98) the warning light for the driver seatbelt icon uses the turn signal flasher as audio and visual que to put your seatbelt on. It does so at hyperflashing speed. If turn signals are then used the warning light slows down to normal turn signal speeds. Moreover, the locking and unlocking of the car via key fob also activates the green arrows and click noises in the car. Would love to see the frankenstein circuit they designed there. :)
Well done! Thank you.
As a little boy I called the turn signal a *dee-burr* because mother's old car bi-metalic turn signal can made that sound.
Have seen brake lights which appear only a quarter-sized dot because the filament bulbs wereplaced with LED.
Old turn signal flashers were cleverly made to speed up when a bulburned out.
"I'm going down this rabbit hole so you don't have to." - Alec's mission statement in a nutshell
How can I delegate my rabbit hole spelunking??
Pretty sure his real name is Alice.
I think the reason your videos are so soothing is because they're effectively elaborate grounding methods: they focus on some small part of our physical environment and go into as much depth as possible.
tako je
In the UK, the turn signal flasher (relay) is called an audible repeater 😊
as an electronics technician, professionally, i absolutely love this deep dive into turn signal circuits. go ahead and laugh, i'm used to it.
also, years and years ago when i learned what the hyperflash meant in my old VW GTI, i was kind of impressed with that bit of simple but effective design.
anyway, love the videos. cheers!
edit: omg, that BMW driver snark was just beautiful..well played.
“A quirk only Doug could appreciate” lol
I was just thinking that Doug once wondered why the sound of the door opened was overwriting the sound of the blinker. He even said: "maybe Ford thought this was priority" or something like that.
Is Doug now required to mention blinks per minute?
Wonderful...! Many thanks to all who use my name!
I hope Doug sees this video
Who is this Doug you speak of?
"look, I'm going down this rabbit hole so you don't have to."
most understanding and considerate thing I've ever heard in a youtube video. I feel seen.
Only change one bulb first... You give THE BEST life pro tips! The bit about how to use the pre-rinse feature in one of your dishwasher videos changed me life. I am humbled by your common sense and ingenuity! 🤩
Great video(s)! I've discovered the channel just the day before and already seen couple of old videos, and really addicted. Unique, absolutely not like as one of those thousands of ordinary examples seen out there. Really really appreciated. Great job! 👍
"Turns out there's a very simple explanation for why you can't get two indicators to flash in snyc"
*37 minute video*
Simple and Time-Efficient don't always correlate
Sure, but the actual explanation is just 2 minutes.
You just made me toot. For 37 minutes. But I told you in two. Twooot. If you read slowly. So read slowly smarty farty panties
snyc
I never thought I'd see the day when technology connects would say "use an incandescent bulb instead of an led bulb," but here we are.
You must have missed his rants about the Christmas lights.
It's for a good reason...
I guess this is why I like Alec - there's always logic and reasoning behind his suggestions, rather than a blind "always do x" that might miss corner cases like this
@@williamreynolds6132 I did, so now I will check it out (been subscribed for less than a year, and only discovered him from the more popular videos like how vhs and CRT televisions work).
But the question still remains. Why did he not bring up the stupidity of how so many carmakers in 2021 still use incandescent bulbs to begin with? OEM LEDs don't suffer from the light distribution problems that aftermarket bulb replacements have and yet so many manufacturers refuse to use them
I was at a stoplight today, noticed the person in front of me was synced with mine, and started thinking about everything in this video, even was at the light long enough to notice is drift out of sync.
Then the next time I opened RUclips a few minutes later, This Video was in my recommended feed!!!!
I know your phones listen to you, but now it's reading my mind too!!
For 40 years, I have been wondering about that... And here is the man that I trust to provide us with the explanation. 37 mins is nothing compared with how many years I have been wondering about...
Remember, if your turn signal bulb is burned out, simply "borrow" one from a BMW. They always seem to be in like new to unused condition.
More often than not these days, it seems like at least half the cars on the road must have “like new condition” or “totally broken” turn signal arrays because so many drivers apparently view them as optional equipment.
My husband occasionally likes to remind me that despite over 30 years of marriage, he still can’t read my mind. Unfortunately, far too many drivers seem to be under the faulty impression that I can read their minds.
