Date: Mon, 19 Apr 2004 09:02:44 -0500
Reply-To: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: '80 Westfalia, Electrical problems; need answers, like,
really.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
I was in a stereo store and bought a stereo and had them install it.
----------------------- Clip ----------------------------------
If they took power off the headlight switch, it's going top lead to trouble.
Have the power hooked up to either ignition on or always on power source on
the fuse panel.
I believe that you need one always hot to retain the station memory and one
ignition ON hot to power the radio.
The Vanagon came with wireloom with ignition on power / ground use this if
you can, it's already right there.
If you have a new type receiver you'll also need to run an extra wire for
your second speaker or pair of rear speakers. Newer speakers require 4 wires
while the original system shared a ground.
As for the situation of heat I'm going to suggest that the installers
depressed the top of your heater duct and it now leaks air, duct tape is a
fix but a shorter radio will be a better fix.
The installers also may have bent / disconnected / forced the heater box
cables and just gotten the flappers out of sync trying for more room or
pulling wires.
Stan Wilder
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil janson" <philjanson@YAHOO.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 12:10 AM
Subject: '80 Westfalia, Electrical problems; need answers, like, really.
> 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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