Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 10:14:01 -0800
Reply-To: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
Subject: Re: Plug n Play headlight harness with relays - almost done
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
It seems to me that it would be easiest and a cleaner installation to have
the relays somewhere along the route between the starter battery and the
headlights. The obvious locations would be behind the glove box or near the
main fuse panel. While it is most proper to have the fuses near the starter
battery, fact is there is precious little room in the battery box. In
addition, the stock wires from the battery box to the main fuse panel and
the starter are not fused.
Bill
90 WEsty Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: David Marshall <vanagon@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Sunday, January 30, 2000 10:44 AM
Subject: Plug n Play headlight harness with relays - almost done
>Volks,
>I have been working on a plug and play wiring harness for the Vanagon that
>allows the use of fused relays to control the headlights.
>
>The advantage of this is:
>- Almost no current going thru the poorly designed Vanagon headlight switch
>- Not as much voltage drop so you get more light
>- Easy addition of auxiliary driving lights
>
>The design I have been working with requires no cutting of any of the
>Vanagon's wiring harness. All you would have to do is plug the harness
>into the back of the lights, attach the cable to the battery and plug one
>of the factory headlight connects into the harness (used to trigger the
>relays).
>
>The relays and fuses would be located under the passenger seat with a cable
>that runs under the van to the headlight area. I am figuring the advantage
>to having the fuses and relays inside the van would be they could keep dry
>and be less prone to corrosion. The only disadvantage would be hearing a
>click every time you go from low to high beam (doesn't bother me that
much).
>
>If you were to buy this kit, would you to (also in order of most to least
>expensive):
>- Have the relays housed inside of a 4"x4"x2" mountable box - muffling the
>sound of the relays?
>- Have the relays on a mountable socket.
>- Have the relays "loose".
>
>To keep with IASCA (car audio organization) standards the fuses (one for
>high beams one for low beams) will be within 6" of the battery so in the
>event of an accident that would crush the wires leading to the front of the
>van, the fuses will pop instead of having an electrical fire.
>
>The other issue is grounds for the lights. Ideally you would want to drill
>a small hole into body and bolt the ground wire to that (keeping it as sort
>as possible). Some people would rather not drill a hole into their van so
>running the ground to the negative terminal of the battery (adding to the
>expense) would be necessary.
>
>Any suggestions or comments are welcomed.
>
>
>
>
>-- David Marshall - - Quesnel, BC, Canada --
>-- 78 VW Rabbit, 80 VW Caddy, 84 VW Westie, 85 VW Cabriolet --
>-- 87 Audi 5000 Quattro, 88 2.0L VW Syncro Double Cab --
>-- David's Volkswagen Home Page http://www.volkswagen.org --
>-- Fast Forward Autobahn Sport Tuning http://www.fastforward.ca --
>-- david@volkswagen.org (pmail) or vanagon@volkswagen.org (list) --
>
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