@@tanya5322 Quite popular is also the good old “I’ll start signaling once I’m already turning/switching lanes” move. Thanks, I actually could tell that you were switching lanes because you are already are halfway in mine. But go ahead, start signaling now and not beforehand.
@@JustJustSid That's just being considerate. I literally saw someone stop and then turn into a side road yesterday, with no signalling, and THEN turn on the indicator as they were straightening up to go down the new road to, you know, inform the world of the maneuver they just performed.
@@JustJustSid I think most people do that because they are afraid you'll cut them off. I swear, most people don't understand that you're supposed to be courteous to other drivers.
@@annihilator247x This is exactly it.
Someone I worked with once told me: "Yeah, I use turn signals when others are around. But when there is no one around, why should I?"
I never understood that mentality - just always wiggle the finger to make a turn signal, and you never have to worry or think about it anymore, since it's just automatic
That's some next level laziness
You're not wrong, but some of us get bored with going through the motions of driving and so coming up with little tricks to keep the mind focused on driving is important for safety. After all, distracted driving is a strong contender with drunk driving for causing accidents; even if distracted accidents tend to be less disastrous.
By paying attention to if there are cars around, that is one more thing that causes the driver to focus on driving. And even better if you can remember what cars are in what position around you, and the possible intent that each driver is making.
And of course, the answer is yes you always need to use turn signals even when there are not apparent cars around. Because what if you're wrong about there being vehicles around? People seem to have trouble seeing motorcycles sometimes for one.
@@TheTheninjagummybear you know what they say about lazyness
I typically answer: I'd rather forget that I'm alone than forget I'm not, so it's better to get used to using them without thinking about it.
Also: pedestrians are road users and you can't always see them. That's why you should always use them.
A driver of 19 years, I’ve only ever had this happen once and the signals matched up exactly. Great information, thanks for sharing!
On older vehicles that used the old-style flashers, you had to install a heavy-duty flasher (especially on pickup trucks) when you were towing a trailer due to the extra load from the trailer lights. If you did not install the heavy duty one, your turn signals would flash very fast. Similar to what you see when a bulb burns out.
Honestly the most impressive portion of this video is that he managed to make a 37 minute video on turn signals and refrained from making a bmw joke for 30 of those minutes
He implied it once 👀
He did though!
@@leaf3002 He’s saying not throughout the whole video, but for at least 30 minutes straight
My favorite magic system is "buying n+1 of them, where n = however many you've shown so far"
his bank transaction ledger must be full of "+1"
I often find myself looking at the background of videos, but your style of editing makes it so I feel like im in a class I enjoy and am paying attention to what you're holding, doing, and saying in a way I wouldnt in any other youtube video.
Alec you scared the shit out of me. I was barely falling asleep and then i wake up staring at a zoomed up man saying “you should never ever ever put aftermarket LED replacement bulbs in your car don’t do that it’s bad” imma just binge your vids bc I can’t sleep. Thx.
I love this channel, you discuss seemingly mundane concepts that everyone has wondered about at one point but never cared to research, but you explain them in an interesting and easy to understand manner and I also love how you delve into the history of the technologies at play. This is the pinnacle of youtube, being interested in a 40 minute educational video about turn signals
Amen
"a quirk only Doug could appreciate"
I appreciated that
but you're sean not doug
@@leaf9974 maybe "a quirk only Doug and his 4M followers could appreciate" ?
Same here.
This wasn't a Doug-less Quirk :)
Who is Doug?
Everyone of your videos makes me happy with the way you explain things, as well your spontaneous humor! I think it maybe because we both are from the Land of Lincoln too, that I enjoy your voice as I fully understand and interpret it !
The bimetallic strip is also used in some old Lionel train stations as their "Automatic train control" station stop system. I manage a Lionel layout with two of these stations at the Wisconsin Auto Museum, and when people ask how the train stops then restarts, I explain the technology, and how that is the same technology as early car turn signals, which ties everything together there nicely.
As a German, I was completely speechless when you made that BMW joke. It’s a really well-known stereotype over here: BMW drivers hardly use their turn signals. But I had no idea it made its way to the USA! What is it about these BMWs?!
BMW are marketed to ✨ specific ✨ type of humans xD
from my experience its worse in the US compared to europe/germany. and the reason is simple: bmw driver are superior. you dont have to see the blinker, you already know where the bmw driver is going.
