Date:         Sun, 10 Sep 2000 10:48:10 -0400
Reply-To:     "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
Subject:      Re: HELP with wiring VW foglight switch to Hella 500's in 85 Westy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

>the VW switch has three connectors on back which are
>designated "+" , "83a" and "83b". Haynes "VW Air-cooled Vanagon" shop
>manual described switch position (83a) for the front fogs, and the second
>position (83b) for front and rear.  He also noted that the internal light
>was lit in second position only (front and rear fogs - "83b") and that no
>relay was noted in the diagram.

The switch is illuminated when the rear fog light is activated as a
reminder that they are indeed on, it should be obvious to the driver when
the fronts are on.  Not having rear fog lights (yet) on my 84 Westy I
used the second position 83B so the indicator light would illuminate with
my fog lights.  Seemed more "trick" I guess.

>So, is this switch designed to use a relay
>or to take a power source into the "+" terminal straight out to front and/or
>rear fogs via 83a or 83b?

Well you could do it either way, but the relay is definitely the way to
go.  I have all of my lighting, high beams, low beams, auxilliary high
beams, and fog lights controlled by relays and connected by 10 or 12
gauge wiring direct to the battery and ground.  The headlight and
foglight switches only have to handle enough current to activate the
relays.  The difference in the voltage supplied to the lights and the
corresponding increase in light output over the stock VW factory wiring
is amazing!  On my sister's van, in which I installed a similar setup, we
were able to measure an increase in voltage delivered to the lights of
.75 volts over the factory wiring harness.

>Also, is it best to run a power line all the way from
>the battery or is there a suitable source that I can tap into closer to the
>fuse/relay strip or under the dash?

I ran my 12v power supply line direct from the battery to my relay panel
I fabricated behind the glovebox.  Easier for me, and I wanted to
minimize the voltage losses.  If you end up using the factory relay panel
you may want to tap into 12v there to simplify things.

>would "+" on the VW switch be the "source or supply"
>line from my parking light circuit (any opinions on the best place to tap
>into this?)

I drew my power for the switch by splicing into the parking light circuit
near one of the front lenses.  This way the foglights can be used anytime
the parking lights are on.

Good luck and have fun pulling wires!

Tony

Anthony L. Mourkas
Hampden, Maine, USA
1984 Vanagon Westfalia
1991 Jetta Eco Diesel