Date:         Sun, 18 Apr 2004 22:10:34 -0700
Reply-To:     Phil janson <philjanson@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Phil janson <philjanson@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      '80 Westfalia, Electrical problems; need answers, like, really.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Here's one of several problems I've had/ am having.  I need a solution to this...

I was in a stereo store and bought a stereo and had them install it.  Later I'm driving up a long steep hill and I have the defroster on full blast so the van is getting really hot [air cooled engine].  It's a warm day -- I have the defroster on to help cool the engine.  All of a sudden a bunch of smoke starts rising from the dash.  I pull over, shut everything off and disconnect the battery.  I find that a wire has burned up that runs from the headlight switch to the stereo.  And it's overheating has melted the insulation from some other wires too, as certain places on that wire.

My questions:
1. Is it likely that the stereo place used an extra hot terminal [whatever that means] on the headlight switch to power the stereo?  Is that kosher?  Wouldn't it be better to run to the fuse box and have a fused power line?

2. Is there a problem on air cooled vans driving in these conditions with a lot of heat added heat in the dash board area because the defroster is on, that it help to influence or actually cause an electrical fire.  If so, is there something we can do to reduce or eliminate this possibility by adding insulation under the dash?

3. Is there a better guide we have on the vanagon list somewhere about adding electrical accessories to these vans; also is there a guide to improving the safety of the electrical system?

Thanks everybody
Phil
'80 Westfalia Vanagon.




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