Brit here: I drove an F30 BMW 3-Series a few years ago; BMW turn signals are (were?) shite. When you move the stalk it doesn't lock into position and always returns to centre. To have the indicator remain _on_ you need press and hold the stalk up or down for a second; to cancel it you push the stalk up or down again. Of course, they also have lane switching lights (the three flashes). People either don't bother using the turn signal because it's unintuitive and clunky, OR they think it's active when in reality they've only activated the lane switching light.
What's the difference between BMW's and porcupines? Porcupines have pricks on the outside!
Bmws turn signals are a pain to use really so people dont bother
“I’ve tried to see if bmw might use the same flash frequency as GM but I’ve literally never had an opportunity to check for some reason”. Oh that’s gold
I absolutely love this channel. In depth explanations of the simple things that we use every day.
5:15 your hand motions and facial expressions with this lighting is so satisfying
Being able to sync your flasher with the car in front:
- probably the most obscure and least appreciated advantage of putting microprocessors in cars
not syncing the audio track to the video:
probably the most obscure and most infuriating things to do in editing
On the other hand:
It seems that syncing the indicators on the dashboard with the sound and the turn signals is not done.
While the CAN bus is a real time system, it does not have that kind of synchronization I guess.
It has literally never occurred to me to do this, and I've been driving for fifty years. OTOH, my current vehicle is an '07, so it probably has an independent flasher control anyway...
TC: "I'd like a steering wheel with the stalks, 2 front light units, 2 rear light units, 3 flasher units, oh and some wire and stuff."
Car breaker: "Hmm, sounds like your car has got a few issues"
TC: "Oh no, I don't get out much and just want to play with this stuff in the house."
Ever since RUclips was created this is not even the weirdest thing by a long shot.
@Tip Toe
"A car breaker yard is another term for a scrapyard. It’s where old, broken or end-of-life cars and vans are collected, stripped, resold, broken down or, in some cases, destroyed."
TC: "Could I also get 3 hurricane lamps, 1 traffic light and two dishwashers?"
@@lanswipe While we're at it, give me please that stylish chrome toaster there! I have two of those already but it's never too much!
@@matthew8153 I remember a time Linus went to a junkyard and took an old Heater core to use as a PC radiator in a custom liquid cooling loop lol
I love that the fact that you notice little things like the stuff in this video even if it does drive you a little crazy after finding them. It’s ok tho because that’s a cool talent that make these videos even more fun to watch
My biggest annoyance about modern cars and indicators etc, at least in Australia, is you cant see half of them because they dont use the coloured housing, they coat the bulb in film but unless you are directly head on you cant see the inticator, a real PITA on roundabouts etc. I wish the ADR (Australian Design Rules) would ban clear Indicator housings and mandata visibility of each inicator to a much wider angle, or at least enforce it because it seems to have given way to "fashion over function"
The BWM joke made my day, all this time I thought indicators were an optional extra on European BMWs but it turns out it's global!
Jays2001, I'm a BMW owner/driver and it made even me chuckle a bit... But I'm worried that there's something seriously wrong with me, cause I actually use my indicators... 🤣
Came to the comments looking for the BMW joke appreciation, was not disappointed.
@@TheTronder007 I have coworkers who design the blinker switches for BMWs so they'll be glad to hear SOMEone is using them.
Savage. Brutal. Rekt. And I loved every second of it.
@@kevinjokipii4260 please tell your coworkers that having the signal stalks return to their neutral position even after the turn signal has been fully activated is a STUPID idea.
An interesting addition to the Technology Connections Bimetallic Strip Cinematic Universe.
What is this, a crossover episode?
I've been wondering about the subject of this video for quite a few years now, thanks Technology Connections!!
This man is incredibly good at making me think I'm about to watch a boring video, then proving me wrong.
29:02 "...all just a little out of sync. It's great. Definitely not bothersome to the kind of person I am."
I feel this so much.
Great, now I can never unsee this...
That moment made me laugh
The "Ambiguity of American Turn Signals" - or whatever it's called - was my introduction to Technology Connections, so thank you!
Have you seen the fully mechanical jukebox video? That one got me hooked, tho I don't think it was the first I ever watched, that was a while ago.
