Date:         Sat, 24 Jun 2006 03:51:56 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: led replacement for overhead westy light
Comments: To: Aaron Pearson <aarondpearson@HOTMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <BAY101-F147406E9DBD517CE72BEF5AC7A0@phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

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"