Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 17:00:59 -0800
Reply-To: H R <harald_nancy_vw@YAHOO.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: H R <harald_nancy_vw@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Re: relay cost question
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Neil,
The relays burn out frequently. The wires only need to be replaced if they
were damaged, maybe shorted out (?) That's unlikely.
To replace the little relay is easy and cheap.
My preferred sources for such relays (their uses are many), are
professional electronic resourcing stores. There you should be able
to pick up a few for about $2.50 apiece.
How to install the relay:
Purchase a relay that has the same little numbers next to each connection
that your original has.
Then disconnect each wire at a time, and reconnect it on the new relay
at the same numbered contact.
If you want to take your original relay to the store to match it up,
mark the wires with their numbers before you disconnect them from
the old relay.
The relay you're looking for should be rated at about 30 amp 12 volt.
Quality relays are rated for how many cycles they are going to last
in normal use.
If you want to read about relays in a vanagon, I did a writeup on my
website. Basically it emulates the charging system from the VW weekender,
so other folks can install it in campers that were not originally equipped with such.
Here's the url:
http://www.geocities.com/harald_nancy/index.htm
If necessary, it's easy and inexpensive to replace the charging wire from the main
battery to the auxilliary battery. You can read about that on my website as well.
Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.
Harald
'90 westy
Neil wrote:
I just had my 1987 Westy looked at by VW - to help determine why my second battery (under the drivers seat) was not charging when I drove it. They determined it was the OEM VW battery relay and that it needs to be replaced.
Cost: $239
It reaised a few questions for me.
1. Does the cost to replace sound high? It's hard to imagine a relay & wiring costing too much.
2. Could any one comment on the ease of difficulty of installing or replacing a relay?
3. Do I need to replace the wireing as well, or can I just replace the relay?
VW wanted to charge me for replacing all the wires, and time involved to do so. When I asked if the wired really needed to be replaced they argued that they did.
4. Can anyone recommed a place to buy a battery relay? I'd enjoy taking a shot at replacing this myself and saving some money. I can't afford to spend $239 at this time.
Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.Thanks,Neil
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now
| 