I’ve always seen his obsession over this as his falling victim to the dangers of “but sometimes”
"The US Electrical System is Not 120 V" is a masterpiece
The SENSELESS Ambiguity of North American Turn Signals
@@catfish552 😂 Yeah, I left out an important keyword!!!
Honestly, I shamelessly watch these explanation videos. I love these topics on how basic things work.
💜 the Doug Demuro reference!
Your hard work and diligence is greatly appreciated!
26:30 “a quirk only Doug could appreciate”
Now we just need Doug to review the Volt and mention this 😁 The ‘circuit’ of life would be complete.
I'm glad someone else got that hidden gem
"the longevity of the turn signal flasher is at the forefront of every driver's mind!" No joke my grandfather (who was an electrical engineer) refused to use his turn signals because it would wear them out. I'm not sure why it mattered if he wasn't using them in the first place, but he was adamant.
The flasher in my '90s Ford Fiesta (probably one of the electronic types shown) failed after about 10 years
Yep this is why I never use my brakes.
@@MCarrick-ss7xc no joke, using the engine to brake is extremely important if you're trying to go slow downhill. Your brakes will overheat and turn into butter
@@asedtf and then your car will hit something at great speed and turn into a sandwich. Yum!
@@asedtf no brakes no engine no dethottle.
That epic dig at BMW indicator usage was legendary...Touché
I know what you mean, LEDs are pretty much directional and can't take advantage of the reflector inside the housing. It's not just the colored piece that is a Fresnel lens (like a convex lens but broken down into smaller lenses that "flatten" it out sort of like a mosaic), but that reflector is made to spread the light from the wire element (at the reflector focal point) of an incandescent bulb, and spred it to each tiny Fresnel lens segment. So it's hard to make a single LED, or even a few pointing at different directions to emulate a bright glowing wire radiating light in all directions. However, if your replacement LED assembly replaces the ENTIRE old assembly (that used a refector and Fresnel lens) with a flat array of say, 100 LEDs (in a 10x10 matrix), they work together just like the original. Nowadays, LEDs can be addressable like the WS2812 LED. These work with only 3 wires and are "daisy chained" from one to the next so only 3 feed wires can control 100's of LEDs. This allows not only individual control of all the LEDs' brightness, but color too. I designed a demonstrator rear lighting panel for cars that used a 144x8 WS2812 LED array. I used it to show "progressive" brake lighting, the harder you step on the break, the more LEDs go red. If an LED is not being used at the moment for say, a break light, the controller can turn it yellow for a turn signal. And even make the turn signals progress like is popular these days. It can even display text like "TOO CLOSE" or "CALL 911", like I showed in my demo. In reverse, ALL of the LEDs go white to really light up behind you, but as soon as you step on the break, the controller Instantly reassigns some of those white LEDs to become red for the stop indication and still have plenty of LEDs still white. It's all very innovative and adaptive - it makes use of the entire array for any indication condition. WS2812 LEDs are very bright, but because you can control each one individually to thousands of color and brightness levels, they work better than any traditional light scheme from the past.
That's why i hate the old turn light reflectors, you can only see them right in front of you, so only other cars can see them.
Just remove the reflecting mirrors, LED is better !
We need better turn light, so AI can see what it is, bikes, modern users!
never replace them, just replace the car!
@@lucasrem The system that I designed had the LED array on a "flex board" so the edges could wrap around the car a little. Since all the LEDs can be set to any color/brightness on command, I could make those "edge" LEDs do whatever is needed for side observers (human or AI). For example: At night, the edge LEDs are dim red to act as side markers, but as soon as the turn signal is turned on, some of those are reassigned to flashing amber. That is the beauty of my system... it takes advantage of all LEDs available for any indication and reassigns them as needed. I can update the LEDs at 20 times a second, that is faster than a traditional incandescent lamps that you can barely update at 6 times a second.
"I need to borrow your car"
"Oh, you're going somewhere?"
"...Yes."
Lol
On a tangent :-)
"By the magic of...uh....'appropriating' three of them..."
Here in Tucson we have this joke: Do you know the biggest difference between a BMW and a cactus? The cactus has its pricks on the outside.
You ever feel useless? Think about the guy testing the indicators in the BMW factory and you should feel better.
They are also pricks in Europe.
