Date:         Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:27:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dan N <dn92610@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: headlight switch
Comments: To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <SJ2P222MB097241DC05F8BBD9496DB4AEA0DE2@SJ2P222MB0972.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"

Thank you Dennis....

If possible... could you please give us step by step for adding the relay
(type, parts number, where, how etc...)

to help some of us that are well intentioned but not good at electrical
stuff....

thanks again

On Tue, Mar 18, 2025 at 12:41 PM Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> The smartest way would be add a relay that bypasses the headlight switch
> when the ignition is on. The wire that goes to the switch for the
> headlights, come from the "X" contact on the ignition switch. You can use
> that with a diode to feed the parking light circuits. The diode is so that
> when the parking lights are on, they do not back feed the x contact circuit
> light the high beam dimmer does.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> On Behalf Of Dan N
> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2025 3:36 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: headlight switch
>
> Good luck to you for headlight switch replacement...
>
> I do not want to hijack the topic but I have a question...
>
> I'd like to wire the headlight switch so the parking light will come ON
> anytime I turn the ignition to ON.... The purpose is I want to have the
> parking light ON when I drive and by rewiring it I will reduce the wear and
> tear of the internal parts of the headlight switch.
>
> thank you
>
> On Tue, Mar 18, 2025 at 6:54 AM Mark McCulley <mark@markmcculley.com>
> wrote:
>
> > This has become an ongoing saga. I tried repairing the switch by
> > gluing the tabs back on with epoxy and they broke off immediately when
> > I tried to install switch in the instrument pod.
> >
> > I then ordered a replacement switch, this time from Van Cafe. They
> > offer Meyle switches, the previous one that broke so easily was Febi.
> > When I received the part and opened the box one of the tabs was
> > already broken off! I can't understand how this could happen, the box
> > the switch was in was undamaged and factory sealed. VC is sending a
> replacement.
> >
> > -Mark
> >
> > > On Feb 10, 2025, at 1:04 PM, Eric Caron <ericcaron96@COMCAST.NET>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi Mark,
> > >
> > >       I recently purchased a headlight switch from BusDepot.  The
> > > price
> > was good and the quality good.  Perfect fit and function.   I don’t know
> > the brand.
> > >
> > > Eric Caron
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >> On Feb 10, 2025, at 11:17 AM, Mark McCulley <mark@MARKMCCULLEY.COM>
> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> Well that didn't go well, both of the tabs broke off when I tried
> > >> to
> > squeeze them with pliers. The plastic is very brittle. Crap part,
> > Febi, but all that is available from what I can tell.
> > >>
> > >> -Mark
> > >>
> > >>> On Feb 1, 2025, at 8:59 AM, Mark McCulley <mark@markmcculley.com>
> > wrote:
> > >>>
> > >>> Thanks, I was considering squeezing the tabs with pliers.
> > >>>
> > >>> -Mark
> > >>>
> > >>>> On Feb 1, 2025, at 8:55 AM, Dan N <dn92610@gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>>>
> > >>>> hi Mark,
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Maybe you should try this..
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Take a plier with the jaw opening large enough to hold both side
> > tabs. Use the plier to squeeze both tabs toward the birthday of the
> switch.
> > Use a heat gun (loe setting) or a hair dryer (medium or high), blow
> > hot air toward the tabs  for 30 seconds. Now put the switch in the
> > instrument panel. If it doesn't work then redo the same and blow the
> heat longer.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> dan
> > >>>>
> > >>>> On Sat, Feb 1, 2025 at 8:47 AM Mark McCulley
> > >>>> <mark@markmcculley.com
> > <mailto:mark@markmcculley.com>> wrote:
> > >>>>> My headlight switch had become intermittent so I ordered a new
> > >>>>> one
> > from GW. The new one was Febi brand. The switch itself was very stiff,
> > I could live with that, but I was unable to get it properly seated
> > into the instrument panel. I tried for about 15 minutes but could only
> > get one of the side tabs to click into place. Very frustrating. I
> > cleaned up the switch contacts on the old switch with some Deoxit and
> > reinstalled it, seems to be working fine for now at least. I don't
> > know whether to try to return the new switch to GW or give it another
> > try. Has anyone had a similar problem with new headlight switches?
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> -Mark
> > >
> >
>