At 08:00 PM 12/10/2000, Bill Davidson wrote: >Maybe... but I don't think fusing two ground wires would cause this problem. >You could have hooked them together in first place it it would not have >caused the problem. However, I would be very interested to find out what >caused the fusing.... or if you're mistaken about them both being ground

Well, if two wires are crimped together at a ground terminal they had *better* both be ground or there will be spectacular consequences...also they're probably both brown. :)

They fused because the wires got hot. The wires got hot because there was a poor contact there, probably between the wires and the crimp connector but possibly between the crimp connector and the ground terminal.

The poor contact created resistance, which meant that some of the power that should have gone to the lights was expended there instead, hence the heat.

This is a chronic problem with old Vanagon crimp connectors. Strongly recommend you check for overheating at the B+ terminal from the alternator, the connections (if any) inside the black box on the firewall, the big red wires at the fuse panel, all the rest of the wires at the fuse panel, the fuses themselves, the heater fan switch, and the ground connections by the panel. Any wires showing bulging or melted insulation will need to have the connections renewed.

david