Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2008 11:09:14 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject: Re: Aux light install..sort of (long attempt)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
Yah-hoo!
I, who am so fastidious about mechanical stuff and my woodworking trade,
am obviously quite 'slip-shod' when it comes to electrical stuff. I just
rush blindly ahead and don't stop to think things through. (though it does
help to know +what+ to think about..thanks everyone)
I had about three seperate issues going. First, me(I get into a mood when
I have to do stuff I suck at). Then, I didn't understand the VW aux
lighting switch and how it works.
So, I went back and got it on my bench, used a test light and some volts
and worked through all the permutations of switch positions with current
paths from and to the various spade connectors..I even think I figured out
the little "pilot light"..It comes to pass that the switch has one
input..position one gives one output and position two gives two outputs...I
had one of those running to ground...
Issue number two: The inline fuse I used between the relay and the
lights...No Good..First, I found the holder was missing it's spring..so I
got another from my 'junk box' and wired that in..but of course, the fuse,
while it looked perfect, was blown out also...Figured that with my handy
dandy jumper wire..that double whammy stumped me for a bit...
Issue number three: The relay I first tried, while brand new, was inop.
Tested it and found no workie Gotta love the quality stuff from Shucks auto
parts...Got another (from my junk box again) and now the whole mess works,
except the little pilot light, which takes some tiny little spade connectors
I have none of..
While I'll work for hours sanding out every little blemish on a piece of
furniture I make...I've never accepted the need to be so meticulous when it
comes to wiring....until...(pun) the light has finally come on! As with
everything, results depend on the details....Next time, I'll just accept
that some care must be taken with every wiring job..
Thanks again everyone..
Don Hanson
----- Original Message -----
From: "mdrillock" <mdrillock@cox.net>
To: "Don Hanson" <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2008 10:20 AM
Subject: Re: Aux light install..sort of (long attempt)
> Don, do NOT put a ground lead to any of the 3 large spades on your switch!
>
> end spade = wire from fuse 5
> center spade = wire to RELAY switch circuit lead
> other end spade = wire from a fused +12 source only when key on
> (optional step)
>
> leave the optional step off until things are working with only the first
> 2 wires above
> never connect anything to the 2 small switch leads(live without a light
> on the switch)
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> Don Hanson wrote:
> > Thanks for helping, everyone.
> >
> > I have all the hardware installed. The lights work if you go to the
> > battery direct. The problem now is that the switch, as I am trying to
use
> > it, causes my #5 fuse to blow when I activate the driving lights.
> >
> > I'm sure I done something really elemental wrong, but I know so little
> > about wiring that I'm not seeing my error.
> >
> > I'll try to recount how I've done this so far, and maybe someone will
be
> > able to point me to my error.
> >
> > First: The in-dash auxiliary light switch. It has three
positions...it
> > also has three large spades and two smaller ones. Ok, so the three big
> > spades are load, current and ground, right? and the two smaller
terminals
> > share that ground and power a little bulb that lights up the switch
> > rocker..probably. If you use another power source to the small
terminals. I
> > left those off, for now. So, what's with the three positions for the
> > switch?
> >
> > Now to 'power' that switch, I've taken a wire from the #5 terminal on
the
> > main fuse panel. (I took it 'after' the fuse). My owners manual says
this
> > is the fuse for "left high beam, high beam indicator". In theory, this
> > should put current to the switch only when the high beams are on.. I ran
> > this wire to the terminal on the aux light switch, grounded that switch
to
> > the common ground points behind the fuse panel, and taken another (3rd)
wire
> > off, from the switch to the 30amp lighting relay (four terminals relay)
> > This is supposed to activate the power to the driving lights by tripping
the
> > relay.
> >
> > ((Here is where I made my first mistake, the one that caused to
continuous
> > lighting of the High Beam indicator light...I took the switch feed wire
from
> > the wrong terminal..After about a hundred re-traces of the circuits, I
found
> > that, and I no longer have that problem))
> >
> > So that should take care of the switching..but no, it doesn't.
> >
> > To power the aux. lights, I ran a big wire (fused at the battery
terminal)
> > from the aux battery under the carpet and up to a relay (four
connections,
> > 30 amp) near the fuse panel. Pushed that onto the "30" spade terminal
and
> > ran another wire out to the lights from the One marked "load" on the
relay.
> > I connected the smaller wire from the aux light switch to the relay
switch
> > circuit and grounded the remaining relay terminal, again to the common
> > ground point behind the fuse panel..
> >
> > Now as far as I can tell, this is how Joel, Walter and Marc said it
should
> > work. Scott has something more complex..(thanks, everyone, BTW)
> >
> > But when I throw the auxiliary light switch...to either of it's two
> > positions, it snaps the #5 8amp fuse (for left high beam and indicator
> > light, where I got the power for the switch) So somewhere, it ain't
right.
> > I tried a 16 amp fuse and that blows, too. When the fuse blows, the
high
> > beam no longer works. Replace the fuse and all works right again, until
you
> > flip the aux light switch..
> > Me thinks maybe somehow the full current to all the lights is going
through
> > that fuse circuit somehow, causing a big momentary load as the lights
all
> > power up..but what do I know..Total guess on my part..
> >
> > Anyone care to try to figure where I went wrong? If worse comes to
it, I
> > have the KC auxiliary switch that I can work into it but that will not
allow
> > me to control the Aux lights to work in conjunction with the dimmer
switch,
> > which I'd like to do..It's dangerous and rude to be 'slow' to shut down
very
> > bright lights when you suddenly are faced with oncoming traffic. I'd
like
> > that to happen with a flick of the dimmer..
> >
> > Don Hanson
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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