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Date:         Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:44:35 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: Remote Starter Switch Wire-up for '88GL
Comments: To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="utf-8"; reply-type=original

I don't use any alligator clips in any semi-permanent installation. totally not smart .in my mind.

the way it should be wired... there is only one very minor danger.. you have a wire from the starter trigger terminal. it's not hot. it's only hot when the starter is energized. so sure .. if you let that lay on the engine unprotected, and it touched ground .. when you go to start the engine from the key .. it'll short circuit that signal from the key , to whatever it's touching that may be grounded.

I cover the end of mine with a wire screw cap. and it's there when ya need it.

really you have to be VERY CAREFUL with electricity. It's at least as dangerous as loose gasoline !

an example.. all stock diesel vangons. the positive battery cable crosses above the oil filter area ...and it is secured by one plastic clip to the battery box, if that clip is not there, or someone routes the pos cable so it can touch the oil filter.. it takes about 5,000 miles of rubbing from vibration .. but eventually .. it shorts and zaps a hole in the side of the oil filter, catching the oil inside it on fire.. and then the whole engine compartment after a while.

seriously ...the power in a car battery is huge ..you can even Arc Weld with it .. there is so much power there .. the tiniest spark at the wrong place and time .. whether it's hurt the technician or the van .. the potential is always there and you can't be too careful with it.

here's a weird one for you .. doesn't involve battery voltage ..but it does involve high voltage electricity. On 2.1 waterboxer engines, the wires for the oil pressure switches are wire-tied to a large coolant hose going to the t-stat housing at the left front of the engine. If you are in a hurry to just get your own van fired up with a new used engine to test out .. just to get the van parked outside and not be dead ...not even completely installed...just 'prototype installed' ..like needs detail work for sure yet ............

if you don't wire tie those oil pressure switch wires where they belong .. and the engine just happens to have a funky spark plug wire there.. high voltage ignition voltage can jump to ground through an oil pressure switch wire. And that blows out the oil pressure switch. just from not keeping wires properly mounted and separated. And plug wires can leak any time.

I could tell dozens of stories about wayward voltage .. it's not to be taken lightly at all. it's serious stuff.

Scott www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message ----- From: "Rocket J Squirrel" <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 12:18 PM Subject: Re: Remote Starter Switch Wire-up for '88GL

> And the wire on those crocodile clips is sufficiently skinny that should > the other end of the clip accidentally short to frame, the wire will act > as a fuse and make a really bad smell. > > On Wed, 2011-06-22 at 12:45 -0400, David Beierl wrote: > >> At 12:02 PM 6/22/2011, John Rodgers wrote: >> >One lead would go to the battery post on the starter, and the other lead >> >would attach to either one of the two male connectors on the back of the >> >solenoid. Is that correct?? >> >> I just have a Radio Shack crocodile-clip lead with one end on the >> starter connector as above and the other dangling from a vacuum hose >> near the alternator. The boot covers the exposed end of the clip - >> to start I just lift the clip up and press it onto the alternator B+ >> stud. Low mass, low price, always available, no button to >> accidentally press. And another five or six clip leads in the >> package. NB - they have three sizes of clip leads, all useful and >> reasonably well made, in packs of several. The crocodile clip kind >> is the largest one. >> >> Yours, >> David


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