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Date:         Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:49:34 -0400
Reply-To:     Walter Houle <whoule@ECSCONTROLS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Walter Houle <whoule@ECSCONTROLS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Man, I am backing up now...on the light install..
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>

Don -

I wired my driving lights in a similar fashion many years ago and they have always worked fine. I pulled my old yellow photocopy of the Bentley wiring diagram that I keep in the glove box, and sure enough my red marks were still there. Per page 97.56, I put a 12 VDC relay between current track 36 and 37, which is across the high beam indicator bulb. I put a toggle switch in series with the relay coil as you described. Then I ran a heavy power wire from the battery, thru a fuse, thru the relay contacts and out to the lights.

I also added another feature which you might want to consider. I used a 3 position toggle switch. Position 1 allows the driving lights to come on with the high beams. Position 2 is the off position. Position 3 bypasses the high beam interlock and simply turns on the driving lights. I don't see any notes on how I wired position 3.

Guess which switch position I use all of the time? Position 3 of course. I rarely use position 1, if at all. This is probably because of the type of lights I use, small rectangular Hellas w/110W bulbs. The high beams reflect back too much in heavy fog or rain and make visibility worse. I also get away with keeping the driving lights on all of the time. They're aimed low and out to the sides in order to see around sharp turns in the mountains - no one flashes their high beams at me.

Walter

On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:07:51 -0700, Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET> 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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