WHEN I get my new custom sissy-bar, I'm going to have it decorated to display PROUDLY "30 HP"... JUST so every BMW I pass gets to see it. ;o)
my mom drives a BMW D:
I've usually heard this joke with porcupine in lieu of the cactus.
Quickly becoming my fav channel when I can’t be assed to learn but need to chill. Love this channel
Thank you for your extremely enjoyable content. I've been watching a lot of you videos since I discovered your channel, and so while I watched this, I couldn't help notice that the blades of the flasher has holes like the plugs of everything else. Are they in the same place? Same size?
"some sort of eccentric person, or I guess you live in Japan"
- Hey, I'm both of those!
Hideo Kojima is that you?
impossibru!
Everyone in Japan is eccentric XD
The clicking sound of blinkers is absolutely lovely and one of the best sounds in life.
It would be a good base line for a Hardstyle remix
I've come to inform this thread (as much as it pains me to do this) of the following search query:
Blinker type beat.
You're welcome, and I'm sorry on behalf of all type beat producers that the end results aren't better 🤣
So, here I am, sick with Covid and I was going to watch Hulu all day. Instead, I find myself watch, what seems to be, the tenth video from this guy! 👏👏 Bravo, good sir, you now got yourself a new subscriber!
Typical tolerance on capacitors is 20%. The figaro circuit ic is probably a variation on the ubiquitous 555 timer ic which is an RC oscillator.
And a variation of the 555 would also explain the hesitation seen when increasing the voltage while the i dictator is active.
In astable mode the 555 changes state as the voltage on the "control" capacitor reaches 2/3 of supply voltage (when rising) and 1/3 of supply voltage (when falling)
As [dis]charge current is proportional to voltage, the rise/fall times are effectively independent of supply voltage, but as you're actively changing the supply, you're essentially "moving the goalpost" (the 1/3 / 2/3 level) compared to the momentary voltage on the cap) which has an effect on the current cycle, but should (if/once supply is stabilized) not affect any following cycle.
I wonder what your neighbours think of you sometimes. This time he's driving his car back and forth. The other time he's filming he's airconditioning in the middle of winter snow.
I don't know what you mean. Having three cars in your driveway with their left indicator flashing in sync for about half an hour is completely normal.
TC really has the market cornered on questions I’ve secretly had since I was a child.
I can’t tell if you spend your childhood inseparable from _How it Works_ by David Macaulay or if I’m about to blow your mind.
@@bertilhatt I’m the first one for sure.
I'm still waiting for him to explain quicksand.
I can't wait for him to explain "how they get the streetlights to turn on remotely"...
@@scythal Light detector. Street light light up when it's dark enough.
I knew from the sound the flasher 'relays' (or lack of) has changed over the years because I grew up with the really old / quite loud ones. But the greater in depth was interesting. I'd also never thought of the LED vs filament bulb aspects you brought up.
I do find it interesting though that some folks CARE whether or not their car signals are in sync with the other cars waiting at the light. :)
All your videos are of the kind that i never knew i needed. I am grateful.
This guy would make a great comedy villain lol. He's just the right level of clever and sarcastic
I can just see his Volt exploding, leaving a huge mass of amber muscle behind shouting:
BLINKY TURNY FLASHY NO LINE UP ARRRRRGH SMAAAAAASH!!!!!!!!!!
This guy is the Riddler's secret identity, through the magic of buying two of them.
His plans would definitely be very thought-out.
"oh, you think you have me bested, mr. bond?"
"well, through the magic of buying two of them.. I expect you to die!"
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 Very thought out in the most seemingly mundane but surprisingly devastating ways
I'll have you know I've used the indicators on my BMW so much that I burned out the controller.
Clearly BMW didn't anticipate them being used twice in the same month.
Kek.good one.What is with german car brands and douchebags?
@@naamadossantossilva4736 Probably all that "ubermenschen" nonsense
@@naamadossantossilva4736 They're expensive and have status. I don't consider myself a douchebag, I just wanted an affordable used 400hp toy. I put way more miles on my grandpa car daily driver though.
I daily drive a 95 bmw 4cyl with over 200k miles on it. Parts are cheap and repairs are easy, though I can't give accolade to their power window systems in the 90's cars(e36). Enthusiasts like them because of the way it FEELS to drive!
