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Date:         Mon, 14 Feb 2005 02:17:03 EST
Reply-To:     THX0001@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         George Goff <THX0001@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Headlights and Grounds
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

In a message dated 2/13/05 11:48:23 AM, Don_Dixon@BELLSOUTH.NET writes:

<< VW in their wisdom has the ground wires for all the headlights (in the late model that's four) going to a connector that has two wires attached to it (so four light grounds to two wires to one connector - ouch!). >>

I hear this recited so often on this List that I wonder if this fallacy will become truth. To believe that the size of the headlight grounding conductors on a Vanagon was specified with inadequate ampacity is to believe that German engineers are also inadequate. I've known a couple of German engineers and while they might be a hard-headed, pain-in-the-ass lot, they are generally pretty competent.

Sure, your grounding on a 20 year old van might be inadequate, from age not by design. Age has its effects on all things. The sheer act of separating then joining the electrical connection might be all that is necessary to once again establish a secure electrical contact and to boost the device terminal voltage. Clean the connections, replace the corroded terminals which are about to fall off anyway and install a relay upgrade in order to preserve the cheap headlight switch, but ya doesn't haveta continue to relate the misconception that the wiring is too skimpy.

Considering the very short conductor runs and the amperage drawn by the headlights, a clean headlight lens or a fresh lamp will produce a far more palpable effect on the amount of perceived light than the few hundredths of a volt provided by increased wire size. That is, as long as the terminations are solid and secure.

George


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