Date:         Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:35:19 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Re: No High Beams
Comments: To: Al Knoll <anasasi@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <9f4608e90909281229t2f278b58y954118c452b5f72b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Beat me to it... ;)

Yep, 55watts is the normal bulb rating (each) for high and low beams.
110Watts at 12 volts is handled by a 10 amp fuse (though just barely).

And while I'm fairly confident Loren took care of this in his
installation, it should be noted that wiring is capable of only
handling a certain amount of current too. Going to higher wattage
bulbs can reveal the (sometimes age related) shortcomings in the rest
of your vehicles wiring.

And don't forget that the fuse box paths are also only expecting a
certain amount of current. Too much current, and the metal starts
heating up. When the metal gets hot, it starts melting the plastics it
is in contact with. Things go down hill from there.


On Sep 28, 2009, at 3:29 PM, Al Knoll wrote:

> You have relays of course and if you figure the current draw for
> each set of
> conditions Lo, Hi, pullback both hi and lo you can match the fuse
> pretty
> well.  100w Hi plus 100w hi is 400w meaning that at 12v you'll need
> more
> than a 30A fuse for the pullback state.  A 15A will give you 180 W
> worth of
> current draw before heating up.
>
> Then if your low beams are 80w you are close to the line with 15a.
> (160W
> total).
>
> Pensionerd.
>
>
> On 9/28/09, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 12:03 PM, Robert Stewart <robertmstewart@mac.com
>>> wrote:
>>
>>> Loren,
>>>
>>> From what I remember when installing my relay kit, it states that
>>> if you
>>> are going to use the higher wattage bulbs in your housings then
>>> you need
>> to
>>> upgrade the fuses as well. I believe they are suppose to be 20amp
>>> but not
>>> sure. I believe that is what I have in mine and I have no problems.
>>>
>>
>> And that appears to be what the problem was.  I went to 15 amp,
>> let's see
>> if
>> they last.
>>