Date:         Mon, 8 Jun 2009 00:07:49 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: High Power Headlight Kit (SA): melting connector
Comments: To: Michael Hart <mjhart853@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <867419.61198.qm@web54307.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Yes, and I've warned about it on the list before.


On Jun 8, 2009, at 12:05 AM, Michael Hart wrote:

> I the SA Grille with high pwer headlight kit installed in my '87
> Westy [SA Grille, relays, lots of additional wiring & 80/100W bulbs
> (outer lights) & 100W bulbs (inners) (done approximately 2 years
> ago). I used the high power headlight kit from 'a well known on-line
> vendor'.
> Whilst checking fuses today, I found that one of the relay connector
> blocks (high beam relay) had melted pretty badly and the wires were
> very discoloured. Running the high beams, the wires and connector
> block got very hot (& it was only 70F today) within a few minutes
> use. Just as well that I haven't used high beams all that much since
> I did the install!!
> Apparently 400W of light (34A) is too much for these connectors.  I
> also found that the wires leading into the inner high beam units
> also showed signs of too much heat (these wires are just a few
> inches long, after that I had installed major wiring back to the
> relays). I have put the original 55W bulbs into the inner high beam
> units, reducing the total load to 310W (26A) at which point wire &
> connector temperatures seem more reasonable (yet still quite warm).
> I followed all the vendor instructions exactly, but it seems to me
> that perhaps 400W is over-rating the kit (of course, I do like the
> major improvement in lighting).
>
> Has anyone else seen problems like this??
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike,
> 87 Westy
>
>
>
>