Can't say I'm into new models however, just like any car these days, they are just glorified computers.
They do. They are required to tell people to move over on the Autobahn.
Automotive Electrical Engineer (Auto Electrician) here, I knew all this, and still watched all the way through, great content mate!
I would absolutely love a series about all those little quirks some vehicles have like you mentioned around the 31 minute mark!
If you want to replace your incandescents with LEDs, also replace the lamp assemblies with ones designed to magnify the LEDs correctly.
Here in Germany, you have to do exactly that in order to pass the regular car safety test. And a policemen or similar person can stop your car and set it out of order until you fixed that.
@@ShenLong991 Unfortunately, the Cro-Magnons that we call politicians and policy makers that run the US aren't/weren't smart enough to have made a law that requires road vehicles to be checked for compliance on a regular schedule.
@@acywei You have to get your car inspected every year in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I couldn't believe I didn't need an inspection when I moved to Colorado a couple years ago.
I came here to say that. Thank you. There is currently crackdown on LED lamps where I live, especially "angel eyes" BMW's and loud exhausts. It seems that government doesn't realize, that "angel eyes" isn't a priority, and those who do have them mounted on their cars, most likely have everything else in check, as lamps isn't usually top item on BMW owners to-do list, meanwhile a gray civic with a rusted out floor is acceptable. Also, for those who think they don't need new headlight assembly when switching to LED, you're missing out. Might as well stay with incandescent bulbs.
@@MrC0MPUT3R here in North Carolina there’s a dude downtown Brevard that will pass your vehicle no matter what, ain’t got a working horn? No problem! Seatbelts get stuck? No problem! Seriously it’s nice but kinda bad at the same time…
HPPP: “What is that mysterious ticking noise?”
Alec: “That’s a great question! It all starts with the bi-metallic strip….”
The bimetallic strip, in conjunction with latent heat and the refrigeration cycle......
Wow, a HPPP reference is not something I expected to see, but I'm glad it's here
hppp?
I didn’t realize pipe bobs could be detonated that way
@@Xfade81 (Harry) Potter Puppet Pals
excellent explanation ! now i understand why old cars and motocycles turning lights had a different flashing frequency when a bulb doesn´t work... greetings from Mallorca, Spain !
This guy is brilliant. What a amazing and well produced explanation of something that most people wouldn’t even be smart enough to understand. Brilliant
"The magic of buying..."
Me: "Two of them, yeah"
"Three of them"
Me: "Upgraded spell!?"
Trying to keep up with Cathode Ray Dude, I suppose.
The magic of buying n + 1 doesn't have the same ring to it.
And then, buying FOUR of them.
Yeah, I know. Crazy, right?
0:40 “Very simple explanation”
*Proceeds to make 37 minute video that I will watch*
Wait, what? That was 37 minutes? Felt like 20.
@@LYLBetelgeuse Indeed, by the time it was over I was wanting more lol.
For an electrical system, that *is* a simplification
@@nthgth That is true. I already know most of the things this guy makes videos about, but it’s just so entertaining and there are many times I learn little facts I didn’t know about before.
@@joeythefoxxo that's true, I learn a lot every time I watch, and even more when I rewatch.
The amount of knowledge you have is amazing to me!
I've looked for my turn signal to be synchronized to another car's for my entire driving life, and it finally happened in 2015 in Anniston Alabama. I was sitting at a left turn and I happened to notice the car ahead of me was flashing in time. I had, of course, seen this many times in fleeting instances, but it always went away after a few flashes; but not this time. This time, our blinkers were synchronized for some minute or longer while we waited for our light to change. It was glorious, and I'll always remember it.
The "BMW owners never use blinkers" joke was hidden so well I almost missed it hahah
I literally took several seconds AFTER he was done talking, to realize he was doing that joke and not just saying he had never pulled up behind a BMW.
"the thermal flasher" sounds like a very strange comic book villian
Going around in the winter looking for thermal cameras and throwing open my coat to expose the warm interior.
his willie is so white-hot that when he flashes someone they go blind from literal eye damage
Sounds like a nickname the local news in Iceland would give to a serial sex offender on the loose.
He's on a few watchlist and not allowed near schools or ice cream stands.
this guy answers questions that I never thought of, but for some reason i still watch.