Date: Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:52:48 -0700
Reply-To: mdrillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mdrillock <mdrillock@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Man, I am backing up now...on the light install..
In-Reply-To: <002b01c8f359$e06df2c0$4001a8c0@gateway.2wire.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
The dash hi-beam light is unique among the dash LEDs in that it is the
only one that is NOT an LED. Since it is an ordinary bulb, it will light
up no matter which side has voltage as long as the other side has a
lower potential. Diodes of the LED type have polarity and can't act that
way. The hi-beam light can and so weird problems can show the symptom of
lighting the hi-beam indicator.
I would say that you have lost the ground for the instrument cluster. In
the dash, worse in 80-84, VW tied the grounds of a bunch of things
together and they all go out a single pin on the cluster 14 pin
connector. If that ground connection is lost, voltages from the various
connected circuits look for another path. One path they can find is
through the hi-beam bulb. You need to restore the lost ground if that is
the problem. Reseating the 14 pin connector may clear this up.
First, with the key off try pulling up on the hi-beam lever switch and
watching the hi-beam light. Does it go out while the lever is held up?
If so, the problem is clearly a missing ground for the IC.
Mark
Don Hanson wrote:
> I really don't do well when it comes to "fixing" any electrical stuff on my
> vehicles. I'm trying to install some KC lights into my 84..
>
> Now, my high beam indicator light stays on regardless. It worked ok
> before. I put a spade terminal onto the fuse connection for the indicator
> light (High beam) thinking I would run that to the auxiliary light switch,
> which in turn I hook up to the relay that will control the power to the
> extra lights...So only when the highs were on would that auxiliary light
> switch have any current to it to power the relay...
> Just for fun, I re-connected the battery and the stinkin high beam
> indicator light comes on..Key on, key off lights on lights off..no
> difference...steady high beam indicator...
> So, I recalled that is an indication my headlight switch might be bad
> now...I happened to have a new one so I replace that...Still the stupid
> indicator light is on...What the? I removed all the extra wire connections
> I messed with and still the indicator...The lights work fine...anybody care
> to advise?
> Man, every time I try some electrical 'improvement's to any vehicle, I end
> up costing myself about a day of time and all kinds of frustration..Why the
> heck would the indicator light be on? Somehow I crossed some circuits
> somehow...but I've cut out all the added wires I can and as I said, replaced
> the headlight switch with a new one...
> Help!
> Don Hanson
>
>
>
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