In a message dated 15/12/2004 12:38:58 PM Eastern Standard Time, LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes: For those planning higher wattage headlights, do consider that the contacts on the 9004 bulb harness are not really sufficient for 80/100W bulbs. If you relay the system as Jeff suggests and thereby provide more current to the bulbs, the possibility of melting the connector or the bulb housing can short circuit your efforts, so to speak. As with many modifications, including SVX transplants, getting rid of only the weakest link soon reveals the next weakest link and so on.
Al, not entirely true. I have been using the relay kit with the 100/80 watt bulbs set up on two of my personal vans and have installed numerous head lamp relay kits with the higher wattage bulbs on customers vans as well and still no socket melt downs EXCEPT one on my '87 Westy. The terminals in the headlamp socket were worn to begin with and I then replaced both sockets with new ones available from NAPA and have had no problems since. The terminals in the 9004 bulbs and sockets are definitely small and weak. They need to be in good condition and clean and make very good contact otherwise there will be a problem. The only other way around all this is to convert the socket and bulb and now were into an expensive retrofit. If your careful and meticulous about looking after the OEM sockets or replacing them with new ones there will be no melt down at the socket to bulb connection using the higher wattage bulbs.
Cheers, Frank Condelli Almonte, Ontario, Canada _BusFusion_ (http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm) a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 09 ~ 12, 2005 '87 Westy, '90 Carat & Lionel Trains Member: _Vanagon List_ (http://www.vanagon.com/) , _LiMBO_ (http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/) , _IWCCC_ (http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/) & _CCVWC_ (http://www.ccvwc.ca/) Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley _STEBRO/Vanagon Stainless Steel Mufflers_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm) _Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html) or http://frankcondelli.com |
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