thanks for all the suggestions. i am washing my hands of this and passing it to my mechanic. i suffer from a lack of both patience and idle time. it's worth noting that my battery might be trashed. some may remember that i posted about my aux battery dumping voltage somewhere just after i installed it... turns out my fridge was on 12v. the battery went from 12 to 0 volts several times before i got a clue (thanks list). BUT, i then used the battery for several overnight trips without any problems (cd player, sink pump, int lights). so, it might be that the battery's shortened life span has finally caught up with it, or there is a short somewhere, or both. in any case, it's in the hands of the professionals now. wish them luck. aaron '87 syncro westy ej22
>From: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> >To: Aaron Pearson <aarondpearson@HOTMAIL.COM> >CC: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: Re: led replacement for overhead westy light >Date: Sat, 24 Jun 2006 03:51:56 -0400 > >At 04:40 PM 6/23/2006 -0500, Aaron Pearson wrote: >>i guess you're right. but 6v just for corrosion? i thought my electrical >>system was fine... shoot. > >Follow the voltage drops around the system, prepare to be surprised. Or >for the Reader's Digest Condensed version, look at the terminals on all the >high-current wiring. All the ones with melted insulation have been playing >fast and loose with your electricity, and maybe your fire insurance too. >Charging system especially because your alternator can deliver about a >kilowatt -- a terminal that's dissipating 25 watts will only drop a third >of a volt under those conditions -- you'll smell burning plastic but you >won't notice the voltage loss. The wires probably drop that much but >they're spread out and can dissipate the heat -- but a high-resistance >crimp or dirty contact can be more like a soldering iron. > > >-- >David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/ >'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation" > _________________________________________________________________ On the road to retirement? Check out MSN Life Events for advice on how to get there! http://lifeevents.msn.com/category.aspx?cid=Retirement |
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