Date:         Sun, 23 Jun 2013 21:06:21 -0400
Reply-To:     Jim Ogul <jimogul70@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Ogul <jimogul70@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: AC Questions - 85 Westy
Comments: To: Keith Hughes <keithahughes@yahoo.com>
In-Reply-To:  <1372035675.44690.YahooMailClassic@web160805.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Thanks.  Very helpful. I ordered the switch.

Jim


On Sun, Jun 23, 2013 at 9:01 PM, Keith Hughes <keithahughes@yahoo.com>wrote:

>
> > Date:    Sun, 23 Jun 2013 15:36:38 -0400
> > From:    Jim Ogul <jimogul70@GMAIL.COM>
> > Subject: Re: AC Questions - 85 Westy
> >
> > Sorting through this and learning as I go along.  When
> > I say maximum cool I
> > am talking about the four position switch setting.  Its
> > marked maximum cool
> > in the full couter clockwise position..  It works fine
> > in that position and
> > when I turn it to off it turns off.  Past off there are
> > two more positions
> > which I think are low fan and high fan but they dont work at
> > all.  I guess
> > I can live with that since Maximum cool seems to be what you
> > need here in
> > Maryland.   Now when its on maximum
> > cool the electric radiator fan is on
> > which I guess is normal.  To my ear it sounds loud and
> > it speeds up and and
> > slow's down with engine speed (is that normal).  If I
> > ever needed to
> > replace it I notice GoWesty has one but it says 1986-1991
> > and mine is a
> > 1985.  Wonder if they one they have would work in an
> > 85?
> >
> Jim,
>
> The switch you need is
> http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4065&category_id=69&category_parent_id=, this is the one for tin-top Vanagons up to 85, and Westy's up to '85 and
> some '86 models (like mine).  Sounds like your switch is fried.  The high
> speed position in the switch seldom has problems because it only triggers
> the 3rd stage fan relay that runs power directly from the battery (at least
> that's how mine was configured - it's a dealer install, and doesn't exactly
> match anything in Bentley), so the switch only sees the relay coil load.
>
> After smoking a couple of switches in mine over the years (it has the
> larger dual evap fan, but older style evap coil - go figure), I put relays
> in for all fan speeds so the switch sees almost no amperage.  Exactly like
> the headlight switch. No problems since.
>
> If the radiator fan is on High (very loud), then something else is going
> on.  Mine is wired so the high speed fan comes on when the AC comes on -
> not original - but that's 'cause I'm in Phoenix and need all the help I can
> get! Especially at low speed.  I also installed a trinary switch that shuts
> the compressor off on high head pressure instead of just turing the high
> speed radiator fan on, so it's still protected from head pressure.
>
> Keith Hughes
> '86 Westy Tiico (Marvin)
>
>