Date:         Wed, 29 Nov 2006 06:23:07 -0600
Reply-To:     "J \"Westy\"" <rbluewesty@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "J \"Westy\"" <rbluewesty@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Headlight Upgrade - troubles
In-Reply-To:  <472e3ccf0611260954w287919ffuf119ee3c7fed8c76@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On Thanksgiving night, during the evening ride home, I successfully fried
the headlight switch by having the brights on too long. I was aware of the
weakness of the switch thanks to this list, and had mapped out the upgrade I
wanted to try. Through Allistair Bell (
http://members.shaw.ca/albell/mods/lightcircuit.html ), vanagon.com (
http://www.vanagon.com/info/articles/upgrades/headlight-relay/ ), and Ken
Lewis himself ( http://neksiwel.20m.com/custom.html ) I worked at installing
the relay setup featured there.

Unfortunately, I ran into a snag: upon first start up - using the old fried
headlight switch which was stuck "ON", I could hear the relays clicking a
few times, but no lights. Then the intermittent clicking stopped. I retraced
everything - finding a few loose crimps - including the power source at the
30 spade terminal on one relay itself.

This direct connection from the battery had a fine white powder inside the
crimping - is this oxidation, or whatever - normal?

I reconnected the power & tried it again. No relay activation; no lights.
Thinking that perhaps the old overheated switch may be allowing me to
misdiagnose, I used a volt meter to connect the 30 and the 56 on the
headlight switch - which was pulling 12V. (See Bentley 97.111)

I'm guessing I fried the relays? *sigh* Why didn't the installed 30A fuse
before the relays blow instead?

Any other sagely advice to prevent me from doing this again? Any help would
be appreciated.

[NOTE: the first time I sent this message to the list it didn't post. My own
followup - that the brights worked ONCE when I pulled on the stalk did
forward to the list.]

--
In "V"anagon "W"esty Love, Light, & Laughter,
Jay
'87 Westy (345K miles)
Springfield, MO