Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 14:38:12 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: wiring and fuses for 80/100w bulbs
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
First off, the normal power supply while running is the alternator, not the
battery. This is where you need to determine your needs and upgrade your
supply connection. The stock set up is basically a #10 wire from the
alternator to the large battery cable connected at the starter. This is the
first restriction and with all consumers turned on it gets quite warm. Then
from the battery positive post there are two wires going up near the fuse
panel. The skinny same size as alternator wire described above goes to the
fuse box feed. The larger red/white wire goes to the radiator high speed fan
relay. yep, VW is relying on the battery to feed the fan and battery voltage
does sink when it is running in high speed. Those wires can get hot enough
to soften the insulation. The ends also burn up from the heat.
Easy fix. Add another #8 wire from alternator to Battery connection on
starter. Use the red/white wire for the fan as the feed for the head light
relays. Then, have the relays feed the headlights through the existing wires
and fuse points. 15 amp fuses for low beams and 20 amps for high. Ground
head light bulbs near the mountings.
you do not one fuse for the headlights as it blowing will cause all of them
to go out. Not good. At least use a self resetting circuit breaker if you
must fuse the input. The four existing fuses are there so a shorted filament
will only kill one side.
Also, if you get good reflectors-lenses, 80/100 watt low beams are not
needed, nor are they legal. Also, 320 watts of fire power for the high beams
is one heck of an alternator load. At best you only have 1,080 to start
with. When it comes to lighting, keep in mind that as the voltage in the
system falls, current draw can actually go up. For the 4 bulbs, @320 watts,
I would go with a 40 amp circuit. 8-10 gauge wire minimum.
Dennis
>From: Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
>Reply-To: Florian Speier <groups.florian@GMAIL.COM>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: wiring and fuses for 80/100w bulbs
>Date: Sat, 28 Apr 2007 08:46:22 -0700
>
>currently doing the relay upgrade, with the instructions from vanagon.com.
>what i am wondering about is fuse sizing on the new wire from the battery
>to
>the relays. i am going to run 80/100w H4s for now, so i suppose i need a
>toatal of 160w in low beam mode and 2x100 + 2x55 = 310 watt in high beam
>mode (am I correct in assuming that in high beam inners and outers run
>simultaneously?) my new wire from the battery is 12awg (dont have any ten),
>fused with 30A at the battery, giving allowing 360W.
>Am i overstraining the wires / fuses here? I was considering running two
>12awg wires through their a) separate fuses to gain more power or b)
>through
>the same fuse just to beef up the wiring. Option C would be to run one wire
>and fuse to high beam and one to low beam, which gives the system some
>redundancy.
>How is everyone else doing this?
>thanks
>flo
| 
